Root Causes: A PKI and Security Podcast

The first CA distrust event of 2025 comes with two simultaneous CA distrusts. We give you the details.

For the first time ever, Jason and I record an episode from the floor of the CA/Browser Forum face-to-face meeting. We recap the themes of this meeting, and Jason gives his first impressions of a CABF Face-to-face.

In this episode we explain the potential for future quantum computers to break files signed today with RSA or ECC, called "Trust now, forge later."

Jason describes his recent experience using Amazon Braket.

We explain the difference between two strategies of PQC implementation, which we call hybrid and composite.

In this episode Jason explains the fallacy of "playing chicken" with the Quantum Apocalypse. We discuss stack ranking and "eyes open" PQC risk decisions.

In this brief episode we explain why the problem that Shor's Algorithm poses to RSA and ECC can't be solved simply by increasing key size.

Wow. It's episode 500 of Root Causes. Jason and Tim talk about how the podcast has evolved in the past six years, how it remains consistent, and the updates we're making to keep being a valuable resource for our listeners.

The recent Signal controversy highlights the importance of understanding what protections an E2EE messaging app provides, and what it does not.

The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has released new PQC guidance. We take exception to the dates it gives and explain why.

Guest Sofia Celi (IETF, Brave) returns to talk about important developments in post quantum cryptography. Sofia tells us about her candidate algorithm MAYO and what is happening with the NIST PQC onramp. We learn about KEM TLS and the status of PQC initiatives in IETF.

Gmail is now end-to-end encrypted for all recipients, regardless of the receiving client. We explain how Gmail accomplishes this trick.

We build on our Trust Models discussion to explore how organizations can structure their PKI for the transition to post quantum cryptography (PQC).

We explain the basics of trust models and compare various models including WebPKI, private CA, and consortium models.

Changing root store requirements mean CAs must separate their root hierarchies for different certificate types. We explain why enterprises should consider private CA for some use cases.

In this episode we get excited about errors we see in mandatory security trainings.

We are rejoined by Dr. Michele Mosca to explore the potential threat of RSA being broken even in the absence of a quantum computing attack.

We define Chrome versus Chromium, explaining what each is and the difference between the two.

Does AI kill end-to-end encryption? There is a contention that the presence of AI agents in the workstream will render your confidential information visible outside the encrypted communication channels and therefore that E2EE is pointless. We explore this argument.

We explain the major news items from the most recent CA/Browser Forum face-to-face meeting in Tokyo. Topics include MPIC, 47-day certificate term, and Temporary Restraining Orders.

Jason and I take a peek forward at what we imagine IT security looks like in 2030. Topics include PQC, ZTNA, "green zones," deep fakes, IoT, connected cars, agentic AI, blockchain, and CLM.

Apple's ballot to step the maximum term for public SSL certificates down to 47 days has passed in the CA/Browser Forum. We explain.

Guest Dmitry Sharkov joins us to describe Open MPIC, the open-source project to help public CAs support MPIC.

We define multi good factor authentication, which is the idea that not all authentication factors are equal. We discuss the importance of considering authentication strength and the contextual nature of trust.

We are joined by repeat guest Bruno Coulliard of Crypto4A to introduce Sectigo's new post quantum cryptography (PQC) sandbox. The PQC sandbox allows you to get quantum resistant certificates in your hands to understand how they work with your systems.

In this episode we explore the potential PQC future for Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services, aka MSCA. We discuss potential paths for Microsoft to take and their consequences.

Protocol ossification is the phenomenon whereby ecosystems fail to work correctly with the full range of options included in a protocol. This occurs when individual software components only partially support the capabilities that should be available. We define protocol ossification, explain how and why it occurs, give real world examples, and talk about potential remedies.

Many people believe that the Trump White House rescinded an important cybersecurity executive order from late days of the Biden administration. We set the record straight.

In this episode we discuss the thinking on how adversaries can exploit the flaws in AI models to achieve unexpected and dangerous results. We explore some potential paths of defense against attacks of this sort.

RSA is under attack. Even without the quantum threat, we face the possibility of smart new exploits reducing the viable RSA key space and rendering it unsafe. In this episode we discuss the merits of choosing ECC over RSA as soon as today.

We discuss how various popular computing platforms approach security and highlight the differences between them.

Jason recounts a 2024 Black Hat talk about the need for objective measurements of our IT defenses and whether the good guys or bad guys are winning. Jason breaks down how to define and measure the impact of security measures.

It's the stuff of science fiction! Interesting research shows how today's AI technology is capable of lying to and scheming against its human owners in service of its goals.

We talk a lot about Shor's Algorithm in our discussion of post quantum cryptography (PQC). In this episode Jason explains Shor's algorithm for non-quantum physicists.

Jason reports on a 2024 Black Hat keynote about how modern software development practices inhibit innovation and invention.

AI tools are now available to perform red-teaming activity for DevSecOps. Such tools are soon to be table stakes in the constantly escalating IT security arms race. Join us to learn more.

In this episode, guest Alexandre Giron explains what is needed to support post quantum cryptography (PQC) with ACME.

Not all forms of MFA are equally secure. In this episode we describe the differences between the more secure and less secure forms of MFA.

In this episode we explain the all-or-nothing fallacy in cybersecurity and how it's affecting debate in the WebPKI right now.

A new demand from the UK seeks complete access to all Apple cloud data housed in the UK, regardless of the data owners' citizenship and residency. We unpack this latest development in Government versus Encryption.

The past year has seen a great deal of focus on the use of public TLS certificates where private root certificates are actually the appropriate solution. In this episode we discuss the differences between these two use cases and what IT organizations can do about it.

Apple is proceeding with a ballot that eventually will shorten SSL certificate maximum term to 47 days. Accompanying the ballot, Apple released a statement explaining its intent with the ballot. In this episode we unpack its statements.

In the wake of the Bugzilla Bloodbath, we list and describe twelve sins CAs commit on Bugzilla and its like, why they're detrimental, and how CAs should avoid them.

Harvest and decrypt is a well-known attack vector against traditional cryptography prior to PQC. In this episode, we discuss what enterprises should be doing today to defend themselves against harvest and decrypt.

In this episode we explain that all cellular networks, contrary to popular belief, are fundamentally insecure.

In this episode we walk through the evolution of the war on cryptography, from the beginning up through today, terminating in what we call Crypto War 3.0.

Sectigo today announced the acquisition of the Entrust public CA business. Entrust will go forward as a Sectigo reseller. Join us to learn the details.

In this episode we are joined by Dr. Michela Mosca. We discuss his pioneering work identifying the need for post-quantum cryptography, where PQC stands today, and what the future may hold.

2024 set in motion major changes for certificate lifespans and DCV. In this episode we discuss the Apple 47-day proposal, stepping down certificate term, public versus private CA use cases, DCV reuse periods, MPIC, WHOIS, and other topics.

Apple has added itself to the Entrust distrust and has extended this distrust to S/MIME and VMC. We explain.

We had a remarkable year on the Root Causes podcast in terms of our guests. We look back at the extremely expert guests we were lucky to talk about in 2024.