Thanks all. Proposed language is in 
https://github.com/srdavidson/smime/pull/10 
<https://github.com/srdavidson/smime/pull/10> 


From: Tim Hollebeek <tim.holleb...@digicert.com>
Date: Wednesday, 17 January 2024 at 22:01
To: Clint Wilson <cli...@apple.com>, Martijn Katerbarg 
<martijn.katerb...@sectigo.com>, SMIME Certificate Working Group 
<smcwg-public@cabforum.org>
Cc: Dimitris Zacharopoulos <dzach...@harica.gr>
Subject: RE: [Smcwg-public] Certificate Template Information extension and SBR 
allowance 

Yep. If you use a SDO OID, you MUST use it in compliance with all the 
associated restrictions in the relevant standard. 

Otherwise you’re using the OID for something else entirely, which you do not 
have the “right” to do. 

You cannot claim that you have the “right” to use the CABF OrgID extension to 
identify a cheeseburger in order to allow customers to put cheeseburgers in 
certificates. If you’re using an extension, you need to use it in the intended 
way. 

Using extensions in non-standard ways eventually renders them useless and gets 
them banned (see: Organizational Unit). 

-Tim 

From: Clint Wilson <cli...@apple.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2024 3:19 PM
To: Martijn Katerbarg <martijn.katerb...@sectigo.com>; SMIME Certificate 
Working Group <smcwg-public@cabforum.org>
Cc: Tim Hollebeek <tim.holleb...@digicert.com>; Dimitris Zacharopoulos 
<dzach...@harica.gr>
Subject: Re: [Smcwg-public] Certificate Template Information extension and SBR 
allowance 



While I think I agree with the intent of Tim’s statement (especially in the 
context of this discussion and its applicability thereto), taken literally I 
believe it is stating something with broader impact than intended. 
What I mean is that it’s important to carry the complete context of an OID 
over, including the requirements and/or prerequisites outlined for the use of 
an OID (to the extent specified or stipulated by the governing SDO). The 
“right” exists, but so to do obligations coinciding with the use of many (all?) 
OIDs. I believe everyone here’s suitably aware of this, but just wanted to 
state it explicitly so that too much nuance isn’t lost with any potential 
changes made to the text. 



Cheers, 

-Clint 

On Jan 16, 2024, at 11:27 AM, Martijn Katerbarg via Smcwg-public 
<smcwg-public@cabforum.org <mailto:smcwg-public@cabforum.org>> wrote: 


> Absolutely. Any OID that comes from a Standards Development Organization is 
> intended for use by other organizations, and everyone has the “right” to use 
> them. 







I’d like to be able to read it this way, but I am concerned that the current 
language is too limiting in this regard. 



Tim, since you also mentioned not liking the language, I’ll see if I can come 
up with an alternative to make this clear, and also make the implied allowance 
a stated fact. 







Regards, 



Martijn 





________________________________________

From: Tim Hollebeek <tim.holleb...@digicert.com 
<mailto:tim.holleb...@digicert.com>>
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 10:58:58 pm
To: Dimitris Zacharopoulos <dzach...@harica.gr <mailto:dzach...@harica.gr>>; 
SMIME Certificate Working Group <smcwg-public@cabforum.org 
<mailto:smcwg-public@cabforum.org>>
Cc: Martijn Katerbarg <martijn.katerb...@sectigo.com 
<mailto:martijn.katerb...@sectigo.com>>
Subject: RE: [Smcwg-public] Certificate Template Information extension and SBR 
allowance 


Absolutely. Any OID that comes from a Standards Development Organization is 
intended for use by other organizations, and everyone has the “right” to use 
them. 


-Tim 


From: Dimitris Zacharopoulos <dzach...@harica.gr <mailto:dzach...@harica.gr>> 
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 12:48 PM
To: Tim Hollebeek <tim.holleb...@digicert.com 
<mailto:tim.holleb...@digicert.com>>; SMIME Certificate Working Group 
<smcwg-public@cabforum.org <mailto:smcwg-public@cabforum.org>>
Cc: Martijn Katerbarg <martijn.katerb...@sectigo.com 
<mailto:martijn.katerb...@sectigo.com>>
Subject: Re: [Smcwg-public] Certificate Template Information extension and SBR 
allowance 




I also believe that any publicly supported and documented X.509 extension (e.g. 
defined by IETF or ITU-T) are allowed for use by CAs, as long as they are 
documented in the CA's CPS. 

Is there anything that prevents it in the current CA/B Forum documents? 


Thanks, 


DZ. 

Jan 10, 2024 20:38:19 Tim Hollebeek via Smcwg-public <smcwg-public@cabforum.org 
<mailto:smcwg-public@cabforum.org>>: 

You don’t need a contract to have a right to use someone else’s extension. 

I would say that if Microsoft has public documentation that says or implies 
that the extension can and should be used by other organizations, then other 
organizations “have the right” to use that extension. 

That said, I have never liked this language, which comes from the TLS BRs. I 
would support making it more clear as to what is and isn’t allowed, and even 
maybe clarifying what problem is being solved with these requirements. 

-Tim 

From: Smcwg-public <smcwg-public-boun...@cabforum.org 
<mailto:smcwg-public-boun...@cabforum.org>> On Behalf Of Martijn Katerbarg via 
Smcwg-public
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 5:54 AM
To: SMIME Certificate Working Group <smcwg-public@cabforum.org 
<mailto:smcwg-public@cabforum.org>>
Subject: [Smcwg-public] Certificate Template Information extension and SBR 
allowance 



Hi all, 

There’s been a request within the S/MIME working group to bring forward issues 
that have arisen since the adoption of the SBRs. While we’ve not seen a whole 
lot of issues, we believe we may have discovered one now. 

We offer support for Windows’s own auto-enrollment features. In the past we 
used to include the “Certificate Template Information” extension (OID 
1.3.6.1.4.1.311.21.7) for this purpose. Since we started issuing SBR compliant 
certificates prior to September 1st, we removed support for this extension on 
publicly trusted S/MIME certificates. 

As we now have noticed, this has led to a partial breakdown of the 
auto-enrollment system. From what we understand, the auto-enrollment mechanism 
is specifically looking for this extension in certificates, if a certificate 
for a particular required Certificate Template (as specified through AD) is not 
found, auto-enrollment will “do its job”, and request a new certificate. This 
can lead to multiple new certificates being installed in a single day, all 
because the extension is missing. 

We’ve investigated bringing back support for the extension, and are led to the 
conclusion that no, this extension would not be allowed per the current 
language. A breakdown: 

Section 7.1.2.4 
(https://github.com/cabforum/smime/blob/main/SBR.md#7124-all-certificates 
<Protected by Avanan: 
https://github.com/cabforum/smime/blob/main/SBR.md#7124-all-certificates> ) 
states: 

“All fields and extensions SHALL be set in accordance with RFC 5280 <Protected 
by Avanan: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc5280>. The CA SHALL NOT 
issue a Certificate that contains a keyUsage flag, extKeyUsage value, 
Certificate extension, or other data not specified in Section 7.1.2.1 
<Protected by Avanan: 
https://github.com/cabforum/smime/blob/main/SBR.md#7121-root-ca-certificates>, 
Section 7.1.2.2 <Protected by Avanan: 
https://github.com/cabforum/smime/blob/main/SBR.md#7122-subordinate-ca-certificates>,
 or Section 7.1.2.3 <Protected by Avanan: 
https://github.com/cabforum/smime/blob/main/SBR.md#7123-subscriber-certificates>
 unless the CA is aware of a reason for including the data in the Certificate. 
If the CA includes fields or extensions in a Certificate that are not specified 
but are otherwise permitted by these Requirements, then the CA SHALL document 
the processes and procedures that the CA employs for the validation of 
information contained in such fields and extensions in its CP and/or CPS.” 

So far, we could see allowing the extension. We have “a reason for including 
the data in the Certificate”, and we could update our CPS. However, the 
language continues with an additional SHALL NOT: 

“CAs SHALL NOT issue a Certificate with: 

1. Extensions that do not apply in the context of the public Internet (such as 
an extKeyUsage value for a service that is only valid in the context of a 
privately managed network), unless:
i. such value falls within an OID arc for which the Applicant demonstrates 
ownership, or
ii. the Applicant can otherwise demonstrate the right to assert the data in a 
public context; or 
2. Field or extension values which have not been validated according to the 
processes and procedures described in these Requirements or the CA's CP and/or 
CPS.” 
So while the first section might allow us to incorporate the extension, it 
seems we also need to meet one of the statements in this block: 

“Extensions that do not apply in the context of the public Internet (such as an 
extKeyUsage value for a service that is only valid in the context of a 
privately managed network), unless:”
This extension indeed does not apply in the context of the public Internet. So, 
we move into the exception cases: 

”i. such value falls within an OID arc for which the Applicant demonstrates 
ownership, or”
No. Neither us, nor the Applicant owns the OID. It’s an OID under the Microsoft 
OID arc. 

” ii. the Applicant can otherwise demonstrate the right to assert the data in a 
public context; or”
Unless the Applicant gets a contract stating they were given the right by 
Microsoft, we don’t see how this requirement is met. 

Then we’re left with “Field or extension values which have not been validated 
according to the processes and procedures described in these Requirements or 
the CA's CP and/or CPS.”
This one is a bit odd. Does this suddenly suggest or imply that the CA may 
include any field or extension that has been validated according only to the 
CA’s CP and/or CPS? Item “(ii)” ends with an “or”. However, we believe this is 
an incorrect editorial bit that should be updated, since the list shifts back 
to a previous indentation. 

All in all, we’re left with the understanding that, no, this extension is not 
allowed (with the exception that if Microsoft were to be the Applicant, it 
would be allowed). 

With this breakdown, we’re left with a few questions: 


1. Have other CAs run into the same issue? 
2. Do other CAs share the same conclusion? 
3. If this does appear to be an issue, should an extension by the platform of 
one of our Certificate Consumers, be specifically added as an allowed 
extension? 
Regards,

Martijn
Sectigo 







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