Uploaded image for project: 'JDK'
  1. JDK
  2. JDK-4188503

The method used to add certificates in identitydb.obj is too complex

    XMLWordPrintable

Details

    Description

      The problem is one of design and is not a "bug" per se.
      The complaint is with the way certificates are added to the
      identitydb.obj using javakey. First off this solution requires
      javakey, is secondly too high-tech for some users, and is lastly a
      pain for those who could do it. The process is to much to demand
      of an end user of a signed applet.
      The request is that this process be automated, probably
      in the plug-in. The plug-in, as a locally running process, could
      prompt the user for permission to "install" the certificate into the
      identitydb.obj file much as the same way Netscape does. Or
      possibly allow applets to be verified using the netscape certificate
      database?
      It could be that an alternative and acceptable solution to
      this problem already exists, but I could not find it. I have heard
      that there are other inquiries/complaints out there. The only one
      I found in a quick search is in response, by "kurt?", to the following
      Duke Dollars Question:

                      DukeDollars Question
                      Newsgroup: security
                      Submitter: fsullivan
                      Question:
      FYI_-_Applets_in_Plug-in_getting_full_access_to_system_resources
                      Date: Wed Jun 17 15:22:43 PDT 1998

                      Question number: 146

      I have copied the pertinent portion here:

                       "It is difficult to take seriously your solution for
      providing
      an applet access to system resources. The javakey utility
      is not included with Java Plug-in. Therefore, there is no way
      for end users to complete the steps required to make the
      applet have access to their systems. Even if it were included,
      the process is unwieldy and beyond what can be asked of an
      end-user.
                       Is JavaSoft making any effort to make it as easy for end
      users to accept certificates with Java Plug-in as it is with
      Communicator or IE4? At our company, we would like to use
      Java Plug-in so that we will know on which VM our applets
      will be run. But it does not seem to offer a solution for letting
      our applets out of the sandbox."

              There was bug id 4143685 that documented a similar issue and the
              solution was to bundle the javakey with jre1.1.7 and the Java Plug-in
              1.1.2 would bundle jre1.1.7. But the customer believes that this
              does not solve the complexity for their end users.

      Attachments

        Activity

          People

            jlueheorcl Jan Luehe (Inactive)
            atongschsunw Albert Tong-schmidt (Inactive)
            Votes:
            0 Vote for this issue
            Watchers:
            0 Start watching this issue

            Dates

              Created:
              Updated:
              Resolved:
              Imported:
              Indexed: