Abstract: An update process is used to update root certificates in a root certificate store of a client computer, maintaining the integrity of the existing root certificates as well as any new root certificates. In accordance with certain aspects, the integrity of a certificate trust list identifying one or more root certificates is verified. The root certificate store of the client computer is modified in accordance with the certificate trust list if the integrity of the certificate trust list is verified.

Abstract: An update process is used to update root certificates in a root certificate store of a client computer, maintaining the integrity of the existing root certificates as well as any new root certificates. In one embodiment, the root certificate store is updated by adding root certificates to the store, removing root certificates from the store, or modifying usage restrictions of root certificates in the store. A cryptographically signed message including a certificate trust list, as well as any new root certificates to be added to the root certificate store, is accessed by an update root control to update the root certificates in the root certificate store. The update root control verifies the integrity of the message, and thus the integrity of the certificate trust list contained therein. Once such integrity is verified, the update root control proceeds to update the root certificate store in accordance with the information in the certificate trust list.