[cabfpub] EV Code Signing maximum validity

Fri Apr 12 14:24:48 UTC 2013

Hi Wendy,

Google's requirement for 25 years effectively nullifies the need for a third
party CA to get involved.  Some programs forbid us from creating roots
beyond 20 years.   I seem to recall a lot of discussion on the pro's and
con's for this stance by Google but suggest we don't add that to this thread
;-)

I think Jeremy made a nice summary which I'm happy to keep to at the moment.
We have so many goals to chase and check that I don't really want to move
one.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Steve
(GlobalSign)

In the UK I may have to get up earlier than most of you on a Monday but I'll
be having a cool beer sooner on Friday ;-)

From:  "Brown, Wendy (10421)" <wendy.brown at pgs.protiviti.com>
Date:  Friday, 12 April 2013 14:57
To:  Ben Wilson <ben at digicert.com>, Rich Smith <richard.smith at comodo.com>,
"public at cabforum.org" <public at cabforum.org>
Subject:  Re: [cabfpub] EV Code Signing maximum validity

I would love to hear from some of the vendors that will be validating
code-signing certificates on this issue  because I believe a requirement to
get into the Google Play Store is code signed with an even longer
certificate  they recommend 25 years or at least past October 2033.

I agree that code-signing and SSL are sufficiently different that they do
not require the same maximums, but something more reasonable than 25 years.

   wendy

From: public-bounces at cabforum.org [mailto:public-bounces at cabforum.org] On
Behalf Of Ben Wilson
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 9:08 AM
To: richard.smith at comodo.com; public at cabforum.org
Subject: Re: [cabfpub] EV Code Signing maximum validity

Thanks.  I¹ll allow others to chime in, but my hope in not bringing your
point up previously was that with added scrutiny and the hardware
requirement of EV code signing there would be adequate balance when compared
with non-EV code-signing industry practices, which allow 10-year
certificates.  If there are going to be baselines for code signing that cut
validity periods down from 10 years, then maybe you have a point.

From: Rich Smith [mailto:richard.smith at comodo.com]
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 6:59 AM
To: ben at digicert.com; public at cabforum.org
Subject: RE: [cabfpub] EV Code Signing maximum validity

Ben,
We could leave it alone, but IMO there are several compelling reasons not
to, and really no good reason that we should.

A code signing cert is a higher risk product than an SSL cert, especially
one labeled as EV.  At least the EV SSL is tied to a specific FQDN.  An EV
Code Signing cert can sign code that shows up anywhere, is very portable and
can be stolen and put to fraudulent use much more easily.  As such if only
one is going to be allowed a 39 month validity, I would be MUCH more
inclined to allow that for an EV SSL than an EV Code Signing cert.    IMO
the decision to allow longer validity for EV Code Signing just doesn't add
up unless the decision is that a 39 month limit is deemed good enough across
the board.

If 39 months was not really discussed and a conscious decision made that it
was enough, then this would appear to be an arbitrary decision, that just
didn't get picked up until now, and to my mind that's an even better reason
to fix it.

I also think that since both are labeled as EV the standards between them
SHOULD be consistent where ever possible and unless there is a VERY
compelling reason for them to be, so as to maintain clarity of purpose to
Forum members, non-member CAs and to the public at large.

-Rich

From: Ben Wilson [mailto:ben at digicert.com]
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 8:41 AM
To: richard.smith at comodo.com; public at cabforum.org
Subject: RE: [cabfpub] EV Code Signing maximum validity

Or we could leave them ³as is², since code signing and SSL are certificates
used for different purposes.

From:public-bounces at cabforum.org [mailto:public-bounces at cabforum.org] On
Behalf Of Rich Smith
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 6:22 AM
To: public at cabforum.org
Subject: [cabfpub] EV Code Signing maximum validity

In preparing to begin issuing EV Code Signing certificates, we noticed that
the maximum validity for EV Code Signing is 39 months as per the BRs, not 27
months as per the EV Guidelines.

My guess is that this is due to the fact that the EV Guidelines maximum
validity was set before there were any other rules in place limiting the
validity of certificates, but that since the EV Code Signing guidelines were
put in place after the BRs had set max validity to 39 months that it was
determined that the BR limit was enough.

If that is indeed the case, and in the interest of consistency, how would
the members feel about lifting the 27 month restriction on EV SSL
certificates and settling on 39 month restriction across the board.  If it
is determined that moving to a 39 month restriction for EV SSL is not
acceptable, then IMO EV Code Signing should also be restricted to 27 months.

-- 
Regards,
Rich Smith
Validation Manager
Comodo
http://www.comodo.com <http://www.comodo.com/>

_______________________________________________ Public mailing list
Public at cabforum.org https://cabforum.org/mailman/listinfo/public

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.cabforum.org/pipermail/public/attachments/20130412/bb4f4aa9/attachment-0003.html>