Re: distributed keys

[Simon Spero <ses@tipper.oit.unc.edu>]

On Wed, 15 May 1996, Matt Smith wrote:

> 
> -  Having a certifying node which every other node has the public key to and
>    who has everyone else's public key.  Requests are made of this server.  
>    The trick is making this server secure and forcing the user to devote
>    resources to this endeavour.

This is the usual approach; if you use certificates, the  private 
key for the certification agency doesn't have to be (and shouldn't) be 
accessible online; thus, even if the machine serving the certificates is 
compromised, Mallet won't be able to issue false certificates. 


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