PKI root signing ceremony, etc.

[Arnold G. Reinhold]

One approach to securing infrequent signing or working keys from a 
corporate master certificate is to store the certificate in a bank 
safe deposit box. The certificate generation software (say on a self 
booting CD or perhaps an entire laptop) could be stored in the safe 
deposit box as well. The certificate signing would take place at the 
bank, either in one of the small rooms they provide or in a borrowed 
conference room.

This approach buys a large amount of physical security and an audit 
trail for the process at very minimal cost. It  also addresses 
another thorny problem: how to  match the control of a corporate 
master certificate to corporate governance mechanisms.  Board members 
of most corporations are poor potential custodians  of cryptographic 
material. Any password sharing system runs the risk of what to do if 
the secret holders are all fired.  Banks, on the other hand, are used 
to dealing with situations like changing access controls after a 
major management shakeup.

Arnold Reinhold

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