HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL UK e-Science Certification Authority Status and Deployment

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL Structure of CA CA RA User Request Approved Request Certificate RA = Registration Authority CA = Certification Authority

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL Certificate The string is the Distinguished Name, which can be used to uniquely identify the user (i.e., the owner of the corresponding private key) The public key correspond to the users private key (RSA) Other stuff specifies lifetime of certificate, issuer, etc. Extensions specify e.g. which things the certificate can be used for. A certificate ties together a string, a public key, some other stuff and extensions

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL The Distinguished Name Contains the user’s name (verified by RA) Also identifies the RA that approved the original request No project information in the DN –Must not authorise based on DN alone BUT: The name establishes only reasonable identity of the user (more than one Joe Smith?) BUT: (ideally) the name should be used for authentication only, not identification –Should be seen as a string tied to the key –Every time someone connects with this string, you can be assured it’s the same user

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL The Registration Authority RAs are trusted to approve (or reject) requests from users Therefore it was felt that RAs should be formally appointed RAs are local to users More about RAs and appointment later.

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL Identification of users Users must show photo ID to RA. The reason for this is: –We promise to verify the name in the DN –We aim to be (are) a medium assurance CA as defined by the latest GridForum policy draft (v6) –We aim to be (are) a medium level CA according to the DFN (Deutsche Forschungsnetz)

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL External Policies and Recommendations Strong policy Harder to get certificate But easier to have certificates accepted by Relying Parties Weak policy Easy to get certificate Harder to persuade admins to accept certificate for authentication purposes

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL Status New e-Science CA being deployed UKHEP CA will be terminated UKHEP certificates will be allowed to expire UKHEP still issues certificates for users not yet covered by new CA

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL 25 November certificates 10 RA managers + 15 operators Issuing 50 certs /month Adding 3 RAs / month Adding 6 RA operators /month

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL What’s done Software (OpenCA based) installed Keys generated Some RAs appointed, certificates issued CA staff trained Close-to-final CP/CPS issued Physical security implemented

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL What’s currently being done New RAs being appointed and trained CP/CPS being updated to reflect proposed change in extensions RA and CA procedures being reviewed - must ensure that they conform to CPS

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL What else must be done Must issue final CP/CPS Approval as DataGrid CA (December) Take over RAs from UKHEP Then - announce deployment!

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL Renewal Should send reminder to user 30 days before expiry (with instructions) Procedure doesn’t exist yet Easy with OpenSSL but how to do it with the web interface? Must issue certificate with same DN as an existing certificate...

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL (Proposed) extensions basicConstraints (critical): not CA keyUsage (critical) [interpretation sometimes woolly!]: –nonRepudiation - used to verify digital signatures in repudiation services –digitalSignature - private key is used for signatures (not certificates or CRLs!!), e.g. SSL client, entity authentication –keyEncipherment - public key is used for key transport, e.g. encryption, SSL server –keyAgreement - used to agree e.g. a symmetric key between client and server

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL More (proposed) extensions certificatePolicies: policyIdentifier (OID)

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL RA structure Manager Operator Head of Department = Appointment Department Operators verify users’ requests

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL RA Appointment 1 Agree Name with CA (manager) OU and L identify the RA, not the project OU =Institution, L =Department in which the RA is appointed

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL RA Appointment 2 RA Manager is appointed by Head of Department The Manager is responsible for the operations of the RA

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL RA Appointment 3 RA Manager appoint RA Operators. Operators approve requests for Users Operators must have certificates

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL RA Appointment 4 Grid Support Centre offers training courses for RA Operators RA Operators are expected to know the system and to be able to advise Users Next training course: 18th December 2002

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL RA Appointment 5 RA Operators then approve requests from Users

HEPSYSMAN UCL, 26 Nov 2002Jens G Jensen, CLRC/RAL Contacts Web site: Training courses –Alistair Mills Setting up RAs –Alistair Mills –Jens G Jensen –David Boyd Anything else –Jens G Jensen