[tech] Signing builds

[Mansfield]

On Fri, Jan 15, 2021 at 12:57 PM John Cowan <cowan at ccil.org> wrote:

>
>
> On 15-Jan-2021 01:59, Mansfield wrote:
>
> > (I'm also not sure how the certificate will verify I'm trustworthy when
> I'm
> > not so certain I want any personally identifiable information to be
> shared
> > with whoever will be running me through whatever process
>
> The whole point of a cert is to prove your identity to someone who will do
> something for you (or allow you to do something to them) based on it.
> Consider these real-life examples.
>
> I go to my pharmacy to pick up my prescription medicines.  The meds are
> only for me, so only I can pick them up.
>
> Case 0: personal knowledge
>
> Me: Hi there.  Can you give my meds please?
>
> Clerk: Oh, hello, Mr. Cowan.  Nice to see you again.  Here you go.
>
> Case 1: self-signed cert
>
> Me: Hi there.  I'm John Cowan, and I want to pick up my medicines.
>
> Clerk (who doesn't know me):  Can I see some identification, please?
>
> I hand over a piece of paper.
>
> Clerk: Umm, this says you are John Cowan, all right, but it's only signed
> by you.  This doesn't prove a thing.  ...Next customer, please?
>
> Case 2: anonymous cert
>
> As in Case 1 until the clerk looks at the letter.
>
> Clerk: This says "The bearer of this document is known to me as 'Joe
> Nameless'.  Signed A. Nonny Mouse, Chief Identifier, Fly-by-night
> Corporation."  I'm sorry, this doesn't help: the name on this paper doesn't
> match your name.
>
> Me:  Well, of course not!  I wasn't going to give Fly-by-night my
> personally identifying information!
>
> Clerk:  Sorry ... next customer, please?
>
> Case 3: CA-based cert
>
> Same as Cases 1 and 2 until the clerk looks at the letter (actually a card
> this time).
>
> Clerk:  Okay, this says that the State of New York, which we trust, has
> verified your identity as John Cowan.  Hello, Mr. Cowan.  Here you go.
>
>
>
> John Cowan          http://vrici.lojban.org/~cowan        cowan at ccil.org
> The man that wanders far from the walking tree
>         --first line of a non-existent poem by me
>

Yeah... sigh... thanks for the thoughts.
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