From: Tommaso Cucinotta (cucinottasssup.it)
Date: Thu May 12 2005 - 12:31:20 CDT

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David Corcoran ha scritto:
> Hi,
>
> The method described there generates the keypair in your browser and
> sends the certificate off to the CA to be signed. This is then
> encrypted into a file (PKCS#12) that you can backup. You then can
> import this PKCS#12 file (by providing the encryption password) onto
> the token. So the security of this method is really based upon on
> secure your desktop is ....

Security of *any* method is somewhat based on the security of the
terminal on which you're operating while you generate your keypair.
This becomes absolutely true with MuscleCard, as a feature that is
missing since a too long time is distinguishing between a key that
has been imported from the outside, and one that has been generated
on the card, thus you would never understand if your terminal
transmitted a copy of your key to anyone else..... the terminal
is *supposed* to be trusted, when you format a card :-)

Even if we add such a feature, you would hardly distinguish if your
terminal just replaced the MuscleCard Applet with a different one
that claims your keys are NEVER_EXPORTABLE/EXTRACTABLE whereas they
were imported from the outside, again, the trusted terminal is
an assumption in the process.

Bye,

        Tommaso.
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