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Authenticating Hosts Via Self-Signed Certificates (New CMU Tool)
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:22:15 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com> Date: August 15, 2008 2:50:33 AM EDT To: dave () farber net Cc: lauren () vortex comSubject: Authenticating Hosts Via Self-Signed Certificates (New CMU Tool)
Authenticating Hosts Via Self-Signed Certificates (New CMU Tool) http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000414.html Greetings. I have strongly argued for the expanded use of self-signed security certificates, and against the multiple alarming hoops that Firefox 3 now puts in the way of their use ( http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000402.html ). I consider self-signed certificates to be an extremely valuable mechanism toward the deployment of pervasive Internet encryption, despite their native inability to provide host authentication in the manner of (usually commercial) certificates signed by traditional external authentication entities. So I'm especially pleased to learn of a new tool -- "Perspectives" -- from CMU, that may offer a means to provide a very useful level of host authentication while still permitting the use of free self-signed certificates ( http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~perspectives ). If you're interested in security and the wider adoption of encryption as a default state on the Net, you might wish to explore this development. I'd be interested in hearing your opinions regarding the techniques described, both pro and con. Thanks. --Lauren-- Lauren Weinstein lauren () vortex com or lauren () pfir org Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 http://www.pfir.org/lauren Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org Co-Founder, NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad - http://www.nnsquad.org Founder, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com ------------------------------------------- Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
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- Authenticating Hosts Via Self-Signed Certificates (New CMU Tool) David Farber (Aug 15)