CA/Browser Forum

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

CA/Browser Forum provides a collaborative standards forum for certificate issuers, browser vendors, and other certificate consumers to secure the Web by developing and harmonizing PKI and related security standards.

Target Customer

Certificate Issuers; Certificate Consumers including Internet browser software and applications that use certificates; Auditors and Assessors; Potential Members; Site Owners; Developers; Interested Parties

Key Differentiator

Multi-stakeholder, open governance with dedicated working groups (Server Certificate WG, Code Signing WG, NetSec WG, S/MIME WG, Definitions WG) and public minutes/ballots; active consideration of policy, IPR, and governance issues; ongoing infrastructure and organizational updates (e.g., email infrastructure migration to Google Workspace).

Implementation Timeline

No explicit implementation timeline is stated; value appears through ongoing working group activity, ballots, and plenary meetings, with updates and policy changes typically reflected in minutes and ballots over successive cycles.

Pain Points

1Need to standardize server certificate practices and timelines (e.g., ballots to reduce certificate validity periods).
2Integration of DNSSEC and PQC considerations into CA and certificate policies (e.g., S/MIME PQC adoption and DNSSEC for CA records).
3Managing intellectual property rights, contributor licensing (CLA), and policy alignment across members, including IPR policy updates and governance.
4Addressing security and governance concerns related to cloud usage and AI considerations in WebPKI (NetSec WG discussions).

Key Features

1Structured Working Groups focused on core PKI topics: Server Certificates, Code Signing, S/MIME, Network & Certificate System Security, Definitions & Glossary.
2Public minutes and ballots that document discussions, decisions, and policy changes (e.g., server cert minutes, ballot updates, IPR discussions).
3Regular plenary meetings and teleconferences (e.g., Warsaw face-to-face meeting, monthly/regular calls).
4Governance infrastructure including IPR Policy, Contributor License Agreements (CLA), and processes for online policy handling.
5Operational updates such as migration of forum email processing to Google Workspace and management of list archives.

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1Vice Chair, S/MIME Certificate Working Group
2Project Manager, Definitions and Glossary Working Group

Client Results

1Advancement of technical ballots and standards (e.g., S/MIME PQC adoption, Ballot NS-008 updates, Code Signing validity period ballot).
2Adoption and discussion of DNSSEC-related requirements for CA records and PKI governance.
3Publicly visible governance outputs including minutes, ballots, and policy discussions; ongoing IPR policy reviews and CLA considerations.
4Operational improvements such as centralized email infrastructure and archival processes to support governance.

Competitive Advantages

1Open, multi-stakeholder collaboration spanning certificate issuers, browser vendors, and other certificate consumers.
2Transparency through public minutes, ballots, and defined governance structures.
3Specialized focus via dedicated Working Groups addressing server certificates, code signing, S/MIME, and security/privacy policy.
4Regular updates to policy and governance (IPR, CLA) and practical infrastructure improvements for operations.

Key Benefits

1Harmonized PKI-related standards across server certs, code signing, and S/MIME.

2Transparent, documented governance with public minutes and ballots.

3Proactive addressing of evolving security considerations (DNSSEC, PQC, AI/Cloud use in WebPKI) within a structured framework.

Additional Product Information

Product Description

A voluntary standards forum that brings together certificate issuers, browser/software vendors, and other certificate users to develop and harmonize security-related PKI standards and governance for the Web.

Target Market

Certificate Issuers; Certificate Consumers (browsers and applications using certificates); Auditors and Assessors; Potential Members

Unique Value Proposition

A transparent, multi-stakeholder platform for developing and harmonizing PKI and related security standards across the Web, with structured working groups, public ballots, and formal governance processes.

Technical Requirements

Topics discussed include DNSSEC for CA records, post-quantum cryptography (PQC) adoption for S/MIME, and policy/IPR governance; no explicit user-facing technical prerequisites are listed.

Pricing Model

Not disclosed

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