[Trimming]

> On 26 Oct 2020, at 16:26, Michael Richardson <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> 
>>> While this degenerate case of Authentication Server + OCSP Signer on the 
>>> same
>>> machine is kinda dumb from a overall security point of view, it's still
>>> better than raw public keys.
> 
>> Yes.  Let’s think about who OCSP is protecting in this case.  It’s
>> protecting the client from the Authentication Server, in theory.
> 
> Yes, from compromises of the Authentication Server via loss of control of 
> private key.

And so the authentication server and OCSP signer being on the same device 
itself represents both a scaling problem and a security problem.  Just imagine 
having to manage all of that.

> 
>>> If the OCSP signer is moved to some TPM then
>>> there is a win.  Not all TPMs can provide the performance required to handle
>>> the server certificate, but resigning an OCSP Staple once every ten minutes
>>> or something shouldn't be a problem.
> 
>> If this is the case, then a public key could be moved into the the TPM just 
>> as easily.
> 
> If the TPM can accomodate thousands of signatures per minute, which fTPMs
> probably can accomodate (same CPU, just different context), then sure.
> Many older, i2c interfaced physical-TPMs do not accomodate that rate.

I’ll admit to only secondary interest in performance.  That is- one can 
optimize around this.  But managing naked public keys of servers themselves is 
not scalable from a key management perspective.


>>> The third is, I think, that the EAP server runs an entirely self-contained
>>> private CA.  The OCSP responder is now clearly an integral part of the local
>>> system.
> 
>> Again, what threat are we protecting against?
> 
> The self-contained CA might have a passphrase, so there is some accomodation
> updating the signing key for new algorithms, etc.  while the trust anchor
> which is distributed is appropriate pessimistic.
> 


I guess the issue I’m having is that stapling is requiring more connectivity 
than may be present, and making it a MUST means that we are making very VERY 
broad deployment assumptions.  It is WAY too early for that.

Eliot

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