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

[Brian Henning]

Once one is Trusted by this means, is one then at liberty to apply one's 
certificate to any number of websites?  I'm still a little foggy on the 
particulars of certs in the first place.  How much of the Web of Trust 
scheme is tied to a person, and how much is tied to a particular site?

Cheers,
~Brian

Tanner Lovelace wrote:
> 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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Brian A. Henning
strutmasters.com
336.597.2397x238
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