RIPE Certification Task Force

 Introduction

 RIPE NCC Contacts

Resource certification is seen as a reliable method for proving the association between resource holders (RIRs, LIRs, ISPs and end entities) and Internet resources (in this context: IPv4 and IPv6 address blocks, and AS Numbers). There could be a number of advantages of resource certification, once such a system is introduced:

• The resource holders have proof that they hold a certain Internet resource
• The resource holders are able to make attestations about resources when delegating (assigning) them to other entities
• The resource certificates could be used in securing routing information (either through IRR, BGP or other means)
• The resource certificates can serve as "proof of possession" when doing resource trades between entities

Such a system should be based on accepted and open standards such as X.509 and RFC3280. It potentially also includes RIR policy changes, and new services provided by the RIRs to their members.

The Regional Internet Registries - based on their communities' authorisation - are currently exploring the consequences of providing a certification system. The RIPE NCC wishes to inform the RIPE community about these efforts and obtain guidance from it about providing such a service in the RIPE region. The RIPE community wishes to raise awareness within the community and provide guidance to the RIPE NCC.

A task force was established at RIPE 53 in Amsterdam to advise, review, and provide feedback about a certification system.

 Draft Charter

This task force will:

• Raise awareness about this issue among network operators
• Solicit and collect requirements and opinions about such a service
• Follow and advise the RIRs' joint work on the subject, especially in relation with RIPE NCC
• Evaluate and review the anticipated technical, policy and business relation changes between LIRs and RIRs
• Produce a report on its work

The report will include, but is not limited to:

• Usefulness of number resource certification in general
• Business implications of a number resource certification service for resource holders
• General and specific requirements for a number resource certification service
• Implications of such a service for number resource policies
• Expected uptake of such a service among resource holders

The task force will have completed its task when this report is published

and

• a resource certification (prototype) system is in place and operational, and the corresponding technical, policy and related questions and implications are clearly seen

or

• there is a consensus within the RIPE community that RIPE NCC shall not provide resource certification services.

The task force shall be disbanded when these tasks have been completed or when there is consensus within RIPE that completion of the tasks is no longer realistic.

 Time Line

• November 2006 - RIPE 53: Proposal to establish the task force.
• February 2007 - Initial meeting
• May 2007 - RIPE 54: Publish a progress report and discuss the outcomes of the work done so far.
• September 2007 - Publish a report.
• October 2007 - RIPE 55: Discuss work done. Evaluation and potential disbanding of the task force.

The RIPE Certification Task Force includes the following members:

Vasily Dolmatov, Cryptocom, Russia (Chair)
Fahad Alshirawi, 2Connect, Bahrain
Martin Papik, 2Connect, Bahrain
Nigel Titley, Easynet, UK
Ronald van der Pol, SARA, Netherlands
Ruediger Volk, Deutsche Telekom, Germany
Gert Doering, SpaceNet, Germany

The task force held its initial meeting in Amsterdam on Tuesday, 13 February 2007. Members of the task force discussed some of the key policy and technical issues to be considered in implementing resource certification. At the meeting NCC staff also unveiled the certification prototype, which has been developed to test certification services.

The certification prototype is now being trialed by a range of RIPE community members and NCC staff. Their experiences will be lead to further refinement of the RIPE certification model, and will be discussed in the task force presentation at RIPE 54.

 Certification Task Force Mailing List

The task force mailing list is ca-tf@ripe.net | View Mailing List Archives 

 Practicalities

The task force will organise its own business, such as appointing chairpersons or spokespersons. The RIPE NCC will provide secretariat services such as mailing lists and support staff. Upon request by the task force, the RIPE NCC will provide briefings, information material and prototype software that may help the task force to solicit and compile input from the RIPE community.