Disig votes "YES" on Ballot FORUM-17: Create Network Security Working Group

Regards
Peter Miskovic


From: Public <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Ben Wilson via Public
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2021 7:40 PM
To: CA/Browser Forum Public Discussion List <[email protected]>
Subject: [cabfpub] Voting Period Begins: Ballot FORUM-17: Create Network 
Security Working Group

Ballot FORUM-17, Create Network Security Working Group, is proposed by Ben 
Wilson of Mozilla and endorsed by Tim Hollebeek of DigiCert and David Kluge of 
Google.
The Voting Period for Ballot FORUM-17 begins today at 19:00 UTC and ends on 
23-Dec-2021 at 19:00 UTC.
Overview

In January 2013 the CA/Browser Forum’s “Network and Certificate System Security 
Requirements” (NCSSRs) became effective. In June 2017, the Forum chartered a 
Network Security Working Group to re-visit the NCSSRs. That charter expired on 
June 19, 2018, and in October 2018, the Server Certificate Working Group (SCWG) 
established a Network Security Subcommittee (NetSec Subcommittee) to continue 
work on the NCSSRs.

This ballot proposes to charter a new Network Security Working Group (NetSec 
WG) to replace the NetSec Subcommittee, to continue work on the NCSSRs, and to 
conduct any and all business related to improving the security of Certification 
Authorities.

Following the passage of this ballot:

1. A new NetSec WG will be chartered under the CA/B Forum, pursuant to section 
5.3.1 of the Bylaws;
2. The Charter of the SCWG will be amended to remove the NCSSRs from within the 
scope of the SCWG Charter;
3. The existing mailing list and other materials developed for the NetSec 
Subcommittee will be repurposed for use by the NetSec WG;
4. The NetSec WG will produce and maintain versions of the NCSSRs; and
5. The NetSec WG will make security-related recommendations to other Forum WGs 
for requirements or guidelines that are within their purview, i.e. the BRs/EVGs 
of the SCWG, the Baseline Requirements for Code Signing Certificates of the 
Code Signing Certificate Working Group (CSCWG) or guidelines adopted by the 
S/MIME Certificate Working Group (SMCWG).
--- MOTION BEGINS ---

The Charter of the Server Certificate Working Group, currently version 1.1, is 
amended by deleting references to the Network and Certificate System Security 
Requirements, so that the Scope section of the Charter will now read as follows:

SCOPE: The authorized scope of the Server Certificate Working Group shall be as 
follows:

1. To specify Baseline Requirements, Extended Validation Guidelines, and other 
acceptable practices for the issuance and management of SSL/TLS server 
certificates used for authenticating servers accessible through the Internet.

2. To update such requirements and guidelines from time to time, in order to 
address both existing and emerging threats to online security, including 
responsibility for the maintenance of and future amendments to the current 
CA/Browser Forum Baseline Requirements and Extended Validation Guidelines.

3. To perform such other activities that are ancillary to the primary 
activities listed above.

See 
https://github.com/cabforum/forum/commit/a55fd7d3939f4f24aa26e88399069afede2a1edf

The CA/Browser Forum creates the Network Security Working Group and adopts the 
following Charter:

Network Security Working Group Charter

The Network Security Working Group (“NetSec WG”) is hereby created to perform 
the activities as specified in this Charter, subject to the terms and 
conditions of the CA/Browser Forum Bylaws (https://cabforum.org/bylaws/) and 
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy (https://cabforum.org/ipr-policy/), 
as such documents may change from time to time. This charter for the NetSec WG 
has been created according to CAB Forum Bylaw 5.3.1. In the event of a conflict 
between this Charter and any provision in either the Bylaws or the IPR Policy, 
the provision in the Bylaws or IPR Policy shall take precedence. The 
definitions found in the Forum’s Bylaws shall apply to capitalized terms in 
this Charter.

1. Scope – The scope of work performed by the NetSec WG includes:

    1. To modify and maintain the existing Network and Certificate System 
Security Requirements or a successor requirements document (NCSSRs);
    2. To make recommendations for improvements to security controls in the 
requirements or guidelines adopted by other Forum WGs (e.g. see sections 5 and 
6 of the Baseline Requirements);
    3. To create new requirements, guidelines, or recommended best practices 
related to the security of CA operations;
    4. To perform risk analyses, security analyses, and other types of reviews 
of threats and vulnerabilities applicable to CA operations involved in the 
issuance and maintenance of publicly trusted certificates (e.g. server 
certificates, code signing certificates, SMIME certificates, etc.); and
    5. To perform other activities ancillary to the primary activities listed 
above.

2. Out of Scope – The NetSec WG shall not adopt requirements, Guidelines, or 
Maintenance Guidelines concerning certificate profiles, validation processes, 
certificate issuance, certificate revocation, or subscriber obligations, which 
are within the purview of the Server Certificate Working Group (SCWG), the Code 
Signing Certificate Working Group (CSCWG), or the S/MIME Certificate Working 
Group (SMCWG).

3. End Date – The NetSec WG shall continue until it is dissolved by a vote of 
the CA/B Forum.

4. Deliverables – The NetSec WG shall be responsible for delivering and 
maintaining the NCSSRs (version 1.7 shall remain valid until it is replaced by 
a subsequent version) and any other documents the group may choose to develop 
and maintain.

5. Courtesy Notice of Proposed Amendments to the NCSSRs – Discussion and voting 
on any ballot to change the NCSSRs shall proceed within the NetSec WG in 
accordance with sections 2.3 and 2.4 of the Bylaws. Additionally, a courtesy 
notice of the proposed ballot and NetSec WG’s discussion period shall be given 
to the SCWG, the CSCWG, and the SMCWG via their Public Mail Lists.

6. Participation and Membership – Membership in the NetSec WG shall be limited 
to organizations that are Certificate Issuer Members or Certificate Consumer 
Members of the SCWG, the CSCWG, or the SMCWG, who may join the NetSec WG only 
with such status or class as they hold in such other working groups.

In accordance with the IPR Policy, Members that choose to participate in the 
NetSec WG must declare their participation, and class of membership 
(Certificate Issuer or Certificate Consumer), and shall do so prior to 
participating. A Member must declare its participation in the NetSec WG by 
requesting to be added to the mailing list. The Chair of the NetSec WG shall 
establish a list for declarations of participation and manage it in accordance 
with the Bylaws, the IPR Policy, and the IPR Agreement.

The NetSec WG shall include Interested Parties and Associate Members as defined 
in the Bylaws.

Resignation from the NetSec WG does not prevent a participant from potentially 
having continuing obligations under the Forum’s IPR Policy or any other 
document.

7. Voting Structure

The NetSec WG shall consist of two classes of voting members, Certificate 
Issuers and Certificate Consumers. In order for a ballot to be adopted by the 
NetSec WG, two-thirds or more of the votes cast by the Certificate Issuers must 
be in favor of the ballot and more than 50% of the votes cast by the 
Certificate Consumers must be in favor of the ballot. At least one member of 
each class must vote in favor of a ballot for it to be adopted. Quorum is the 
average number of Member organizations (cumulative, regardless of Class) that 
have participated in the previous three NetSec WG Meetings or Teleconferences 
(not counting subcommittee meetings thereof). For transition purposes, if three 
meetings have not yet occurred, then quorum is ten (10).

8. Leadership

Chair – Clint Wilson shall be the initial Chair of the NetSec WG.

Vice-Chair – David Kluge shall be the initial Vice-Chair of the NetSec WG.

Term. The Chair and Vice-Chair will serve until October 31, 2022, or until they 
are replaced, resign, or are otherwise disqualified. Thereafter, elections 
shall be held for chair and vice chair every two years in coordination with the 
Forum’s election process and in conjunction with its election cycle. Voting 
shall occur in accordance with Bylaw 4.1(c). In the event of a midterm vacancy, 
the NetSec WG will hold a special election and the selected candidate will 
serve the remainder of the existing term.

9. Communication – NetSec WG communications and documents, including minutes of 
meetings, shall be posted on mailing-lists where the mail-archives are publicly 
accessible or on the Forum’s website.

10. IPR Policy – The CA/Browser Forum Intellectual Rights Policy, v. 1.3 or 
later, shall apply to all Working Group activity.

11. Other Organizational Matters

Reserved.

Effect of Forum Bylaws Amendment on Working Group - In the event that Forum 
Bylaws are amended to add or modify general rules governing Forum Working 
Groups and how they operate, such provisions of the Bylaws take precedence over 
this charter.

 See 
https://github.com/cabforum/forum/pull/23/files#diff-cf5513a8c4dabce6e3364691537b74a7d2faa1af8dc9e1ee8ce9b2d7759c9406

--- MOTION ENDS ---


The procedure for approval of this ballot is as follows:

 Discussion (7+ days)

 Start Time: 2021-12-09 18:00:00 UTC

 End Time: 2021-12-16 19:00:00 UTC

Vote for approval (7 days)

Start Time: 2021-12-16 19:00 UTC

End Time: 2021-12-23 19:00:00 UTC


_______________________________________________
Public mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.cabforum.org/mailman/listinfo/public

Reply via email to