As noted last week, the PEM specifications have finally attained
Proposed Standard status and been published as RFCs 1421 through 1424.
This a major milestone and everyone should be congratulated.
One detail that has evolved since the documents were submitted for
advancement is a change of name for the top level. As agreed, the
Internet Society is operating the top level of the hierarchy. ISOC
legal counsel recommended against using a name involving the term
"policy " on the grounds that it connotes that the ISOC would be
setting assurance policies. The new name for the root is
Internet Certificate Issuers Registry (ICIR)
To emphasize the point made above, this change reflects only a desire
to clarify that the role of the ISOC is to register and administer the
hierarchy. Policy decisions regarding assurance and business issues
are left to the various PCAs.
On behalf of everyone involved, I apologize for not getting the
revised name into the RFC prior to publication. When the RFCs come up
for review for advancement to Draft Stadnard, this and other editorial
matters can be fixed. Meanwhile, please adjust your documentation and
presentations to reflect this new name.
Thanks,
Steve