Turning a PKI Around with Decentralized Automated Incentives

Explore a conference talk that presents IKP, a platform designed to improve the security of the TLS PKI by automating responses to unauthorized certificates and providing incentives for proper behavior. Learn about the ongoing issues with CA misbehavior and unauthorized certificates in the current PKI system. Discover how IKP leverages smart contracts and blockchain-based consensus to decentralize the process while offering automated incentives. Understand the platform's architecture, features, and benefits, including how domains can specify criteria for their certificates and CAs can set reactions like financial penalties for unauthorized issuance. Examine the theoretical model for payment flows and the implementation of IKP in Ethereum, demonstrating the economic soundness and technical viability of decentralizing and automating PKIs with financial incentives. Gain insights into the costs associated with IKP and the next steps for its development.