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Re: Do CMS implementations allows Parallel Signer Infos from more than one signer?

1998-06-16 09:56:15
Tim Dean <t(_dot_)dean(_at_)eris(_dot_)dera(_dot_)gov(_dot_)uk> writes:
CMS allow multiple entities to sign content 'in parallel'  (sect 5.1). 
 However, I have come across an implementation which only expects to find 
one signature in the SET OF SignerInfos, and will reject the message if 
more than one is found.  The rationale was that if there are multiple 
signers, it causes confusion as to who originated the message.  I have 
several questions about this:
1) Is this behaviour regarded as conformant with the standard (since there 
is no explicit size limit on the set)?
I believe so.

2) Are there other implementations which insist on this limitation?
My implementation will verify multiple signatures, provided they
use the same digest algorithm. (This wasn't really a conscious
choice, it's just a restriction that made implementation easier.)

3) Are there any implementations that have the capability to generate 
multiple (parallel) signatures?
Not mine.

4) For implementations which accept multiple signatures, how do they detect 
which one originated the message?
I don't have any UI, so I don't make any attempt. I just report back
a structure listing the signatures.

-Ekr


-- 
[Eric Rescorla                             Terisa Systems, Inc.]
                "Put it in the top slot."

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