JIBC Review of Brands' Book

[R. A. Hettinga]

http://www.arraydev.com/commerce/JIBC/0104_01.htm


Rethinking Public Key Infrastructures and Digital Certificates and Privacy
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A Review of Rethinking Public Key Infrastructures and Digital Certificates
and Privacy, Stefan A. Brands, MIT Press 2000. ISBN 0-262-02491-8.

Reviewed by Martin Nemzow
E-mail: mnemzow at networkperf.com
Web: www.networkperf.com
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This is a background book for technical staff and some managers involved in
e-commerce or its implementations. Its focus is clearly described by its
title and does not wander from that topic. Much of the content is academic
and very mathematical. Less-formal discussions, such as on topics of
authentication implementation and smart cards, are unparalleled in current
security literature because they are balanced but also supported with
significant scientific and mathematical documentation. I read the book and
ignored the proofs on the first pass, reading only for ideas and content.
On the second pass, I still skipped some proofs, but delved into others
because of their relevance to some of my actual current implementation and
marketing activities.

At some point, in real ecommerce activities, security bypasses the implicit
need and becomes an explicit, legal, and fiduciary responsibility. At that
stage, when you need to be as well-versed as a professional and aware of
foundations in security, this book represents a formal and precise
reference. This college-level textbook is not a light reading, nor is it
intended to be. Note that much of the book is highly mathematical with
elaborate proofs of security, workflow, and implementations. To that
degree, it is not a typical security manual or a book to read curled up in
front of the fireplace on vacation. However, this book is a good contrast
to "Secret and Lies" by Bruce Schneier because it focuses on the scientific
path rather than the social engineering one. There is a distinct place for
both types of books. With that representation, it is a great reference for
any specialist in electronic security because of its scholarly grounding in
security theorems and proofs.

This book focuses on the background for public key infrastructures and the
mechanisms that create security. Half of this book is driven to the
mathematics and the allegation of how certificate verification should work
and what can be done to improve it. Do not overlook other parts in the
book, which have a tremendous technical overview dealing with privacy, an
ill-defined concept that everyone quotes and wants, but has failed to
define, measure, or realistically implement. In this context, Mr. Brands
defines privacy as the confidence to deliver information without having
compromise. Focus in his book is establishing validity and authenticating
security certificates in workflow. Relevant and referenced applications
include electronic cash, electronic postage, digital rights management
(such as copyright protection), protection of health information, and ways
to enable electronic voting. The proofs are actually a great litmus test
when talking with vendors--if you're into the mathematics and want to
validate technical support or developers with those vendors. However, the
overview is actually much more informative than security books aimed at the
mass market because of the formal structure and the lack of spurious or
unsubstantiated assertions.

For example, Mr. Brands specifically explains how public key
infrastructures can be applied for banking activities to authenticate
individuals, process, and transactions. This is of relevance to JIBC
readers because theft of identity is likely to become increasingly
expensive crime in e-commerce and Internet banking. The rewards are great,
the risk is low, and the current infrastructure remains so insecure. The
burden of making identity theft wrongs right will fail to those with the
deep pockets, the banks, brokerages, and businesses. Chapter 6 is
specifically geared towards smart card operation. Smart cards will have
increasing value in the banking community as a means to limit exposure and
extent of losses. The epilogue explains what can go wrong with this
technology that is sufficient background for anyone talking to vendors. It
is also useful to impress and assess potential security hires and
subordinates. It is a shame that the references are the usual security ACM
journal articles and commercial press; the academic depth in the book
itself outshines the usual stale security assertions. I would have hoped
that the references would have opened new doors to security threads, but
the book itself does a lot of that.

-- 
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R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

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