Cybersecurity definition
What is ACME?
ACME stands for Automatic Certificate Management Environment.
By Cyber Tool Stack Editorial TeamUpdated
Definition
An open protocol (RFC 8555) that automates proving domain control and then requesting, issuing, and renewing TLS certificates between a client and a certificate authority — the mechanism behind Let's Encrypt that replaced manual certificate paperwork with an API call a server can run entirely on its own.
Where ACME fits in the security landscape
These beginner lessons use this term while explaining the surrounding security control.
Related cybersecurity terms
Certificate AuthorityA trusted organization or system that issues digital certificates, vouching that a given public key really belongs to the named website, service, or device. Public CAs like Let's Encrypt or DigiCert are trusted by browsers and operating systems out of the box; private CAs issue certificates trusted only inside a single organization.PKIPublic Key InfrastructureThe combined system of certificate authorities, enrollment processes, and policies that issues, distributes, renews, and revokes digital certificates, binding public keys to verified identities so machines and people can trust one another. It's the plumbing underneath TLS, code signing, and most machine-to-machine authentication.