About Us

CertiPath is a LLC which is jointly owned by ARINC, Exostar, and SITA.

CertiPath is a newly organized corporation whose purpose is to design, implement, maintain and market a secure public key infrastructure communications bridge, initially focused on the aerospace and defense industry. This enables the transfer of secured and authenticated information globally between subscribing companies; and between such companies and a number of domestic and foreign government agencies.

Cooperation and Competition

The CertiPath shareholders jointly manage the bridge, with key operational elements outsourced to VeriSign, who host and operate the service. Core functions, such as policy definition and mapping, are provided by CertiPath.

The shareholders compete by offering end-entity digital certificates, with each firm offering its service separately to the market. To allay any fears of monopoly, CertiPath partners determine their own pricing, and the types of value-added services they bring to the market.

Initial Idea

The initial concept of an “Aerospace & Defense Bridge” was driven by the UK MoD, US DoD, aerospace/defense industry and exchanges to meet collaborative business goals that require information to be shared more widely, securely, effectively, and affordably between the US, UK, and other European nations. This idea was predicated on the wide acceptance of PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) based credentials being the best credential technology available.

To meet this identified need, CertiPath was formed in June 2005 to provide identify assurance services, by operating a PKI bridge and cross-certifying enterprises onto this bridge.

How Does CertiPath Work?

Why ARINC / Exostar / SITA?

Each firm has a core competence in handling secure data, and each offers some type of secure services today. Together, a global reach is achieved, as each operates in various capacities around the world. Such a global reach should appeal to a wide market segment of aerospace/defense customers, who will have a need to communicate on an international basis, and with their countries and regions.

Each firm has varied experience in providing secure solutions to this market, as synopsized below:

ARINC:	Since 1929, ARINC has offered secure, consistent, and requirements-based communication. As system integrators, ARINC manages communications for the airline, rail, and shipping industries. They have supplied CA services to the FAA and airlines since 1998.
Exostar:	Exostar is the single point of connection for electronic security, commerce, and collaboration. More than 15,000 trading partners trust Exostar to provide a highly secure external supply network designed to address the need for managing business processes and information across the extended supply chain.
SITA:	Operates global data networks and all facets of communications needs (IP, Frame Relay, VPN, Type B, Air-to-Ground, etc.) for the global Air Transport Community. SITA offers Digital Certificates in compliance with the ATA DCWG/iSPEC2200, as well as secure messaging solutions for aerospace, aviation, cargo, and travel. SITA began operations in 1949.

History

In late 2003, ARINC, Exostar, and SITA began discussions on how to jointly operate a PKI Bridge to meet the needs of suppliers to the US DoD and UK MoD, at the urging of the Transatlantic Secure Collaboration Program (TSCP). The need of the Aerospace/Defense industry to interoperate with the US DoD was the initial requirement, with a secondary need of being able to exchange PKI-enabled data with other suppliers in a trusted manner. The global aspects of addressing the European Union, Canada, and AsiaPac/Australia, drove the need to have a consortium of companies with competencies in security and communications come together.

CertiPath LLC was formed to provide this service in June 2005, and went ‘live’ in May 2006. The service is now operational with Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, EADS, and the US governments’ Federal Bridge (FBCA).

Learn More About Our:

Management Team

Board of Directors

CertiPath =
ARINC + Exostar + SITA