[TriLUG] What you should know about next week's CACert talk at TriLUG.

Tanner Lovelace clubjuggler at gmail.com
Thu May 4 12:18:09 EDT 2006


Greetings,

The TriLUG meeting is coming up in exactly 1 week and since
this talk for this meeting is a bit different I just wanted to make
sure everyone was prepared.

I will be giving the talk about CACert (http://www.cacert.org/).
CACert, among other things, provides FREE SSL CERTIFICATES
that you can use for web servers or mail servers or e-mail.

Now, since security isn't any good if you just give cryptography
certificates away to just anybody, how do they decide who gets
one?  The answer is very similar to a concept in GPG and it's
called the Web Of Trust.

CACert has a Web Of Trust where people's identities are
checked by someone who's identity has been previously
verified.  Unlike the GPG web of trust where it's all or nothing,
the CACert Web Of Trust lets you assign points to the trust
rating.  Accumulate 100 points and you can assure others
and get FREE SSL CERTIFICATES.  100 point allows you
to give someone else a maximum of 10 points and for each
person you assure, you also get 2 points.  Make it up to
150 points and you can give out 35 points which is normally
the maximum you can give out.

I say normally because, of course, there are always exceptions.
The exception, in this case, is that every now and then, when
they're trying to get a good Web Of Trust started in an area,
it can be useful to let people give out a full 150 points right away.
This is called "seeding" an area and it requires what's called
a "Super Assurer".  A "Super Assurer" has been granted 200
points and is allowed to give out up to 150 points right on the
spot.  For this meeting, we will have 3 Super Assurer's at the
meeting: myself, Kevin Sonney and (hopefully) Brian McCollough.
Super Assurer status is granted for a limited time, so
that means that ONLY AT THIS MEETING can you get instantly
assurred.  If you wait until later, you'll need to find enough assurers
to get up to 100 points and then assure 25 people yourself to get
up to 150.  So, don't wait!

Now, and THIS IS IMPORTANT, what exactly do you have to
do to be assured.  There is a little bit of setup that you need
to do beforehand.

1. Go to http://www.cacert.org/ and sign up for an account there.
    Make sure you use your FULL NAME exactly as it is on your
    passport or driver's license.
2. Once you have your account setup, log in and select the
   "CAcert Web of Trust" option on the ride side of the page.
    Under there, click the "US - WoT Form" link.  This will
    give you a PDF of the Web Of Trust form filled out with
    all of your information.  The actual link to the form is
    https://www.cacert.org/cap.php?format=letter
    but if you use that link, you'll also need to fill out your
    information.
3. Print out 3 (THREE) copies of this form.
4. Bring the forms and TWO FORMS OF GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID
    to the meeting At least one of the Ids must be a PICTURE ID.
    This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.  We will have extra forms
    at the meeting, but if you don't bring the ID you won't be able
    to be assured.

So, that's it.  Four easy steps.  The most important one being

BRING TWO FORMS OF GOVERNMENT ID (ONE OF WHICH
MUST HAVE YOUR PICTURE ON IT).

TriLUG, in the past, has had a good track record in the GPG web
of trust.  I'd love to see 25 to 50 people be assured in the CACert
Web Of Trust.  That would make us really stand out. So, remember
to bring 2 forms of id next week and I'll see everyone there.

Cheers,
Tanner
--
Tanner Lovelace
clubjuggler at gmail dot com
http://wtl.wayfarer.org/
(fieldless) In fess two roundels in pale, a billet fesswise and an
increscent, all sable.



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