On 11-03-01 05:20 PM, Marc Deslauriers wrote: > On Tue, 2011-02-22 at 14:56 -0800, Clint Byrum wrote: >> This bug was opened recently: >> >> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/695857 >> >> It suggests that packages should configure themselves to require SSL by >> default. >> >> I think this is actually a good idea, and I am wondering how this would >> be received by the greater community. >> >> I am marking the bug as "Opinion" and I'd like to get the opinions of >> the server community as a whole on the issue. If enough people think its >> a good idea we can open a blueprint for a future UDS. > > We should not turn on SSL by default with self-signed certificates. That > is insecure and is not a configuration that should be encouraged.
There is two things there: 1. Encrypting communication between the client and the server (notably to protect the credential exchange from eavesdropping). 2. Preventing MitM by authenticating the server. Using SSL with self-signed certificate doesn't address 2., but it does address 1. From my perspective, it's an incremental improvement over plain-text HTTP. So, why not? I have had that argument with a few people over the years. Fact is, at least for non publicly facing web services, most people will continue to use self-signed certificates for the simple reason that getting a "valid" certificate (or setting up your own CA) is a huge hassle, and not even always possible. I would even go as far as arguing that trying to discourage people from using self-signed certificate through systemic measure is a waste of time, because most people just do not understand the implication. Putting the cart before the horses and stuff. -- Etienne Goyer Technical Account Manager - Canonical Ltd Ubuntu Certified Instructor - LPIC-3 ~= Ubuntu: Linux for Human Beings =~ -- ubuntu-server mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-server More info: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ServerTeam
