Background

The University of Texas System Information Strategic Leadership Council (SLC) at their October 28-29, 1998 meeting approved the Phase I Implementation of  the University of Texas Public Key Infrastructure (UTSPKI). Implementation will begin in January, 1999. The U. T. System Certificate Authority will be rooted within the VeriSign Trust Hierarchy and certificates issued will be co-branded by both The University of Texas and VeriSign.

Scope

U. T. Certificate Authorities

During Phase I, each of the 15 U. T. System Components and U. T. System Administration will become a certificate authority (CA) within the VeriSign Trust Hierarchy. U. T. Austin will employ an "Automated Hosting Option" to issue and manage certificates.  This process allows users contained within the U. T. Austin Electronic ID (EID)  database to be automatically issued certificates from VeriSign.

The U. T. Health Science Center at Houston will use a "Locally Hosted Option" to issue and manage certificates.  This process allows users listed in a U. T. Houston LDAP Directory to apply for certificates from VeriSign.  Once a user's identity has been appropriately verified by a local registration authority (LRA) at U. T. Houston, his or her certificate will be issued.

The remaining 13 components and U. T. System Administration will use a "Remote Hosting Option" in which users will directly request co-branded certificates from VeriSign. The Web interface for requesting a certificate is customized for each U. T. Component CA. Local registration authorities (LRAs) at each of the components and System Administration will verify the identity of each individual requesting a certificate. Upon identity verification, the requesting user will be issued a certificate.

The University of Texas certificates issued to individuals will be "High Assurance Certificates" as recommended by the U. T. System Information Technology Management Council (4/9/1998) and approved by the Strategic Leadership Council (4/15/1998)

High Assurance Certificates

Description: High Assurance Certificates are issued only to individuals. A High Assurance Certificate denotes that the individual to whom a certificate is issued has physically appeared before a local registration authority (LRA) and had their identity as a current University of Texas student or employee verified.

Assurance Level: The identification process requires an applicant to physically appear before an LRA and present to the LRA a current, University of Texas Identification Badge or Card that incorporates a picture of the individual to whom the badge was issued. The LRA identifies the applicant and confirms that the applicant is currently a student or employee. Once the identity and acceptability of the applicant is verified, the LRA issues the certificate.

U. T. System will purchase 50,000 certificates for the Phase I Implementation. Ten thousand certificates will be issued to U. T. Austin and 10,000 to U. T. Houston. Each of the other components and System Administration will receive a minimum of 1,000 certificates.  This totals 34,000 certificates. Assignment of the remaining 16,000 certificates will be  determined by the UTSPKI Component Representatives prior to actual implementation in January, 1999.

The University of Texas System Public Key Infrastructure is administered by

The University of Texas System Administration
Mario J. Gonzalez
Vice Chancellor
Telecommunications and Information Technology
The University of Texas System
201 W. Seventh St.
Austin, TX 78701-2981
(512)499-4207 (office)
(512)499-4715 (fax)
 
 

UTSPKI Home Page

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