WebApp Sec: Re: How to perform SSL certificate validation ?

[Max <Reply.to.list () acme com>]

Have a look at this application:

http://www.download.com/Globaltrust-Verification-Engine/3000-2144_4-10529972.html?tag=lst-0-1

M () x


Nagareshwar Talekar wrote:
> Hi List,
>
> I am working on implementation of LDAP client where in there is 
> requirement
> to validate the server's ssl certificate. This is similar to what
> browser  does in case of ssl enabled website. After reading few
> articles over net  I came to know that following checks needs to be
> done for verfication of ssl certificate.
>
>       1) Check if certificate is not expired.
>       2) Common name on the certificate matches the DNS name of the 
> server.
>       3) Checks if the CA is trused.
>
>  I don't know how to perform the check for 3rd step. How can we ensure
>  that CA is trusted? One of my colleague told that I have to store all 
> trusted
>  root certificates and then compare incoming certificate with existing 
> ones..
>  Is there any better way to check this ...?
>
>  Also I was told that certificate validation is done to prevent the
> SSL-MITM attack
>  Is this the only reason or is there any other reason for which the
> SSL certificate
>  validation is done ?
>
> It will be great if you can throw some light in this matter. Any
> links to relevant
> websites will do as well.
>
> Thanks

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