Re: [Fed-Talk] PKI SIGNED E-MAIL
Re: [Fed-Talk] PKI SIGNED E-MAIL
- Subject: Re: [Fed-Talk] PKI SIGNED E-MAIL
- From: Matthew Linton <email@hidden>
- Date: Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:35:42 -0800
I should point out here that, for security, there are a number of things
we don't WANT left in the hands of the user. For things like email
signatures, which are often by definition authoritative declarations of
trust by third party escrows of said trust, I don't think it should be
left up to the user to override those declarations.
If a user is allowed the choice to trust "loose matches" of
username-to-cert combinations, I expect to see spoofed encrypted
messages very shortly in the vein of 'email@hidden' ->
'email@hidden'
One of our major problems with security right now is that users are all
too willing to 'trust' and permanently store declarations made by their
email clients and by received emails. :P
==========================
Matt Linton, GCIH, EZ2C
IT Security Operations Lead
NASA Ames Research Center
650-380-4281 (mobile)
On 11/7/11 11:30 AM, Blumenthal, Uri - 0668 - MITLL wrote:
> A usable Mail Agent must leave the final decision in the hands of the
> user. I.e. if a user decides that email sent by email@hidden and signed
> by email@hidden is "kosher", the Mail agent must allow the user to
> (permanently) set this exception for the given address-cert pair.
>
> RFC is not a suicide pact. The final and ultimate goal is to interoperate,
> not to demonstrate who's "holier than thou".
>
>
> <rant>
> For example (and side-tracking), Apple may be 10 times right in its
> assessment of usefulness (or lack of) of FIPS certification for software
> modules. But if Apple doesn't initiate Lion crypto FIPS certification
> process FileVault 2 won't be allowed in Fed agencies, other solutions
> (like WInMagic SecureDoc) would be forced, and finally when it becomes
> obvious that both choices (use SecureDoc and miss out on OS security
> updates, or stay current on OS patches and lack FIPS-certified FDE) are
> bad users will be pushed away from Mac towards Win (mostly) and Linux
> desktops. In our Lab there's already a blanket prohibition on purchasing
> equipment that can run only Lion (hopefully it will be lifted). Does Apple
> Care?
> </rant>
>
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