Re: [Trans] Precertificate format

Stephen Kent <kent@bbn.com> Tue, 09 September 2014 18:23 UTC

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Subject: Re: [Trans] Precertificate format
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Rob,
> ...
> I don't mind us adding an alternative Precertificate format to 
> 6962-bis (if we can agree on a suitable format!), but I'd also like to 
> retain the RFC6962 Precertificate format as an option.
>
> Several CAs have already deployed code to generate RFC6962 
> Precertificates. Why force these CAs to change to a different format 
> just because some other CAs find it hard to implement the RFC6962 format?
Commonly in the IETF, there is no preference given to folks who have 
implemented against
an experimental RFC when that RFC is being revised to become a standards 
track doc.

Another way to look at this is to ask why a standards track should have 
to adopt a
design element from an Experimental RFC that received little review?

So, saying that clients, logs, auditors, etc. MUST support both seems 
inappropriate.
> Some CAs will actually find it _easier_ to implement the RFC6962 
> Precertificate format than to implement some new format that we 
> haven't defined yet. (My experience: When I wrote Comodo's code for 
> RFC6962 Precertificates, reusing the TBSCertificate format was 
> definitely a blessing rather than a curse).
I can't argue with your personal experience as a developer. I can argue 
that, on the
basis of 5280 (4.1.2.2), and on my experience as a developer of an HSM, 
the pre-cert
model is very problematic.

Steve