Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is deployed for loading a user CA certificate into the trusted certificate storage of a network device. The method comprises a number of operations. A first operation involves a downloading of addressing information. Thereafter, a communication session is established using the addressing information for retrieval of a bootstrapping digital certificate that can be digitally verified by the network device using its factory settings. Keying information is extracted from the bootstrapping digital certificate and the keying information can be used to verify that the communication session is between the network device and a certificate server being different than a source for the addressing information. Upon verification that the network device is in communication with the certificate server, the user CA certificate is downloaded from the certificate server using a secure channel that is established based on the bootstrapping digital certificate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is deployed for loading a user CA certificate into the trusted certificate storage of a network device The method comprises a number of operations. A first operation involves a downloading of addressing information. Thereafter, a communication session is established using the addressing information for retrieval of a bootstrapping digital certificate that can be digitally verified by the network device using its factory settings. Keying information is extracted from the bootstrapping digital certificate and the keying information can be used to verify that the communication session is between the network device and a certificate server being different than a source for the addressing information. Upon verification that the network device is in communication with the certificate server, the user CA certificate is downloaded from the certificate server using a secure channel that is established based on the bootstrapping digital certificate.