Security Basics mailing list archives

Another basic PKI question


From: "Roger A. Grimes" <rogerg () cox net>
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 14:37:34 -0400

First, thanks to everyone who responded to my last question regarding PKI.

(The answer to that one was that yes, both public and private keys can
encrypt and decrypt (with most popular PKI protocols); but who encrypts and
decrypts depends on whether you are signing or encrypting...but yes, the
private key can encrypt.  Thank you all.)

New question:  When I recieve a digital certificate, do I (or my browser)
have to trust every PKI CA in the tree of trust heading all the way back up
to the root CA, or just the closest CA to me in the chain of trust?  I'm
guessing it's the latter.

Roger

****************************************************************************
****
*Roger A. Grimes, Computer Security Consultant
*CPA, MCSE (NT/2000), CNE (3/4), A+
*email: rogerg () cox net
*cell: 757-615-3355
*Author of Malicious Mobile Code:  Virus Protection for Windows by O'Reilly
*http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/malmobcode
*Author of upcoming Honeypots for Windows (Apress)
****************************************************************************
*****


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