Re: Problems with most web app auth schemes

["George W. Capehart" <gwc () capehassoc com>]

On Sunday 27 July 2003 12:59 pm, Tim wrote:

<snip>

> at sign-up time.  Users can create public keys locally, self-signed,
> and never worry about having any 3rd party sign it.

That is true.  *HOWEVER* this misses the point of a PKI, CAs and RAs.  
TRUST!!!!   Exactly what is it in a locally-created, self-signed cert 
that induced me to have any confidence at all in the validity of the 
assertion the cert is making?  This is why PKIs exist.  This is why 
CPSs exist.  This is why CAs and RAs exist.  This is why CRLs exist.  
(Nominally) to provide the recipient of a public key/cert some small 
measure of reason to believe that the holder of the private key that is 
the partner of the public key being presented is who they are 
representing themselves to be.  Given the approach you recommend above, 
I can create a public key with your name in it and become you . . .  
Matter of fact, I've just created "your" public (PGP) key and will 
attach it to this message.  Problem is, *I* have the private key 
associated with it . . .  :->

/g
-- 
George W. Capehart

"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine . . ."
 -- RFC 1925

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