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HEPKI-TAG UPDATE. Jim Jokl University of Virginia jaj@Virginia.EDU. Higher Education PKI Activities - HEPKI. Sponsors Internet2, EDUCAUSE, CREN, NET@EDU HEPKI - Technical Activities Group (TAG) Open-source PKI software Certificate profiles Directory / PKI interaction Validity periods
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HEPKI-TAG UPDATE Jim Jokl University of Virginia jaj@Virginia.EDU
Higher Education PKI Activities - HEPKI • Sponsors • Internet2, EDUCAUSE, CREN, NET@EDU • HEPKI - Technical Activities Group (TAG) • Open-source PKI software • Certificate profiles • Directory / PKI interaction • Validity periods • Client customization issues • Mobility • Inter-institution test projects • Technical issues with cross-certification • www.educause.edu/hepki
Certificate Profile Work • A per-field description of certificate contents • Standard and extension fields • Criticality flags • Syntax of values permitted per field • Spreadsheet & text formats • Higher education profile repository • http://middleware.internet2.edu/certprofiles
Certificate Profiles • Assortment of EE/CA certificates • From eight institutions • CRLs • Issuer/Subject field naming • X.500-style Distinguished Names • Subject fields with real names • Anonymous names • Little use of constraint extensions
Certificate Profiles • Validity Period • Wide variation from per-session to one year • Long term: expiration synchronized to semester • Assurance level indicator • Explicit extension • Policy OID • Key usage • Some certificates employ Key Usage field • Variation on criticality setting • Encryption and private key escrow
Certificate ProfilesDomain Component Naming • Some certificates also use DC naming • Encode domain names into X.500-type name fields (dc=Internet2, dc=edu) (rfc-2247) • Issuer and Subject fields • HEPKI-TAG Recommendation • Use DC naming in the Subject and Issuer fields • Place DC components in most significant part of the name • Use more specific pointers to information before using DC names in applications • Test for problems with devices
Certificate Profiles: Some Issues • Profile Convergence • Shared desire to minimize the number of profiles in the community • Aid new PKI implementations • Ease policy mapping • Promote interoperability • What is the right number of profiles? • What are the applications? • Importance of convergence? • If you are issuing certificates, please email one so that we can include it in the repository
PKI Complexity and Applications • You often hear of PKI as a solution for: • Authentication for high-assurance processes • Funds transfer • Medical records • Student grades • Digital signatures • Contracts • Other legal documents • But, can’t it also be a good fit as a technology that is better than passwords but less than a high-assurance CA?
PKI-LightFull function but lightweight • A normal PKI technical infrastructure • Authenticate EEs • Issue certificates, perhaps revoke certificates • A comparatively simple certificate profile • Support applications, directories, etc • A lightweight administrative/policy structure • Supports applications without high assurance needs • One or two paragraph certification policy
PKI-Light Project Assumptions Initial applications • Web application authentication • Secure e-mail S/MIME Operational issues • No requirement for revocation • No requirement for separate signing and encryption certificates • On-line CAs are acceptable • Single PKI-Light policy OID • Simple assurance level requirement
PKI-Light Certificate Profile • Version 3 certificates • Issuer: normal as per TAG DC Naming recommendation • Validity: one year • Subject • Name as per HEPKI-TAG DC Naming recommendation • Include email • Other criteria such as name uniqueness, practices, etc • Basic Constraints: CA=false • Certificate Policy OID • CPS Pointer: yes • Subject Alt Name: email address • http://middleware.internet2.edu/hepki-tag/pkilite-profile-recent.html
PKI-Light: next steps • Learn from Pilot/Demonstration Projects • Web authentication • Electronic mail • Directory interaction • Insert your project here • Participation • Want more schools and more users • Help break some of the myths that PKI is too hard or too costly to implement
PKI Mobility Options • Hardware tokens • Smart cards, USB devices, iButtons • Key-pair generation location • Drivers, software quality, cost • Software-based Mobility • passwords to download from a store or directory • proprietary roaming schemes • IETF SACRED working group established • Integration
CA Private Key Protection Issues • CA Private Key is the root of all trust • Storage options • Clear text on disk • Encrypted storage on disk • On hardware device • Physical protection of CA • Locked doors and racks • OS Configuration • Multi-level solution • Collection of information for new PKI sites
Discussions and Projects • Higher Education PKI Applications • General web authentication • Access to course materials • S/MIME • etc • middleware.internet2.edu/hepki-tag/TAG-PKI-Apps3.xls • Certificate Profile Maker • Web interface • Generates XML • PKI pilot and demonstration site
Discussions and projects • HEPKI-TAG Website • Recommendations • Information for those starting on PKI • References • How-to information • Certificate profiles • Minutes and survey data • www.educause.edu/hepki/ • Please email feedback
Project Participation • Much work remains • Research and recommendations • Pilot projects • Mobility • etc • Consider participating in HEPKI-TAG if you are working on a PKI deployment
Where to watch • middleware.internet2.edu • www.educause.edu/hepki • www.cren.net/ca • NET@EDU PKI for Networked Higher Ed • www.educause.edu/netatedu/groups/pki • PKI Labs • middleware.internet2.edu/pkilabs • www.pkiforum.org