To explore how Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) could be used by ISOC to verify the identity of its individual members, when needed, and what kind of organization and procedures that would require.
The main scope of this Working Group is to define the need for membership verification, distinguish the situations in which it is needed, and make recommendations on how to implement a Public Key Infrastructure for ISOC membership verification. These recommendations include an organizational plan, identity verification process description, a business plan and an implementation plan.
Making specific recommendations for the alteration of ISOC’s by-laws or governance procedures fall beyond the scope of this charter.
The working group should also evaluate alternatives for PKI technology as described in the mission statement.
Following the approval of this Charter by the members of the group, the group will commence in October 2002 and terminate in April 2003 (extended).
Everything produced under this charter is considered to be in the public domain. All proceedings, including this charter, will be made publicly available on the working group web page. The working group mailing list is archived and publicly readable.
The ISOC PKI working group will follow the progress of the IETF Public Key Infrastructure Working Group (pkix), the IETF Securely Available Credentials Working Group (sacred) and the W3C XML Key Management Working Group (XKMS), and set up liaisons with them, if possible.
The archived wg-pki@isoc.org mailing list is the only official communication channel for this group. Smaller task groups can agree to use other means of communication (private emails, phone, face-to-face meetings) when needed.
The group works by consensus. If consensus is not reached on some substantial matter, the group may resort to a vote. A vote is carried out in the group’s mailing list in a period of four working days. Each working group member has one vote. A majority is reached by gaining one vote more than half of the total votes. The group may, if the need raises select one or more chairs. The selection procedure is as follows: any member of the group can nominate any member of the group (including oneself) for chair. Only members of the Internet Society are eligible for the chair position. If selected chair is not a member, he/she should join before assuming the role. If the nominee accepts the nomination and there are no other nominations within four working days of the first nomination, the chair is considered selected. If more than one person is nominated, the selection of the chair will be subject to a vote.
Any interested individual willing to contribute can participate. Affiliation to Internet Society or any other organization is not required. Anyone who has joined the group’s email list and participated in the discussion is considered a member of the group, with full voting rights.
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