---
title: certificate
framework: Collaboration
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Property
platforms: [macOS 10.5+]
path: collaboration/cbuseridentity/certificate
---

# certificate

Returns the public authentication certificate associated with a user identity.

## Declaration

```swift
var certificate: SecCertificate? { get }
```

## Return Value

Return Value The public authentication certificate, or nil if none exists.

## Discussion

Discussion The Collaboration framework supports certificate-based authentication in addition to passwords. If a certificate is stored for a user identity, it will be the default method of authentication. When a .Mac account is associated with a user identity, the authentication certificate is automatically downloaded from the .Mac servers.

## See Also

### Password Authentication

- [authenticate(withPassword:)](collaboration/cbuseridentity/authenticate(withpassword:).md)
- [isEnabled](collaboration/cbuseridentity/isenabled.md)