A P7B file, also known as a PKCS #7 Certificate File or Cryptographic Message Syntax Standard Certificate File, is a common format for storing digital certificates and certificate chains. PKCS #7 (Public-Key Cryptography Standards #7) defines a general syntax for cryptographic messages, including digital signatures, digital envelopes, signed-data, and certificate-only messages. P7B files specifically contain certificates and certificate revocation lists (CRLs) but do not include the private key. This makes them suitable for distributing public certificates and establishing trust chains without exposing sensitive private key information. They are typically encoded in Base64 ASCII (PEM format) or DER binary format. These files are crucial in establishing secure communication, verifying identities, and ensuring data integrity in various applications, including web servers (SSL/TLS), email encryption, and VPNs. When a P7B file is imported, it allows the system to trust the included certificates and any entities signed by them, forming a chain of trust back to a root certificate authority.