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TTP-User

All you need to know to be get assured under the TTP-Assisted-Assurance program

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TTP-User

How the TTP-Assisted-Assurance program works?

The TTPAssurance is a program of CAcert to establish assurances in areas where you do not find a CAcert assurer around the corner, to get as many members in these areas.

You always should try to find a CAcert assurer before you use the TTPAssurance. It might be possible to combine a business or vacation trip with the possibility to get assured at your trip destination. Or maybe an assurer does a trip into your area.

As CAcert is based on a Web of Trust (WoT) there is the need to establish this trust with a face to face meeting (F2F), normally with another CAcert member. If there is no CAcert member available, one part of the F2F meeting can be conducted by a Trusted Third Party (TTP) which is approved for your area.

Basically the process is the following.

If you want to get assured, you are a TTPUser. First you need to inform yourself about CAcert and also about the TTPprocess.

Then you need to fill out the first part TTPCAP form (Trusted Third Party CAcert Assurance Program) but you do not sign the form at this stage of the process.

With this TTPCAP form you meet with the TTP. The TTP checks your identity with at least one official government issued ID document with a photo. This check is recorded on the TTPCAP form. Then you have to sign in presence of the TTP a few statements on the TTPCAP form to make sure you know about the main aspects of CAcert. The TTP confirms that he witnessed your signing on the TTPCAP form. The TTPCAP form is now send via postal mail to CAcert.

After arrival of the TTPCAP form, a TTPAdmin takes it, checks if all requirements for the next steps are fulfilled, especially checks the TTP. If the test is passed, the TTPAdmin enters the assurance in to the system and grants up to 35 points.

If you want to be able to get personalized certificates you need at least two assurances of different persons. In the case of TTPAssurance you need to go to two different TTP.

As the main aim of the TTPAssurance program is not only to get people to be able to get personalized certificates but also to get new assurers. Therefore there is a further step available: the TTPTopup.

Normally the track to become a CAcert assurer is the following:

You need at least 3 assurances with a F2F meeting and you have to pass the CAcert Assurer Challenge. As the assurer candidate sees in a normal assurance the steps how an assurance works, this is not given in the case of TTPAssurances. Therefore the TTPTopup steps in where a TTPAdmin acts as a tutor for the process of a TTP-user on becoming an assurer.

The TTPAdmin trains the TTPUser in one or more online sessions in the assurance process (educated assurance). The TTP-admin instructs the TTP-user to start the CATS test.

If passed, the 3rd TTP-admin reviews the 2 previous TTP assurances and collects additional evidence about the Community part of the assurance process from within the online sessions with the TTP-user and grants up to 35 TOPUP points, that qualifies the TTPUser to become an assurer.

The whole TTP process to become an CAcert assurer is given here

                         ..................................................................
                         :                                                                :
             TTP (A) ----:--> TTP-Admin (1) --> 35 points max                             :
                 /       :         \                                                      :
   Assuree      = - - - -: - >      =-----------------> TTP-Admin (3)  --> 35 points max  :
                 \       :         /                                       (Topup)        :
             TTP (B) ----:--> TTP-Admin (2) --> 35 points max                             :
                         :                                                                :
                         :........ CAcert internal .......................................:

                    |                            |                         |
        max points  0 ------------------------> 70 --------------------> 100 
                                                                           | + CATS + Topup
                                                                           +--> become an Assurer

     qualifies for  | ------------------------>  | -------------------->   |
                   Certs expires after
                   1/2 year                  Certs expires after
                                             2 years
                                                                       + Code Signing
                                                                       + Assurer candidate

There have to be 2 different TTPs and there also have to be 3 different TTPAdmins in the process.

Is this program applicable to you?

If you have checked that there is no assurer near your location (approx +50km) or the assurer near by does not response, the TTP program is the one to take.

Preliminaries

If you are familiar with the CCA and you can confirm the four statements in "What to consider", you should decided whether the program is applicable to you. If you feel unsure, please ask our questions either to our mailing list support@lists.cacert.org or ask them in the IRC #cacert. If you use the IRC, keep in mind that most of the users are located in Europe, so there might be problems with being in different time zones.

Are you living in a country where the TTP-Assisted-Assurance program is applicable?

Have a look if there is a TTP program for your country in the list of approved TTP.

If your country is not listed here, please further check the Q&A section.

Checklist for the TTPprocess

Get familiar with CAcert and read CCA http://www.cacert.org/policy/CAcertCommunityAgreement.php
Find TTP and schedule meeting
Create account with CAcert
Print TTP-CAP-Form and CCA
Go to meeting with TTP
Await response from a TTP admin

New Proposal

Get familiar with CAcert and read CCA http://www.cacert.org/policy/CAcertCommunityAgreement.php
Create account with CAcert
Write email to support@c.o. to ask to send a TTP-CAP-Form
Find TTP and schedule meeting
Print TTP-CAP-Form and CCA
Go to meeting with TTP
TTP sends fully filled TTP-CAP-Form in envelope prepared by TTP-user to TTP admin

What you should consider before contacting a TTP?

Make sure you are familiar with the CCA http://www.cacert.org/policy/CAcertCommunityAgreement.php

You know about and understand the part of risks, liabilities and obligations (R/L/O) stated in the CCA 2.1/2.2/2.3.

You know about and understand the part of internal arbitration as stated in CCA 3.1.

Within the TTP meeting you need to confirm the following statements:

I confirm that I agree with the CCA and accept the CCA.
I confirm that I am aware of the R/L/O resulting from CCA 2.1./2.2./2.3
I confirm that I am aware of the CAcert internal arbitration and accepts the internal arbitration from CCA 3.1.
I confirm that the email address placed in the CAP-form is used as primary mail address for the account as long as the TTP assurance process is running and that I know that I need to have a working email address as primary address in my CAcert account.

So if there are questions here, ask these questions prior to your visit to the TTP, because a TTP probably cannot give answers as he is not involved into CAcert. His duty is only to confirm your identity and your statements towards CAcert community. Please address our questions either to our mailing list support@lists.cacert.org or ask them in the IRC #cacert. If you use the IRC keep in mind that most of the users are located in Europe and there might be problems with being in different time zones.

Questions and Answers

Where to find CAP forms?

Do I have to contact a TTP-Admin?

What, if I'm below age of 18 years?

What, to do if there is no TTP available?

What is done with my data?

to be continued

Where to find CAP forms?

First draftCAP forms for TTP-Assisted-Assurances (WIP) of a TTP-CAP form. As there is a actual TTP CAP available you have to request it via support.

Draft You have to request a TTP-CAP-Form with an email to support.

Do I have to contact a TTP-Admin?

No. - Usually there is no need for a TTPUser to get in contact to the TTPAdmin. If the TTPAdmin needs information he will get in contact with the TTPUser.

Draft After you ask for TTP at support, a TTP-Admin gets into contact with you and sends you the prefilled TTP-CAP-form.

What, if I'm below age of 18 years?

Currently TTP-assisted-assurance program is under deployment. Assurance of Junior members follows another special assurance program. So therefore the deployment of U18 program under TTP-assisted-assurance is delayed and therefore currently not applicable.

What to do if there is no TTP available?

Probably there is no deployment for the TTP program yet for your country. To start a deployment for your country, you can write an email to support. They will forward your request to the appropriate mailing lists.

How you could assist in deployment ?

Do you have useful information about possible TTP in your country?
Do you have assurer contacts within your country or from other countries?
Do you have contact to a possible TTP e.g. Notary Public who is willing in answering questions regarding TTP deployment for your country ?

What is done with my data?

The TTP-CAP form is kept by the TTP admin for 7 years. After that period the form will be destroyed in a secure manner. The TTP admin assures that only authorized parties are able to access the TTP CAP form according to definitions under Assurance Policy section 4.5: The CAP form

WIP

TTPs Approved List

A list of TTP's that are accepted by CAcert.
The old Assurers TTP Matrix is only a suggestion, from the old days program that needs to be get approved. Needs the TTP to be registered in a register that can be checked by a TTP-Admin ?
Where to find a TTP ?

Questions that needs to be answered on this page

Is this program applicable to you ?
Are you living in a country where the TTP-Assisted-Assurance program is applicable ?
What you should consider before contacting a TTP?
Which TTPs you can contact? Where to find a TTP?
Where to find CAP forms?
How the TTP-Assisted-Assurance program works?
Do I have to contact a TTP-Admin?
What is the TOPUP program?
What, if I'm below age of 18 years?
What, to do if there is no TTP avialable?
What is done with my data?
more questions ?