How to export the public key of the idCAT Certificate – idCAT identitat digital

The idCAT Certificate is composed of two elements: the public key and the private key. The private key is the element that contains the specific information of the citizen holding each idCAT Certificate, while the public key includes the generic information relating to the characteristics of the idCAT Certificate.

To use the idCAT Certificate for authentication, signing, etc., it is necessary to have the complete idCAT Certificate (public key + private key). However, in some cases the public key of the idCAT Certificate may be needed, for example to check its validity .

Warning: never share the private key of your idCAT Certificate . You can share the public key, for example to resolve an incident in the use of the certificate.

Below we explain how to obtain the public key of the idCAT Certificate, depending on the browser where you have it installed:

Export the public key of the idCAT installed in Google Chrome

Step 1: Go to the button from the top right. Option " Settings ">Privacy and Security>Security> Manage certificates> Manage imported Windows certificates

Step 2 : Select the certificate with your name and issued by EC-Ciutadania and click the "Export" button.

Select the export button

Step 3 : Select the option " Do not export the private key "

Step 4: Finally, define the location and name of the file. You now have the public key of the idCAT Certificate exported.

Define the location and name of the file

Export the public key of the idCAT installed in Keychains - Mac

Step 1 Go to Keychain Access > Login > My Certificates.

Step 2 Select the certificate we want to export, we will see that it shows us that it has a private key.

Step 3 Click the right mouse button on the private key of the certificate, a window with several options will open, we must select "Export".

Step. 4 A window will open where we will have to select the file format "certificate (.cer)" from the drop-down list, indicate the name of the public key and the location where we want to save it. Finally, we will click on Save.

We will now have the public key (.cer) of the idCAT Certificate in the defined location.

Export the public key of the idCAT installed in Microsoft Edge

Step 1: With the Microsoft Edge browser, go to the button in the upper right>Settings>Privacy, search and services tab>Security. At this point click on the "Manage Certificates" button and then the " Personal " tab.

Step 2: select the certificate with your name and issued by EC-Ciutadania and click the "Export" button.

Select your certificate and click Export.

Step 3 : Select the option " Do not export the private key "

Step 4: Finally, define the location and name of the file. You now have the public key of the idCAT Certificate exported.

Select the location where you want to export it

Export the public key of the idCAT installed in Firefox

Step 1 : Go to Tools >Settings>Privacy and Security > Show certificates

Select show certificates

Step 2 : Select the certificate with your name and issued by EC-Ciutadania and click the "View" button.

Press the view button, once the certificate is selected.

Step 3 : in the "Others" section, click on the "PEM(true)" option

Inside Others in the Download row press PEM (true)

This option will allow you to download the public key of your idCAT Certificate in .pem format.

Step 4 : To change the format to .cer, you can rename the file (by right-clicking on the file and selecting the Rename option) and change the .pem extension to .cer.

Select Change Name with the right mouse button

when you press "enter" the file will be in .cer format

modified file with .cer format

You already have the public key of the idCAT Certificate exported.