Digital certificate industry veterans Tim Callan and Jason Soroko explore the issues surrounding digital identity, PKI, and cryptographic connections in today's dynamic and evolving computing world. Best practices in digital certificates are continually under pressure from technology trends, new laws and regulations, cryptographic advances, and the evolution of our computing architectures to be more virtual, agile, ubiquitous, and cloud-based. Jason and Tim (and the occasional guest subject ...
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We are joined by repeat guest Bruno Coulliard of Crypto4A to introduce Sectigo's new post quantum cryptography (PQC) sandbox. The PQC sandbox allows you to get quantum resistant certificates in your hands to understand how they work with your systems.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this episode we explore the potential PQC future for Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services, aka MSCA. We discuss potential paths for Microsoft to take and their consequences.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Protocol ossification is the phenomenon whereby ecosystems fail to work correctly with the full range of options included in a protocol. This occurs when individual software components only partially support the capabilities that should be available. We define protocol ossification, explain how and why it occurs, give real world examples, and talk …
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Many people believe that the Trump White House rescinded an important cybersecurity executive order from late days of the Biden administration. We set the record straight.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this episode we discuss the thinking on how adversaries can exploit the flaws in AI models to achieve unexpected and dangerous results. We explore some potential paths of defense against attacks of this sort.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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RSA is under attack. Even without the quantum threat, we face the possibility of smart new exploits reducing the viable RSA key space and rendering it unsafe. In this episode we discuss the merits of choosing ECC over RSA as soon as today.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We discuss how various popular computing platforms approach security and highlight the differences between them.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Jason recounts a 2024 Black Hat talk about the need for objective measurements of our IT defenses and whether the good guys or bad guys are winning. Jason breaks down how to define and measure the impact of security measures.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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It's the stuff of science fiction! Interesting research shows how today's AI technology is capable of lying to and scheming against its human owners in service of its goals.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We talk a lot about Shor's Algorithm in our discussion of post quantum cryptography (PQC). In this episode Jason explains Shor's algorithm for non-quantum physicists.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Jason reports on a 2024 Black Hat keynote about how modern software development practices inhibit innovation and invention.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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AI tools are now available to perform red-teaming activity for DevSecOps. Such tools are soon to be table stakes in the constantly escalating IT security arms race. Join us to learn more.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this episode, guest Alexandre Giron explains what is needed to support post quantum cryptography (PQC) with ACME.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Not all forms of MFA are equally secure. In this episode we describe the differences between the more secure and less secure forms of MFA.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this episode we explain the all-or-nothing fallacy in cybersecurity and how it's affecting debate in the WebPKI right now.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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A new demand from the UK seeks complete access to all Apple cloud data housed in the UK, regardless of the data owners' citizenship and residency. We unpack this latest development in Government versus Encryption.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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The past year has seen a great deal of focus on the use of public TLS certificates where private root certificates are actually the appropriate solution. In this episode we discuss the differences between these two use cases and what IT organizations can do about it.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Apple is proceeding with a ballot that eventually will shorten SSL certificate maximum term to 47 days. Accompanying the ballot, Apple released a statement explaining its intent with the ballot. In this episode we unpack its statements.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In the wake of the Bugzilla Bloodbath, we list and describe twelve sins CAs commit on Bugzilla and its like, why they're detrimental, and how CAs should avoid them.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Harvest and decrypt is a well-known attack vector against traditional cryptography prior to PQC. In this episode, we discuss what enterprises should be doing today to defend themselves against harvest and decrypt.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this episode we explain that all cellular networks, contrary to popular belief, are fundamentally insecure.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this episode we walk through the evolution of the war on cryptography, from the beginning up through today, terminating in what we call Crypto War 3.0.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Sectigo today announced the acquisition of the Entrust public CA business. Entrust will go forward as a Sectigo reseller. Join us to learn the details.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this episode we are joined by Dr. Michela Mosca. We discuss his pioneering work identifying the need for post-quantum cryptography, where PQC stands today, and what the future may hold.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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2024 set in motion major changes for certificate lifespans and DCV. In this episode we discuss the Apple 47-day proposal, stepping down certificate term, public versus private CA use cases, DCV reuse periods, MPIC, WHOIS, and other topics.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Apple has added itself to the Entrust distrust and has extended this distrust to S/MIME and VMC. We explain.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We had a remarkable year on the Root Causes podcast in terms of our guests. We look back at the extremely expert guests we were lucky to talk about in 2024.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this 2024 lookback episode, we give an overview of the firestorm of Bugzilla incidents that we refer to as the Bugzilla Bloodbath. The Bugzilla Bloodbath affected actions around the Entrust distrust, delayed revocation reform, 47-day SSL certificate maximum term, linting, and more.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We talk with guest Sofia Celi of Brave Browser, who leads the IETF PQC standardization effort, about the process of setting standards for PQC-compatible digital certificates. We learn about expected timelines, hybrid strategies, the NIST PQC onramp's role, and more.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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2024 was an eventful year for post quantum cryptography (PQC). This includes FIPS standards, the PQC onramp, and the dawn of widespread interest among IT professionals.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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The old adage states that a monkey in front of a keyboard, given enough time, could randomly type the works of Shakespeare. Apparently, someone ran the numbers and said not so much. We break it down and explain why we're discussing this on a PKI podcast.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We go over our predictions for 2024 and score our ability as prognosticators.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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It was a crazy year for CA/Browser Forum activity, with nearly three times the normal number of ballots. Guest Martijn Katerbarg goes over the 32 CABF ballots from 2024.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We make our 2025 predictions. Topics include maximum certificate term, AI, post-quantum cryptography (PQC), deep fakes, and more.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Repeat guest Bruno Coulliard of Crypto4A joins us to define a quantum-safe (or PQC enabled) hardware security module.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We go over Tim's September 2024 keynote speech at ENISA CA Day, "The Privilege of Being a Public CA."Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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As part of its post-quantum cryptography (PQC) initiative NIST has released a draft deprecating RSA-2048 and ECC 256 by 2030 and disallowing them by 2035. We get into the details.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Tim has stepped into the position of vice-chair of the CA/Browse Forum, and Sectigo now holds five chair or vice-chair positions in that body. We explain how leadership is chosen, the offices Sectigo holds today, and some of our vision for CABF in the next two years.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We take a deep dive into the seven reasons shorter certificate lifespans are better.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We discuss how a potential break of Chrome from Google would affect the WebPKI. We look at product changes, resourcing, post-quantum cryptography (PQC), innovation, moonshot initiatives, and other public CAs.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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In this episode we discuss the challenges for enterprises using Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS).Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Apple has published an updated draft to its proposal for shortening the lifespan of SSL certificates, including a final maximum term of 47 rather than 45 days. We explain.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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A new White House initiative requires that federal agencies need to create plans to thwart BGP attacks. We discuss, including Resource PKI (RPKI) and Multi-Perspective Issuance Corroboration (MPIC).Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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We talk about public key directories and complicating factors such as Tailscale, VPN, TOR, Cloudflare, and Zero Trust.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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NIST has narrowed its PQC onramp contest to 15 candidates. We go over who remains and the makeup of the remaining candidates.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Repeat guest Bruno Couillard argues that cryptography is part of the foundational fabric of our lives and that the transition to PQC is an existential requirement.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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Linters are essential tools for maintaining quality of certificate issuance. Public open-source linters are available to help CAs assure compliance. As a result, CAs have begun attributing gaps in coverage by public linters as the root cause for misissuance events. We explain why this is faulty reasoning.…
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Formal proofs are critical to cryptography. We discuss how better processes and AI can accelerate formal proofs of cryptographic concepts.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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The PQC community likes to debate when crypto relevant quantum computers will be available, which is sometimes called "Q day." In this episode we explain how radically oversimplified this concept is and dive into the nuances of what a "cryptographically relevant quantum computer" really will be.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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News reports claim Chinese researchers broke AES with a quantum annealing computer. We clarify the details and talk about the implications of this reported discovery.Tim Callan and Jason Soroko
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