[pkix] Re: [Technical Errata Reported] RFC3280 (9097 )

RFC 3280 has been replaced by RFC 5280. Hence, this errata report on  
RFC 3280  is irrelevant.

    Request for Comments: 5280
    Obsoletes: 3280, 4325, 4630

However the same text is present in RFC 5280. See my comments below.

> The following errata report has been submitted for RFC3280,
> "Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure Certificate and Certificate Revocation List (CRL) Profile"
>
> --------------------------------------
> You may review the report below and at:
> https://errata.rfc-editor.org/eid9097/
>
> --------------------------------------
> Type: Technical
> Reported by: Peng Yuan<[email protected]>
>
> Section 4.1.2.2 says:
>
> Original Text
> -------------
> The serial number MUST be a positive integer assigned by the CA to
>     each certificate.  It MUST be unique for each certificate issued by a
>     given CA (i.e., the issuer name and serial number identify a unique
>     certificate).  CAs MUST force the serialNumber to be a non-negative
>     integer.
>
> Corrected Text
> --------------
> The serial number MUST be a positive integer assigned by the CA to
>     each certificate.  It MUST be unique for each certificate issued by
>     a given CA (i.e., the issuer name and serial number identify a
>     unique certificate).  CAs MUST force the serialNumber to be
>     positive integer.
>
> Notes
> -----
> r/non-negative/positive
> The text contains inconsistent requirements for the certificate
> serialNumber.
>
> The first sentence requires the serial number to be a positive integer, which excludes zero.
>
> However, the last sentence requires CAs to force the serialNumber to be a non-negative integer,
> which permits zero.

Zero is neither positive nor negative, it is neutral; hence the current 
text is not incorrect.
The proposed corrected text does not clarify whether zero is permitted 
or not.

Denis

> These two requirements are contradictory and may
> cause ambiguity for certificate issuers regarding whether a serial
> number of zero is permitted. The last sentence should use "positive
> integer" instead of "non-negative integer" to maintain consistency
> within this section.
>
> Instructions:
> -------------
> This erratum is currently posted as "Reported". Please
> use "Reply All" to discuss whether it should be verified or
> rejected. When a decision is reached, the verifying party
> will log in to change the status and edit the report, if necessary.
>
> --------------------------------------
> RFC3280 (draft-ietf-pkix-new-part1)
> --------------------------------------
> Title               : Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure Certificate and Certificate Revocation List (CRL) Profile
> Publication Date    : May 2002
> Author(s)           : R. Housley, W. Polk, W. Ford, D. Solo
> Category            : Proposed Standard
> Source              : pkix (sec)
> Stream              : IETF
> Verifying Party     : IESG
>
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