.pfx file extension

.pfx

1. Post Effect plug-in file for Animation Master.

Contributed by Noel Pickering (www.hash.com)

For more information see:

• www.hash.com/products/am.asp - Animation Master.

2. Personal Information Exchange file. This file contains public and private key information used to securely sign, encrypt or authenticate something. Typically used as a means of creating certificates to authenticate websites, applications or encrypted file systems.

A .pfx file contains two certificates, a personal or site certificate and a signer certificate. The personal certificate, which is also known as a site certificate, contains both a public and a private key. The signer certificate (or CA certificate) contains a public key used to authenticate the signing authority, i.e. the authority which is vouching for the validity of the certificate.

On a computer running Windows, a .pfx file (and accompanying public file recovery certificate .cer file) can be created using the cipher command line tool. The syntax for generating a new pair of .cer and .pfx files:

cipher /r:file-name

This will generate two files: file-name.pfx and file-name.cer.

A .pfx file can also be created using IIS, which allows an existing certificate to be exported.

For more information see:

• http://blogs.msdn.com/maximelamure/archive/2007/01/24/create-your-own-pfx-file-for-clickonce.aspx - Create your own .pfx file for ClickOnce.
• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887414 - How to add an EFS recovery agent in Windows XP, article covers the use of the cipher command line tool.

Can you add to this? Do you know of any applications not already listed which will work with .pfx files, view .pfx files or open .pfx files? Are you able to contribute any additional reference information or file format information about .pfx files or have you spotted any errors or omissions? If so please let us know by emailing us at feedback@cryer.co.uk - Thank you.