The text proposed by Terry is consisted with the RFC 5280 and is seems to 
correct confusion with the text under discussion.

Russ


> On May 10, 2022, at 8:46 AM, Terry Manderson <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> I've read, and re-read (several times), the errata text.
> 
> I read Geoff's confusion and shared that belief. I then read Job's historical 
> context. And shifted my posture slightly.
> 
> With that context it clarified an understanding how others have read 
> (including me) 6487.
> 
> SoooOOOOooo..
> 
> I now read this with simplified logic: 
> 
> "The Basic Constraints extension field is critical and MUST be present when 
> the "cA" field is TRUE, otherwise it MUST NOT be present.
> 
> (which aligns to to the historical text and context - and clarifies my my own 
> understanding)
> 
> T.
> 
>> On 10 May 2022, at 5:58 pm, Job Snijders <[email protected]> 
>> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>> Earlier versions of RFC 6487 contained slightly more verbose guidance:
>> https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-ietf-sidr-res-certs-18#section-4.9.1
>> """
>>  4.9.1.  Basic Constraints
>> 
>>  The Basic Constraints extension identifies whether the Subject of the
>>  certificate is a CA and the maximum depth of valid certification
>>  paths that include this certificate.
>> 
>>  The Issuer determines whether the "cA" boolean is set.  If this bit
>>  is set, then it indicates that the Subject is allowed to issue
>>  resources certificates within this overall framework (i.e. the
>>  Subject is a CA).
>> 
>>  The Path Length Constraint is not specified in this profile and MUST
>>  NOT be present.
>> 
>>  The Basic Constraints extension field is a critical extension in the
>>  Resource Certificate profile, and MUST be present when the Subject is
>>  a CA, and MUST NOT be present otherwise.
>> """
>> 
>> To me it seems the original intent was along the lines of "and that's
>> the range of choices available to you".
>> 
>> This errata report helps reduce a potential for confusion: there simply
>> are no valid circumstances in which a certificate contains a Basic
>> Constaints extension with "CA:FALSE".
>> 
>> Kind regards,
>> 
>> Job
>> 
>> On Mon, May 09, 2022 at 09:18:13PM +0000, John Scudder wrote:
>>> +sidrops
>>> -rfc-editor
>>> 
>>> Taking on faith that Corey’s description here is right, it does sound as 
>>> though there’s an error in RFC 6487. I also don’t understand Geoff’s 
>>> earlier comment that the erratum is implicitly adding “And thats the range 
>>> of choices available to you”. Assuming Corey is right, it would be 
>>> appropriate to verify the erratum
>>> 
>>> However before taking action I’d appreciate it if someone else with 
>>> expertise in PKIX (i.e., not me) were to confirm. Don’t all speak up at 
>>> once. ;-)
>>> 
>>> Thanks,
>>> 
>>> —John
>>> 
>>>> On Feb 16, 2022, at 5:41 PM, Corey Bonnell <[email protected]> 
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Geoff,
>>>> If the Basic Constraints extension is omitted then it is not possible to 
>>>> set the "cA" field to any value, as it is a field within the Basic 
>>>> Constraints extension.
>>>> 
>>>> The original language says, "The issuer determines whether the "cA" 
>>>> boolean is set.". We know from the current text that the Basic Constraints 
>>>> extension is prohibited in end-entity certificates. Therefore, the "cA" 
>>>> field does not exist in an end-entity certificate. As a result, the only 
>>>> possible value for "cA" in all cases where the field is present is "true", 
>>>> as that field may only exist in CA certificates. It is an RFC 5280 profile 
>>>> violation if a CA certificate contains a Basic Constraints extension with 
>>>> a "cA" field value of false.
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Corey
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Geoff Huston <[email protected]> 
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2022 5:23 PM
>>>> To: RFC Errata System <[email protected]>
>>>> Cc: George Michaelson <[email protected]>; [email protected]; 
>>>> [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 
>>>> Chris Morrow <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Corey Bonnell 
>>>> <[email protected]>; [email protected]
>>>> Subject: Re: [Technical Errata Reported] RFC6487 (6854)
>>>> 
>>>> Frankly I am having some trouble in understanding what is going on here. 
>>>> 
>>>> The original says “You can issue anything you want. IF you want to issue a 
>>>> CA cert then you MUST use Basic Constraints and set the CA bit. If you 
>>>> want to issue a EE cert then you MUST omit Basic Constraints.”
>>>> 
>>>> What the document does not say is “And thats the range of choices 
>>>> available to you” Implicitly thats what this report is trying to add, and 
>>>> I’m not sure that the original RFC went that far to limit the issuer’s 
>>>> options in this manner.
>>>> 
>>>> I would argue that this is not an error in the original RFC. The reporter 
>>>> is trying to add to the original RFC, but doing so via an errata report 
>>>> seems to me to be inappropriate.
>>>> 
>>>> Therefore I tend toward rejecting this on the basis that the report is not 
>>>> a report of an error in the RFC.
>>>> 
>>>> Geoff
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On 17 Feb 2022, at 4:46 am, RFC Errata System <[email protected]> 
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> The following errata report has been submitted for RFC6487, "A Profile 
>>>>> for X.509 PKIX Resource Certificates".
>>>>> 
>>>>> --------------------------------------
>>>>> You may review the report below and at:
>>>>> https://www.rfc-editor.org/errata/eid6854
>>>>> 
>>>>> --------------------------------------
>>>>> Type: Technical
>>>>> Reported by: Corey Bonnell <[email protected]>
>>>>> 
>>>>> Section: 4.8.1
>>>>> 
>>>>> Original Text
>>>>> -------------
>>>>> The Basic Constraints extension field is a critical extension in the
>>>>> resource certificate profile, and MUST be present when the subject is
>>>>> a CA, and MUST NOT be present otherwise.
>>>>> 
>>>>> The issuer determines whether the "cA" boolean is set.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Corrected Text
>>>>> --------------
>>>>> The Basic Constraints extension field is a critical extension in the
>>>>> resource certificate profile, and MUST be present when the subject is
>>>>> a CA, and MUST NOT be present otherwise.
>>>>> 
>>>>> If this extension is present, then the "cA" field MUST be true.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Notes
>>>>> -----
>>>>> The original text is contradictory. If the basicConstraints extension is 
>>>>> prohibited in end-entity certificates, then it follows that whenever the 
>>>>> extension is present in a certificate, that certificate is a CA 
>>>>> certificate. If the certificate is a CA certificate, then the "cA" 
>>>>> boolean MUST be true in all cases. It is nonsensical to allow a "cA" 
>>>>> field value of false.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Instructions:
>>>>> -------------
>>>>> This erratum is currently posted as "Reported". If necessary, please 
>>>>> use "Reply All" to discuss whether it should be verified or rejected. 
>>>>> When a decision is reached, the verifying party can log in to change 
>>>>> the status and edit the report, if necessary.
>>>>> 
>>>>> --------------------------------------
>>>>> RFC6487 (draft-ietf-sidr-res-certs-22)
>>>>> --------------------------------------
>>>>> Title               : A Profile for X.509 PKIX Resource Certificates
>>>>> Publication Date    : February 2012
>>>>> Author(s)           : G. Huston, G. Michaelson, R. Loomans
>>>>> Category            : PROPOSED STANDARD
>>>>> Source              : Secure Inter-Domain Routing
>>>>> Area                : Routing
>>>>> Stream              : IETF
>>>>> Verifying Party     : IESG
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
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