Mark certificate
An X.509 certificate that binds a logo to a domain for BIMI after a certification authority checks the right to use the mark; VMCs and CMCs are the two kinds.
What it means
Mark certificates are issued by Mark Verifying Authorities, certification authorities that follow the Mark Certificate Guidelines of the AuthIndicators Working Group and appear on the BIMI Group's list. The certificate embeds the SVG logo and names the domain, and is published as a PEM file referenced in the a= tag of the BIMI record.
There are two types. A Verified Mark Certificate covers a registered trademark or a government mark. A Common Mark Certificate covers a mark with a history of prior use, or a modified version of a registered mark. A field in the certificate (markType) states which validation was done.
Providers decide how to display each type; Gmail shows a checkmark only for a VMC.
Related terms
On this site
Sources
What this definition rests on. The wording is ours; the facts are theirs.
- BIMI Group: Understanding BIMI certificate typesbimigroup.org
- BIMI Group: Mark Verifying Authority FAQsbimigroup.org
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Set up BIMIknowledge.workspace.google.com
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