Simple Public Key Infrastructure () Charter

NOTE: This charter is accurate as of the 38th IETF Meeting in Memphis, Tennessee. It may now be out-of-date. (Consider this a "snapshot" of the working group from that meeting.) Up-to-date charters for all active working groups can be found elsewhere in this Web server.

Chair(s)

Perry Metzger <perry@piermont.com>
Steve Bellovin <smb@research.att.com>

Security Area Director(s):

Jeffrey Schiller <jis@mit.edu>

Area Advisor

Jeffrey Schiller <jis@mit.edu>

Mailing List Information

General Discussion:spki@c2.net
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Description of Working Group

Many Internet protocols and applications which use the Internet employ public key technology for security purposes and require a public key infrastructure to manage public keys.

The task of the working group will be to develop Internet standards for an IETF sponsored public key certificate format, associated signature and other formats, and key acquisition protocols. The key certificate format and associated protocols are to be simple to understand, implement, and use. For purposes of the working group, the resulting formats and protocols are to be known as the Simple Public Key Infrastructure, or SPKI.

The SPKI is intended to provide mechanisms to support security in a wide range of internet applications, including IPSEC protocols, encrypted electronic mail and WWW documents, payment protocols, and any other application which will require the use of public key certificates and the ability to access them. It is intended that the Simple Public Key Infrastructure will support a range of trust models.

Goals and Milestones

Feb 97: Submit initial requirements document as an Internet-Draft.
Mar 97: Submit initial specification as an Internet-Draft.
Apr 97: Meet at Memphis IETF.
May 97: Submit SPKI specifications to IESG for publication as an RFC.