Abstract: The ad hoc network is a mobile self-organized network composed of a set of radio automatic nodes or terminals.Its target applications include battlefield communication or no fixed base station.The nature of ad hoc set challenges on security.Certificate chaining is a technique using in mobile ad hoc key management.This paper expatiates the usage of certificate chaining in key management,and analyzes the principles on designing confidence value in certificate chaining.

Key words: ad hoc network, key management, certificate authority, certificate chaining, trusted third party, confidence value