[openssl-dev] [openssl.org #3562] leading dots in nameConstraints ... bug report and patch

[Salz, Rich via RT]

> This is a "security issue" in the sense that is a Type-II error (disallowing good
> guys).  It affects thousands of sites and who-knows-how-many users.

Well, kinda.  It disallows good guys who made a mistake and are violating the RFC.  Sure, they're not written in stone and that particular RFC has its share of issues, but calling this a security issue doesn't seem right.  Allowing greater interop, with minimal security exposure, seems a better way to put it.  A more compliant fix is to re-issue the CA and its subordinates, while working the RFC issues through the IETF.  But OpenSSL is very pragmatic.

> *** It would make sense to fix the nameConstraints bypass bug
> *** [openssl.org #3502] at the same time.

That's a bigger change and the RT commentary has lots of caveats about the code there as you know (since you wrote them).

> *** Otherwise the whole nameConstraints concept is pretty much
> *** pointless.

There are those who think that anyway.