CREN - Exploring Access to Resources Using Digital Certificates

A Mellon/NSF Supported Project

This is a guide for higher education campuses interested in increased security for campus and intercampus communications using digital certificates. The most immediate purpose for this guide is to support an expanded pilot of digital certificates in higher education being launched at a seminar on December 1, 2001 in San Antonio.

Topic Introduction		Introduction Piece
Introduction A Introduction B Introduction C		Cover Page Table of Contents Overview of Guide

Topic One		We Want To Setup a CA, What Do We Need?
1A 1B 1C 1D		Setting Up a Certificate Authority: What are the Pieces? Choosing Your CA Hardware Platform What is a Hardware Security Module? Choosing Your CA Software Platform

Topic Two		We Want To Setup a CA, How Do We Operate It?
2A 2B 2C PKI-Lite Cert Profile Protecting a Private Key		We Want To Setup a CA, How Do We Operate It? Operating a CA: What Are The Policies? How Much Does a CA Cost to Set Up and to Run? PKI-Lite Cert Profile Protecting a Private Key in a CA Context

Topic Three		How Do We Launch a Campus CA?
3A 3B 3C		Issuing the Campus Certificate: What Are The Steps? Having My Campus Root Certificate Signed By the CREN CA: What Are the Steps? Using PGP For Secure Initial Communication

Topic Four		How Do We Issue Client Certificates With Our Campus CA?
4		Validating Users and User Management of Certificates

Topic Five		What Is a Time Line For Launching a Digital Certificate Pilot?
5		What is The Time Frame For a Digital Certificate Pilot?

Topic Six		Browser and Root Questions
6A 6B		Roots in Browsers: What Do I Need to Know? Downloading the CREN Root: More Than You Need to Know!

Topic Seven		How Do My People Learn About Digital Certificates?
7		How Do My People Learn About Digital Certificates?

Topic Eight		How do Content Providers Prepare For Digital Certificates?
8A 8B		How do Content Providers Prepare for Digital certificates? How Did JSTOR Prepare for Digital Certificates?

Topic Nine		Related Higher Education Initiatives
9A		Shibboleth Project/What is the Relationship to Digital Certificates?