Secure Directories

This paper describes the mechanisms that are needed in order to provide a secure directory service based on the X.500 data model. A brief introduction to the X.500 data model is given followed by an overview of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. Security can be provided by three functions: an application level firewall, an authentication mechanism, and an access control scheme. A description of the X.500 and LDAP access control models is presented followed by the authentication methods that have been standardised for LDAPv3. A companion paper describes a directory application firewall

Important Lessons Derived from X.500 Case Studies

X.500 is a new and complex electronic directory technology, whose basic specification was first published as an international standard in 1988, with an enhanced revision in 1993. The technology is still unproven in many organisations. This paper presents case studies of 15 pioneering pilot and operational X.500 based directory services. The paper provides valuable insights into how organisations are coming to understand this new technology, are using X.500 for both traditional and novel directory based services, and consequently are deriving benefits from it. Important lessons that have been learnt by these X.500 pioneers are presented here, so that future organisations can benefit from their experiences. Factors critical to the success of implementing X.500 in an organisation are derived from the studies

Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure Operational Protocols -- LDAPv3

This document describes the features of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol v3 that are needed in order to support a public key infrastructure based on X.509 certificates and CRLs

Threat Modelling for Active Directory

This paper analyses the security threats that can arise against an Active Directory server when it is included in a Web application. The approach is based on the STRIDE classification methodology. The paper also provides outline descriptions of countermeasures that can be deployed to protect against the different threats and vulnerabilities identified here

The PERMIS X.509 Based Privilege Management Infrastructure

This document describes the PERMIS X.509 Based Privilege Management Infrastructure, which is a trust management system as described in RFC 2704 [2]. The PERMIS Infrastructure is compared with the AAA Authorisation Framework described in RFC 2904 [4], and is shown to be compatible with it