Contents of the Roots

Comparison between the content of the root certificates generated in 2003, 2008, 2014, 2023, and 2024 (tbd). See Roots/ContentsDiscussion for the evolving debate on all questions; see Roots/Structure for the hierarchy of all roots.

Layout

CAcert Main Root (PKI Class 1 Key, Class 1 Root)

Technical Layout

Field

2003

2008

2014

2023

tbd

comments

Version

version 3

Required, no problems

serialNumber

0,1

2,3,4 (,5,6)

2,3,4 (,5,6)

F,E,& see Notes

63(+1) bits, random

Needs to be unique within space of DN (somewhat undefined, probably CN). same as SKID? Recent & former size is 24 bits

subjectKeyIdentifier

"hash" == sha1(own public key)

non-critical extension, obligatory. See RFC 5280 for format & contents.

authorityKeyIdentifier

"hash" == sha1(signing public key), or the signing key's sKID.

non-critical extension, obligatory. See RFC 5280 for format & contents.

Validity

2033

2038

2034

2033

2044 (2024+20)

Reduced validity from 30 to 20 years to ensure cryptographic sanity

Cryptographic algorithms

Signature Algorithm

MD5 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.4)

SHA-1 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.5)

SHA-256 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

SHA-256 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

SHA-512 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.13) ???

PK Type

MD5 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.4)

SHA-1 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.5)

SHA-256 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

SHA-256 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

SHA-512 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.13) ???

Recently issued roots expiring out to 2040 use SHA-1+RSA (???). Windows-XP does not support (roots with) SHA2 until SP3 (???)

Size

4096 bits

4096 bits

4096 bits

4096 bits

???

good for 30 years, see BlueKrypt

Format

PKCS1

standard.

Hash

MD5

SHA1

SHA-256

SHA-256

SHA-512 ???

basicConstraints

Critical

Critical Basic Constraints extension.

cA

true

Is a Certification Authority

pathLen

3

3

none

3

Max. lenght of chain between root and leaf (optional field). Why is it "none" ?

keyUsage

keyCertSign and cRLSign only

Critical Extension, obligatory for roots. bits 5, 6 to be set. EV-G-AppB concurs.

CRL Distribution Points

Full Name: URI:http://crl.cacert.org/revoke.crl

OID=1.3.6.1.4.1.3375.2.2.6.2.1.2.1.34

Authority Information Access (AIA)

OCSP - URI:http://ocsp.cacert.org

OID=1.3.6.1.5.5.7.1.1; OCSP server address

Netscape CA Policy Url

http://www.cacert.org/index.php?id=10

OID=2.16.840.1.113730.1.8

Netscape Comment

To get your own certificate for FREE head over to http://www.cacert.org

OID=2.16.840.1.113730.1.13

Netscape CA Revocation Url

URI:http://crl.cacert.org/revoke.crl

CPS6.3.2 specifies 30 years for root certificates (2008 root by Y2038 bug so has 29.5 years) and 10 years for sub-root certificates. CAB Baseline Requirements for Certificates

Business Layout

Field

Name

2003

2008

2014

2023

tbd

comments

O

Organisation

Root CA

Root CA

Root CA

Root CA

CAcert.org - Community Certification Authority

is standard layout, see below

OU

Organisational Unit

http://www.cacert.org/

Permission to USE

cacert.org

cacert.org

cacert.org ???

CN

Common Name

CA Cert Signing Authority

CAcert.org

CA Cert Signing Authority

CA Cert Signing Authority

CAcert Root ???

Issuer O

Organisation

Root CA

Root CA

Root CA

Root CA

CAcert.org - Community Certification Authority

self-signed CA root

Issuer OU

Organisational Unit

http://www.cacert.org/

Permission to USE

cacert.org

cacert.org

cacert.org ???

Issuer CN

Common Name

CA Cert Signing Authority

CAcert.org

CA Cert Signing Authority

CA Cert Signing Authority

CAcert Root ???

Extensions

(mark which critical)

Certificate Policies

http://www.cacert.org/index.php?id=10

Permission to USE

this is the "preferred" field for policies. "use" document is the first and most important. Not critical.

Subject:serialNumber (OID: 2.5.4.5)

none

none

none

none

???

(Association Registration Number) INC9880170 for Sub-Roots. Not critical.

CAcert Intermediate Root (PKI Class 3 Key, Class 3 Root, sub-root)

Technical Layout

Field

2003

2008

2014

2023

tbd

comments

Version

version 3

Required, no problems

serialNumber

0,1

2,3,4 (,5,6)

2,3,4 (,5,6)

F,E, see Notes

size 63(+1) bits, random

Recent & former size is 24 bits

subjectKeyIdentifier

"hash" == sha1(own public key)

non-critical extension, obligatory. See RFC 5280 for format & contents.

authorityKeyIdentifier

"hash" == sha1(signing public key), or the signing key's sKID.

non-critical extension, obligatory. See RFC 5280 for format & contents.

Validity

2013 ?

2021

2021

2031

2033 (2023+10)

Validity 10 years to ensure cryptographic sanity

Cryptographic algorithms

Signature Algorithm

MD5 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.4)

SHA-1 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.5)

SHA-256 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

SHA-256 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

SHA-512 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.13) ???

PK Type

MD5 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.4)

SHA-1 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.5)

SHA-256 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

SHA-256 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

SHA-512 with RSA Encryption (1.2.840.113549.1.1.13) ???

Recently issued roots expiring out to 2040 use SHA-1+RSA (???). Windows-XP does not support (roots with) SHA2 until SP3 (???)

Size

4096 bits

4096 bits

4096 bits

4096 bits

???

good for 30 years, see BlueKrypt

Format

PKCS1

standard

Hash

MD5

SHA1

SHA-256

SHA-256

SHA-512 ???

basicConstraints

Critical

Critical Basic Constraints extension

cA

true

Is a Certification Authority

pathLen

3

3

none

3

Max. length of chain between root and leaf (optional field). Why is it "none" ?

keyUsage

keyCertSign and cRLSign only

Critical Extension, obligatory for roots. bits 5, 6 to be set. EV-G-AppB concurs.

CRL Distribution Points

Full Name: URI:http://www.cacert.org/class3.crl

OID=1.3.6.1.4.1.3375.2.2.6.2.1.2.1.34

Authority Information Access (AIA)

OID=1.3.6.1.5.5.7.1.1; (1) OCSP - URI:http://ocsp.cacert.org, (2) CA Issuers - URI:http://www.CAcert.org/<file>

before 2023 : <file> = ca.crt (now non-existent); 2023 : ERROR, <file> should be Class 1 Root, i.e. certs/root_X0F.crt

Certificate Policies

Policy: 1.3.6.1.4.1.18506.2.3.1; CPS: http://www.CAcert.org/cps.php

CPS6.3.2 specifies 30 years for root certificates (2008 root by Y2038 bug so has 29.5 years) and 10 years for sub-root certificates. CAB Baseline Requirements for Certificates

Business Layout

Field

Name

2003

2008

2014

2023

tbd

comments

O

Organisation

???

CAcert Inc.

CAcert Inc.

CAcert Inc.

CAcert.org - Community Certification Authority

is standard layout, see below

OU

Organisational Unit

http://www.cacert.org/

Permission to USE

cacert.org

cacert.org

cacert.org ???

CN

Common Name

???

CAcert Class 3 Root

CAcert Class 3 Root

CAcert Class 3 Root

CAcert Class 3 Root ???

Issuer O

Organisation

Root CA

Root CA

Root CA

Root CA

CAcert.org - Community Certification Authority

self-signed CA root

Issuer OU

Organisational Unit

http://www.cacert.org/

Permission to USE

cacert.org

cacert.org

cacert.org ???

Issuer CN

Common Name

CA Cert Signing Authority

CAcert.org

CA Cert Signing Authority

CA Cert Signing Authority

CAcert Root ???

|<style="text-align: center;">Extensions

(mark which critical)

Certificate Policies

http://www.cacert.org/index.php?id=10

Permission to USE

this is the "preferred" field for policies. "use" document is the first and most important. Not critical.

Subject:serialNumber (OID: 2.5.4.5)

none

none

none

none

???

(Association Registration Number) INC9880170 for Sub-Roots. Not critical.

Serial numbers

Serial numbers issued under the 2003 Class 1 root start out with 10 (hex). The serial numbers in the range 0 - F can be considered "reserved", and the following allocations have been made:

0

Class 1 Root with MD5 signature exp. 20330329 - 1st Class 1 Root

1

Class 3 Root with MD5 signature (old) - 1st Class 3 Root

F

Class 1 Root with SHA256 signature with hash-only Authority Key Identifier (tbd) exp. 20330329 - 2nd Class 1 Root

E

Class 3 Root with SHA256 signature with hash-only Authority Key Identifier (tbd) exp. 20210520 - 3rd Class 3 Root

14E228

Class 3 Root with SHA256 signature with hash-only Authority Key Identifier (tbd) prolonged expiration to 20310417 - 4th Class 3 Root

Notes: