An Internet Attribute Certificate Profile for Authorization
RFC 5755

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                        S. Farrell
Request for Comments: 5755                        Trinity College Dublin
Obsoletes: 3281                                               R. Housley
Category: Standards Track                                 Vigil Security
ISSN: 2070-1721                                                S. Turner
                                                                    IECA
                                                            January 2010

      An Internet Attribute Certificate Profile for Authorization

Abstract

   This specification defines a profile for the use of X.509 Attribute
   Certificates in Internet Protocols.  Attribute certificates may be
   used in a wide range of applications and environments covering a
   broad spectrum of interoperability goals and a broader spectrum of
   operational and assurance requirements.  The goal of this document is
   to establish a common baseline for generic applications requiring
   broad interoperability as well as limited special purpose
   requirements.  The profile places emphasis on attribute certificate
   support for Internet electronic mail, IPsec, and WWW security
   applications.  This document obsoletes RFC 3281.

Status of This Memo

   This is an Internet Standards Track document.

   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has
   received public review and has been approved for publication by
   the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Further
   information on Internet Standards is available in Section 2 of
   RFC 5741.

   Information about the current status of this document, any
   errata, and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5755.

Farrell, et al.              Standards Track                    [Page 1]
RFC 5755              AC Profile for Authorization          January 2010

Copyright Notice

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   document authors.  All rights reserved.

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   This document may contain material from IETF Documents or IETF
   Contributions published or made publicly available before November
   10, 2008.  The person(s) controlling the copyright in some of this
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   Without obtaining an adequate license from the person(s) controlling
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   not be created outside the IETF Standards Process, except to format
   it for publication as an RFC or to translate it into languages other
   than English.

Farrell, et al.              Standards Track                    [Page 2]
RFC 5755              AC Profile for Authorization          January 2010

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................4
      1.1. Requirements Terminology ...................................5
      1.2. AC Path Delegation .........................................5
      1.3. Attribute Certificate Distribution ("Push" vs. "Pull") .....6
      1.4. Document Structure .........................................7
   2. Terminology .....................................................7
   3. Requirements ....................................................8
   4. Attribute Certificate Profile ...................................9
      4.1. X.509 Attribute Certificate Definition ....................10
      4.2. Profile of Standard Fields ................................12
           4.2.1. Version ............................................13
           4.2.2. Holder .............................................13
           4.2.3. Issuer .............................................14
           4.2.4. Signature ..........................................14
           4.2.5. Serial Number ......................................14
           4.2.6. Validity Period ....................................15
           4.2.7. Attributes .........................................15