[Servercert-wg] [cabf_validation] Underscores, DNSNames, and SRVNames

[Tim Shirley]

Trustwave would be happy to endorse.


From: Servercert-wg <servercert-wg-bounces at cabforum.org> on behalf of Wayne Thayer via Servercert-wg <servercert-wg at cabforum.org>
Reply-To: Wayne Thayer <wthayer at mozilla.com>, CA/B Forum Server Certificate WG Public Discussion List <servercert-wg at cabforum.org>
Date: Thursday, October 25, 2018 at 4:50 PM
To: "doug.beattie at globalsign.com" <doug.beattie at globalsign.com>
Cc: CA/B Forum Server Certificate WG Public Discussion List <servercert-wg at cabforum.org>
Subject: Re: [Servercert-wg] [cabf_validation] Underscores, DNSNames, and SRVNames

Here is an updated draft ballot that reflects discussion on the list and this morning's call.

It was pointed out that - even if the discussion period starts today and is kept to 7 days - this ballot won't become effective until roughly 8-December, and of course there are concerns with mandating revocations during holiday change freezes, so I moved the revocation date from 1-December to 15-January.

I also fixed the logic forbidding underscores when a wildcard can be used.

I'm still looking for two endorsers.

- Wayne

Ballot SC## - Sunset of Underscores in DNSNames

Purpose of Ballot

Ballot 202 included a provision creating a permanent exception permitting the underscore character to be used in SAN fields of type DNSName. Since that ballot failed in 2017, the practice has continued despite being non-compliant with RFC 5280. This ballot creates a brief sunset period intended to allow Subscribers who are relying on FQDNs containing underscores to transition away from them, either by changing the name or deploying a wildcard certificate.

The following motion has been proposed by Wayne Thayer of Mozilla and endorsed by xxx of yyy and xxx of yyy.

--- MOTION BEGINS ---
Add the following language to BR section 7.1.4.2.1 (Subject Alternative Name Extension):

Prior to April 1, 2019, certificates containing underscore characters (“_”) in domain labels in DNSName entries MAY be issued as follows:
* DNSName entries MAY include underscore characters such that replacing all underscore characters with hyphen characters (“-“) would result in a valid domain label, and;
* Underscore characters MUST NOT be placed in the left most domain label, and;
* Such certificates MUST NOT be valid for longer than 30 days.

All certificates containing an underscore character in any DNSName entry and having a validity period of more than 30 days MUST be revoked prior to January 15, 2019.

After April 30, 2019, underscore characters (“_”) MUST NOT be present in DNSName entries.

--- MOTION ENDS ---

This ballot proposes a Final Maintenance Guideline. A comparison of the changes can be found at: <TBD>


The procedure for approval of this ballot is as follows:

Discussion (7-21 days)
Start Time: 2018-10-xx, 7:00 am Eastern Time
End Time: Not before 2018-11-xx, 7:00 am Eastern Time

Vote for approval (7 days)
Start Time: 2018-xx-xx, 7:00 am Eastern Time
End Time: 2018-xx-xx, 7:00 am Eastern Time
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