Uncle Sam, Meet The PKI! Richard Guida Chair, Federal PKI Steering Committee Michèle Rubenstein Department of the Treasury, Chair, EMA Board of Directors

Federal PKI Interoperability b Overview b Organizational Framework b Bridge Certification Authority Concept b Design Requirements b Meaning of Interoperability b Current Status b Challenges b Path Ahead

Organizational Framework b Well over two dozen agency PKIs b No single Federal hierarchical root b Full spectrum of COTS products b Widely divergent agency requirements b Strong desire to interoperate (communicate accepting certificates from other sources)

Bridge Certification Authority b Non-hierarchical “hub” b Designed under Federal PKI Steering Committee auspices b CP/CPS under development - will support four levels of assurance (rudimentary, basic, medium, high) b Operated by, and will exist at, the National Technical Information Service

Bridge Certification Authority (2) b Will operate under auspices of Federal Policy Management Authority (FPKI Steering Committee) b Agencies can apply to have their CA’s cross-certify - FPMA decides level of assurance

Bridge Certification Authority (3) b Once cross-certified, Bridge allows construction of trusted path between CA domains b Initial focus is interagency interoperability, but also plan to do so with external parties

Design Requirements b High assurance for Bridge itself b Must honor four levels of assurance for cross-certified CAs b Must be hosted at Federal agency (NTIS) b Must meet MISPC and FIPS b Must allow trusted path creation

Meaning of Interoperability b Policy b Technical AlgorithmsAlgorithms ProtocolsProtocols Encryption key recovery schema consistencyEncryption key recovery schema consistency

Current Status (as of Oct 98) b Funding committed (pending budget passage) b In design stage b Once notional design developed, will be vetted through FPKI Steering Committee Technical Working Group (vendors) b Developing EMA Challenge participation

WEMA Challenge ‘99 b b Demonstrate standards-based, secure, global EC environment featuring interoperable PKI b b Goals Demonstrate scalable, standards-based PKI using COTS products that is transparent to users Identify key issues, raise awareness, and determine solutions for a multi-domain PKI Demonstrate the capabilities of COTS products and their ability to interoperate

WEMA Challenge ‘99 b b Foundation applications are web-based EC and secure messaging b b Some of the participants: BT NTIS Entrust Xcert European Commission b b Documentation and information Baltimore Boeing GTE Cybertrust GSA Treasury

Challenges b Dealing with OCSP vs. CRL domains for revocation checking b Ensuring Bridge supports all COTS products agencies may select b Ensuring Bridge’s full potential is used b Making client software use the Bridge b Mapping applicant CA’s assurance levels to those of Bridge

Path Ahead b Complete design and vet through Technical Working Group b Get Bridge pilot operating (early 1999) b Participate in EMA Challenge 99 b Attract appropriate applications b Since fully funded through Sept 2000, expect no charge to cross-certify until afterwards (but depends on actual usage)