iPlanet Certificate Management SystemTM Release Notes

Version: 4.2 - Service Pack 2

Updated on: November 2, 2002


These release notes contain important information about Version 4.2, Service Pack 2 (SP2) release of iPlanet Certificate Management System (CMS). New features and enhancements, installation notes, known problems, and other late-breaking issues are addressed here. Read this document before you begin installing and using Certificate Management System.

These release notes contain the following sections:


What's New in This Release

Highlights of this release of Certificate Management System are: This section compares CMS 4.2-SP2 with CMS 4.2 (for the benefit of CMS 4.2 users). Topics include:

Supported Operating Systems

The table below summarizes the operating system/platform support for CMS 4.2-SP2 (and CMS 4.2).
 
Platform/OS CMS 4.2-SP2 CMS 4.2
Compaq Tru64TM
  • Version 4.0D
HP UXTM
  • Version B.11.00
IBM AIXTM
  • Version 4.3.2
Microsoft Windows NTTM
  • Version 4.0 with Service Pack 5 or 6
  • Version 4.0 with Service Pack 4, 5, or 6
Sun SolarisTM
  • Version 2.6, 2.7, and 8

Other Packages

The table below summarizes other components and packages integrated with CMS 4.2-SP2 (and CMS 4.2).
 
Other Components CMS 4.2-SP2 CMS 4.2
Netscape Administration Server
  • Uses version 4.2, with some of the bugs fixed.
  • Uses version 4.2
Netscape Directory Server
  • Uses version 4.13, with some of the bugs fixed.
  • Uses version 4.12
Netscape Console
  • Uses version 4.2, with some of the bugs fixed.
  • Uses version 4.2
Netscape Personal Security Manager (PSM)
  • Bundles version 1.2 to enable you to deploy a client with abilities to generate dual key pairs and check the revocation status of certificates using the OCSP protocol. 

  • Check this directory: <server_root>/psm12
  • The same or future version can be downloaded from this site: http://www.iplanet.com/downloads/download/index.html
Network Security Services (NSS)
  • Uses version 2.8.3, which supports 4096 bit key generation (RSA only) for Certificate Manager signing, Registration Manager signing,  Data Recovery Manager transport, and SSL server certificates.
  • This version has been enhanced to make cryptographic accelerators work more efficiently.
OCSP Responder
  • Has a built-in OCSP responder (a new server named Online Certificate Status Manager) that can receive CRLs from multiple Certificate Managers 
  • Bundles ValiCert Certificate VATM  for setting up a local online validation authority (or an OCSP responder). Check this directory: <server_root>/cva301
CMS SDK and Samples Are installed with the rest of the server binaries:
  • Java docs are at: <server_root>/cms_sdk/cms_jdk/javadocs
  • Sample code is at: <server_root>/cms_sdk/cms_jdk/samples
  • Improved SDK with well organized and better Java docs
  • More samples
  • Tutorials for developing Java plug-ins
Are installed with the rest of the server binaries:
  • Java docs are at: <server_root>/cms_sdk/sdkdocs
  • Sample code is at: <server_root>/cms_sdk/samples
  • Includes more samples
  • Includes samples that generate BASE-64 encoded blobs for standard extensions for inclusion in CA/other certificate requests
Command-line Tools All tools are installed at: <server_root>/bin/cert/tools Are installed at <server_root>/bin/cert/tools
and <server_root>/cms_sdk/samples/exttools
CMS Documentation Better organized, more books; see CMS Documentation. List of documentation is available after installation at: <server_root>/manual/index.html

Features

The table below compares CMS 4.2-SP2 features to that of CMS 4.2.
 
Feature CMS 4.2-SP2 CMS 4.2
Authentication methods for end users
  • No change; same as in 4.2.
  • Manual
  • LDAP directory-based
  • LDAP Directory and PIN-based
  • NIS-based (with LDAP correlation for formulating subject name)
  • Portal
  • Certificate-based
Forms for certificate enrollment
  • Also includes forms for submitting wTLS-compliant certificate requests and requests in the CMC format
  • Browser/User Certificate enrollment:
  • Manual (ManUserEnroll.html)
  • LDAP directory-based (DirUserEnroll.html)
  • LDAP directory- and PIN-based (DirPinUserEnroll.html)
  • NIS-based (NISUserEnroll.html)
  • Portal (PortalEnrollment.html)
  • Certificate-based (CertBasedDualEnroll.html, CertBasedEncryptionEnroll.html, and CertBasedSingleEnroll.html)
  • Server Certificate enrollment:
  • SSL Server (ManServerEnroll.html) -- for requesting SSL server certificates
  • Certificate Manager (ManCAEnroll.html) -- for requesting CA signing certificates for subordinate Certificate Managers
  • Registration Manager (ManRAEnroll.html) -- for requesting signing certificates for Registration Managers
  • OSCP Responder (OCSPResponder.html) -- for requesting signing certificates for Online Certificate Status Managers
  • Object Signing Certificate enrollment:
  • Object Signing Browser (ManObjSignEnroll.html) -- for requesting object signing certificates
  • Object Signing PKCS10 (ObjSignPKCS10Enroll.html) -- for requesting object signing certificates, with requests in the PKCS#10 format
  • Forms for certificate renewal
    • No change; same as in 4.2.
    • SSL client-authenticated renewal of end-user certificates
    • Manual for other certificates, for example, SSL server certificate and Registration Manager signing certificate
    Forms for certificate revocation
    • No change; same as in 4.2.
    • SSL client-authenticated revocation of end-user certificates
    • Challenge password-based revocation of end user certificates requested using the manual enrollment form
    Policies for governing the formulation of certificates
    • No change; same as in 4.2.
    Constraints-specific policies (for governing the formulation of certificate content, such as the key size, signing algorithm, validity period, and so on):
    • Attribute Present Constraints policy
    • DSA Key Constraints policy
    • Issuer Constraints policy
    • Key Algorithm Constraints policy
    • Renewal Constraints policy
    • Renewal Validity Constraints policy
    • RSA Key Constraints policy
    • Revocation Constraints policy
    • Signing Algorithm Constraints policy
    • Subordinate CA Name Constraints policy
    • Unique Subject Name Constraints policy
    • Validity Constraints policy
    Policies for adding certificate extensions
    • No change; same as in 4.2.
    Extension-specific policies (for adding extensions to certificates):
    • Authority Information Access policy
    • Authority Key Identifier policy
    • Basic Constraints policy
    • Certificate Comment policy
    • Certificate Renewal Window policy
    • Certificate Scope of Use policy
    • CRL Distribution Points policy
    • Extended Key Usage policy
    • Generic ASN-1 Type Extension policy
    • Issuer Alternative Name policy
    • Key Usage policy
    • Name Constraints policy
    • Netscape Certificate Comment policy
    • Netscape Certificate Type policy
    • OCSPNoCheck policy
    • Policy Constraints policy
    • Policy Mappings policy
    • Private Key Usage Period policy
    • Subject Alternative Name policy
    • Subject Directory Attributes policy
    • Subject Key Identifier policy
    Schedulable jobs
    • No change; same as in 4.2
    • Directory update and notification (for removal of expired certificates from the directory)
    • Certificate renewal notifications to end entities
    • Request-queue-status notification
    Event-driven notifications
    • No change; same as in 4.2.
    • Certificate-issued notification to end entities
    • Request-in-queue notification to agents
    • New PIN-removal listeners
    Publishing of certificates and CRLs
    • Same as in 4.2, except one change: includes a new plug-in named OCSPPublisherfor publishing CRLs to the CMS OCSP responder. (This plug-in replaces the publisher that  published/unpublished the CRL to ValiCert Certificate Validation Authority™ server.)
  • Improved UI
  • Pluggable architecture for mapper and publisher classes
  • Supports publishing of certificates to:
  • An LDAP directory
  • A flat file (for importing certificates into other repositories)
  • Supports publishing of CRLs to:
  • An LDAP directory 
  • A flat file (for importing CRLs into other repositories)
  • An online validation authority (an OCSP responder)
  • Mapper plug-in modules: 
  • Flexible mapper that uses DNComps, filterComps, and baseDN for mapping certificates to directory entries
  • Mapper that looks for the certificate’s subject name in an entry
  • Simple Mapper that accepts a DN pattern for mapping certificates to directory entries
  • Mapper that uses DNComps, filterComps, and baseDN for locating CA's entry for publishing the CRL
  • Mapper that creates an entry for the CA in the directory 
  • Publisher plug-in modules:
  • Publisher that publishes/unpublishes a certificate to the caCertificate;binary attribute of the mapped directory entry as a DER encoded binary blob
  • Publisher that publishes/unpublishes a certificate to the userCertificate;binary attribute of the mapped directory entry as a DER encoded binary blob
  • Publisher that  publishes (replaces) a CRL to the certificateRevocationList;binary attribute of the mapped directory entry
  • Publisher that  publishes or unpublishes certificates and CRLs to a flat file to exporting into other repositories
  • Publisher that  publishes or unpublishes the CRL to ValiCert Certificate Validation Authority™ server
  • Logging
    • New, pluggable architecture to support customization
    • System and error logs for monitoring/troubleshooting
    • Audit log for auditing server activities
    • Signed log archives
    • UI for configuring/monitoring system, error, and audit logs
    • UI for Windows NT Event Log configuration
    Backup and recovery
    • No change; same as in 4.2.
    • Perl-script based, interactive command-line tools
    Certificate Manager
    • Key Length Supported: 512-2048 bits (RSA) and 512-1024 bits in 64-bit increments (DSA)
    • Same as in 4.2, with a few additions: a built-in OCSP service, enabling the CA to function as an OCSP responder; a connector for communication between clone and master CAs (useful in cloned CA setup); and the ability to cache CRLs.
    • Certificate Enrollment
    • Browser Types
      • Netscape Communicator 4.7x
      • Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 4.x
    • Key Type Supported: RSA and DSA
    • Key Length Supported: 512-4096 bits (RSA) and 512-1024 bits in 64-bit increments (DSA)
    • Signing Algorithms Supported: MD2 with RSA, MD5 with RSA, and SHA-1 RSA, if the CA key type is RSA; SHA-1 DSA, if the CA key type is DSA.
    • CA Signing Certificate (defaults)
      • Validity: 2 years
      • Key type: RSA
      • Key length 512 bits
      • Hash algorithm: SHA-1 with RSA
      • Extensions: Basic Constraints, Netscape Certificate Type (SSL CA, S/MIME CA, and object-signing CA bits are set), Authority Key Identifier, and Subject Key Identifier
    • CRL Publishing (default)
      • Directory: unspecified; requires configuring
      • Interval: every time a certificate is revoked and at every 20 minutes
      • Version: 1 (that is, no extensions are included)
      • Signing algorithm: MD5 with RSA
      • CRL doesn't include revoked certificates
    • Certificate Signing Policy (default)
      • Validity period: minimum 30 days, maximum 365 days
      • Certificate version: v3
    • URL for End-Entity Certificate Enrollment
      • Go to http://<host_name>:<non-SSL port> or https://<host_name>:<SSL port>, then select End User Services.
    Registration Manager
    • No change; same as in 4.2.
    • Publishing of certificates to an LDAP directory has been removed.
    Key Recovery Manager
    • No change; same as in 4.2.
    • The installation wizard fills default IDs for Key Recovery Agents; you can overwrite the default values.
    Agent Services interface
    • Certificate Manager's agent interface supports new features: viewing of CRL and CRL issuing points before updating the CRL; OCSP-service status.
    • A new interface for the Online Certificate Status Manager agent operations.
    • Supports listing of pending requests based on the request type, such as certificate enrollment, renewal, and revocation. 
    • The certificate-request form (processReq.templete) includes a text field for pasting any standard/custom extension in MIME-64 encoded format. (The samples directory includes tools for generating standard extensions in this format.


    CMS Documentation

    The complete set of CMS documentation for this release includes the following: After you run the setup script as described under Installation Procedure, check this file for a complete list of documentation installed with the product: <server_root>/manual/index.html, where <server_root> is your CMS installation directory. The index file also contains links to Netscape Directory Server and Administration Server documentation, as these get installed along with the CMS documentation listed above.

    For the latest information about Certificate Management System, including current release notes, technical notes, and deployment information, check this web site: http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/cms.html


    Software/Hardware Requirements


    Installation Procedure


    Important Notes and Known Bugs

    This section lists important notes, bugs, and known issues, and provides workarounds for some of the problems that you may encounter with the product. (The problems are identified by bug numbers to help you refer to them if you need to contact technical support.)
     
     

    Administration Server

    Authentication

    Backup and Restore

    Browser

    CA Cloning

    CEP Support

    CGI Support

    You can configure Certificate Management System to run CGI scripts by putting the CGI script (or executable) in a directory under the end-entity gateway's doc-root (<server_root>/cert-<instance_id>/web/ee) or agent gateway's doc-root  (<server_root>/cert-<instance_id>/web/agent), and by editing the configuration file to include information about the CGI script. [# 384101]

    To configure the server to run a CGI script:

    1. Stop Certificate Management System.
    2. Go to this directory: <server_root>/cert-<instance_id>/web/ee
    3. Create a directory for putting your CGI script, for example, cgi-bin.
    4. Copy your CGI script to the cgi-bin directory.
    5. Change to this directory: <server_root>/cert-<instance_id>/config
    6. Open the configuration file, CMS.cfg, in a text editor.
    7. Add the following lines:

    8. eeGateway.servletName.CGI=com.netscape.certsrv.http.CgiServlet
      eeGateway.servletAlias./cgi-bin=CGI
      In this example, any file under the cgi-bin directory, or any path starting with /cgi-bin/ in the eeGateway will be executed as a CGI.
    9. Save your changes.
    10. Close the file.
    11. Restart Certificate Management System.

    Command-Line Tools

    CRLs

    Custom Plug-in Modules

    Directory Server

    DSA

    Enrollment

    Enterprise Server

    Extensions

    Hardware Tokens

    Installation

    Internationalization

    Job Scheduling/Notification

    JSS

    Logging

    Miscellaneous

    "Public storage key: used to encrypt an end entity's private encryption key for long-term storage.

    "Private storage key: used to decrypt an end entity's stored private encryption key after m of n recovery agents have authorized the recovery operation."

    In fact, the opposite is true. The documentation should read:

    "Public storage key: used to decrypt an end entity's stored private encryption key after m of n recovery agents have authorized the recovery operation.used to encrypt an end entity's private encryption key for long-term storage.
    "Private storage key: used to encrypt an end entity's private encryption key for long-term storage."

    This section of the documentation will be fixed in the next version of the product.

    OCSP

    Performance

    Personal Security Manager

    Policies

    Publishing

    Remote Registration Manager

    Renewal of CMS Certificates

    Request Queue Processing

    Revocation

    Samples and SDKs

    Searching for Certificates

    Starting/Stopping the Server

    Third-Party Products

    RSA Security ServerTM

    SHYM PKEnableTM

    SHYM PKEnable Version 2.x software was tested with Certificate Management System 4.2 and the following problems were found [# 394951]

    Check Point VPN-1TM

    UI (Netscape Console/CMS Window)

    Upgrade From CMS 4.2 wTLS


    How to Report Problems

    Your feedback is welcome and extremely helpful for improving the product. Before contacting us to request assistance, please check the documentation for this release at this site: http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/cms.html

    If you need further assistance or information about Certificate Management System or if you need to report problems with this product, contact technical support. You may also contact us through our newsgroup for support, questions, answers, and the latest information:

    snews://secnews.netscape.com/netscape.dev.certificate
    You might also find it useful to subscribe to the following newsgroups, where security-related topics are discussed:
    snews://secnews.netscape.com/netscape.dev.ssl
    snews://secnews.netscape.com/netscape.dev.security
    So that we can best assist you in resolving problems, please be sure to include the following information: For problems involving the use of certificates issued by Certificate Management System in other products, include the product name (for example, Netscape Communicator), the release number, and platform information for those products as well.


    For More Information

    Useful iPlanet information can be found at the following Internet locations:

    Change History

    The table below chronicles the changes made to the release notes.
     
    When Where What's been changed/added
    11/01/2002 Job Scheduling/Notification Registration Manager cannot configure automatic renewal notifications. [# 464982]
    11/01/2002

    Miscellaneous

    Definitions of public and private storage keys. [# 4727931]

    Use of iPlanet Certificate Management System is subject to the terms described in the license agreement accompanying it.
    Copyright © 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Some preexisting portions Copyright © 2001 Netscape Communications Corp. All rights reserved.
    Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, iPlanet, and all Sun, Java, and iPlanet based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Netscape and the Netscape N logo are registered trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Other Netscape logos, product names, and service names are also trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation, which may be registered in other countries.