Files in PFX format are files that have encrypted security embedded in them , which gives them a level of security and confidentiality higher than what other text file generators generally offer, such as Word, which is the most used by the public with computers.
These certificates are generally used for digital signatures that require high quality and can only be used by a limited number of people who we must select carefully, especially if we have confidential information about our work or company on our computer .
They are useful to prevent bots, malware or hackers from accessing them, and they are available for both Windows computers and Mac computers, giving the user versatility in their use, and the requirements are accessible to all audiences, since they generate keys that the user is the one who decides with whom to share it.
To create files in this format, which contain information that you need within the reach of limited people, you must first have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer, since it is the program that will allow the user to open them, either on a specific device or network system to which it is connected.
In the first instance, we must know that to create a file in this format we work with what is called a digital ID , which is a certification similar to a driving license, which indicates that it carries personal data such as names, surnames, email address , signature and also expiration date.
When creating a digital ID , it has two keys, the public and the private, which are the ones that encode and decode the information found in them, and in turn give the necessary formal trust when carrying out transactions in line; A digital ID or PFX certificate is not required to add notes, or edit a PDF.
How to create a PFX file
Creating these certificates is a relatively simple process, but you must bear in mind that it is impossible to recover a password if you have lost it, so keep it in a safe space where unwanted third parties do not have access; If, on the other hand, it is a third party who has granted you the certificate but you have forgotten the password, get in touch to recover it.
First, run Adobe Acrobat on your computer, and click on the “Advanced” button , which will display a series of options, and you must click on ” Security Settings “, once that section, click on ” ID digital ”and then“ Add digital ID ”, once you have clicked on“ ID I want to create now ”.
Once you have completed these steps, click on ” Next” and it will allow you to choose a location that you think is safe and convenient to save your ID, again click on next, and choose ” New PKCS # 12 digital ID file “, whose purpose is save the encryption data to a PFX file, which will allow you to share it later.
Uses and characteristics of a PFX file
Generally, these files are used by small and medium-sized companies for legal matters that require a signature during transactions of reliable and legal matters, and have a duration of up to a maximum of five years, so you will not have to worry about creating one. new for now.
On Windows computers , they will be in the PFX format , while on Mac OS computers , they will have the .p12 format , although the transfer between operating systems can be done without problems, since Adobe Acrobat has enough intelligence to identify both and transform them without higher protocol.
Although the most recommended, for security and protocol reasons, is to use Acrobat in this way, there are other programs that can open files in PFX format , such as File Magic, a universal file viewer that would allow the viewing of the file and its subsequent use, for which we emphasize that the use of the PFX is kept suspicious.
