[TLS] Re: Response to CoI Complaints

+1 for Deb. The criticism is unfounded, unfair, and conspiracy-theoretical, it must stop. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Damien Miller <[email protected]> 
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 9:16 PM
To: Deb Cooley <[email protected]>
Cc: TLS List <[email protected]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [TLS] Re: Response to CoI Complaints

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On Wed, 15 Jul 2026, Deb Cooley wrote:

> For the record:  I have been a Security Area Director since March 
> 2024, that is 2 years and a couple of months.
>
>
> There have been previous inquiries into my ability to perform the 
> duties of Security Area Director  via the SSHM working group, and as 
> part of complaints against the TLS chairs/AD.  Those have been 
> responded to by the IESG, the artifacts are below:
>
>
> https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/msg/ssh/7KRZCX_bvZWUOG50HqDg_KVT77c/
>
> https://datatracker.ietf.org/group/iesg/appeals/ (see artifacts 
> 125/126, as well as 128/129)
>
>
> In addition to the artifacts above, I suggest that there might be 
> people for whom I have worked with that could give an opinion on my 
> work ethic and conduct for the last 2 plus years.

I haven't experienced anything other than helpfulness, even-handedness and professionalism from Deb in my interactions via the SSHM WG over the last few years. She's been an effective AD who has helped the WG though its inception to publication of its first RFCs. Ironically, and somewhat problematically for her critics given the nature of their criticism, the first of these was for a hybrid key exchange (RFC 9941) using a non-NIST set of algorithms.

It's very disappointing watching people make smears and insinuations without evidence, including "just asking questions" that are filled with innuendo. IMO this behaviour reflects more on the critic than the criticised, but it also saps time and energy for everyone else who has to wade though the muck.

-d

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