Certificate Authority Model Research Articles

DTKI: A New Formalized PKI with Verifiable Trusted Parties

The security of public key validation protocols for web-based applications has recently attracted attention because of weaknesses in the certificate authority model, and consequent attacks. Recent proposals using public logs have succeeded in making certificate management more transparent and verifiable. However, those proposals involve a fixed set of authorities. This means an oligopoly is created. Another problem with current log-based system is their heavy reliance on trusted parties that monitor the logs. We propose a distributed transparent key infrastructure (DTKI), which greatly reduces the oligopoly of service providers and allows verification of the behaviour of trusted parties. In addition, this paper formalises the public log data structure and provides a formal analysis of the security that DTKI guarantees.

Introduction to: Internet Censorship and Control

The Internet is and has always been a space where participants battle for control. The two core protocols that define the Internet – TCP and IP – are both designed to allow separate networks to connect to each other easily, so that networks that differ not only in hardware implementation (wired vs. satellite vs. radio networks) but also in their politics of control (consumer vs. research vs. military networks) can interoperate easily. It is a feature of the Internet, not a bug, that China – with its extensive, explicit censorship infrastructure – can interact with the rest of the Internet.This paper introduces an open access collection at the Berkman Center website and also in a special issue of IEEE Internet Computing. In the collection, we present five peer reviewed papers on the topic of Internet censorship and control. The topics of the papers include a broad look at information controls, censorship of microblogs in China, new modes of online censorship, the balance of power in Internet governance, and control in the certificate authority model. These papers make it clear that there is no global consensus on what mechanisms of control are best suited for managing conflicts on the Internet, just as there is none for other fields of human endeavour. That said, there is optimism that with vigilance and continuing efforts to maintain transparency the Internet can stay as a force for increasing freedom than a tool for more efficient repression.

Trust Darknet: Control and Compromise in the Internet's Certificate Authority Model

For more than a decade, Internet users have relied on digital certificates issued by certificate authorities to encrypt and authenticate their most valuable communications. Computer security experts have lambasted weaknesses in the system since its inception. Recent exploits have brought several problems back into stark focus. The authors describe some proposed technologybased improvements, as well as some legal, economic, and organizational shortcomings of the trust model. They also propose first steps toward fixes and next steps for study.

Trust Darknet: Control and Compromise in the Internet's Certificate Authority Model

For more than a decade, Internet users have relied upon digital certificates issued by certificate authorities to encrypt and authenticate their most valuable communications. Computer security experts have lambasted weaknesses in the system since its inception. A series of recent exploits have brought several problems back into stark focus. This paper describes some of the proposed technology-based improvements, as well as the structural shortcomings of the trust model – legal, economic, and organizational. We explore some of these structural defects in the context of lessons learned over the lifetime of the certificate authority trust model, and propose first steps toward fixes and next steps for study.

Developing Trust in M-commerce: A Vendor and Certificate Authority Model

AbstractThe goal of creating a secure wireless network in which to conduct commerce is an elusive one. Mobile commerce, (m-commerce) therefore, relies on the wired network to deliver services to its consumers. Trust of the service delivery is a security concern that has prevented a greater acceptance of m-commerce by consumers. This research proposes a new network model that can ensure trust in a mobile commerce environment. A goal of the trusted relationship is to guarantee data and relational integrity in the wireless environment. Research in progress provides a diverse array of solutions from mobile agent systems (Critchlow, 2004, Wang, 2005, Zhang, 2004), the use of a unique asymmetric authentication protocol (He, 2003), to the use of XML to enable Web service efficiencies in architecture (Chang, 2005). This work recognizes and provides plausible solutions to the four elements of challenges and threats to wireless networks outlined by Claessens (2003) and the model is proposed to ensure trust in the m...