limited access web sites are responsible for updating their database to deny access to those individuals who present invalid digital certificates the present invention 39 s methods and systems are advantageous compared to existing methods and systems for a number of reasons first it is easier for customers to implement the certificate authority system of the present invention than existing products since it can be an outsourced offering that requires fewer customer resources in addition a present invention outsourced approach requires the customers to undertake significantly less up front expense the present invention 39 s methods and systems are scalable and allow customers to purchase only as much product as they need furthermore they offer increased security and access control for corporate extranets corporate extranet usage is expanding quickly because companies can utilize the internet and security measures to replace more expensive dedicated communication lines it is to be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in disclosing the invention in this document terms such as u201c firewall u201d u201c server u201d u201c internet u201d u201c network u201d u201c intranet u201d.