Certificate Revocation List

A Certificate Revocation List, or CRL, is a list of digital certificates that have been revoked by the issuing Certificate Authority before their scheduled expiration date. When a system receives a certificate, it can check the CRL to ensure that the certificate has not been revoked due to compromise or other issues.

This is a critical check for maintaining the security of web-based financial services, as it prevents the use of stolen or invalid credentials. While CRLs are effective, they can grow large and become a bottleneck, leading to the development of more modern alternatives like the Online Certificate Status Protocol.

Despite these alternatives, CRLs remain a fundamental component of the trust infrastructure that keeps the digital financial ecosystem secure and reliable.