The Dirty Laundry of the Web PKI

Explore the inner workings and vulnerabilities of the web's public key infrastructure (PKI) in this 22-minute conference talk from USENIX Enigma 2023. Delve into the foundational aspects of web security as Emily Stark from Google exposes the antiquated, overcomplicated, and fragile nature of the current web PKI system. Learn how trusted certificate authorities (CAs) issue certificates to authenticate websites and understand the challenges this poses for secure online communication. Discover the icky inner secrets of web PKI functionality and gain insights into potential properties for a more streamlined, next-generation server authentication model for the web. Gain a deeper understanding of the security infrastructure that underpins everyday online activities, from communication and collaboration to commerce and entertainment.