RFC 3161 (rfc3161) - Page 1 of 26

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Network Working Group                                           C. Adams
Request for Comments: 3161                                       Entrust
Category: Standards Track                                        P. Cain
                                                                     BBN
                                                               D. Pinkas
                                                                Integris
                                                           R. Zuccherato
                                                                 Entrust
                                                             August 2001


                Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure
                       Time-Stamp Protocol (TSP)

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2001).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document describes the format of a request sent to a Time
   Stamping Authority (TSA) and of the response that is returned.  It
   also establishes several security-relevant requirements for TSA
   operation, with regards to processing requests to generate responses.

1.  Introduction

   A time-stamping service supports assertions of proof that a datum
   existed before a particular time.  A TSA may be operated as a Trusted
   Third Party (TTP) service, though other operational models may be
   appropriate, e.g., an organization might require a TSA for internal
   time-stamping purposes.

   Non-repudiation services [ISONR] require the ability to establish the
   existence of data before specified times.  This protocol may be used
   as a building block to support such services.  An example of how to
   prove that a digital signature was generated during the validity
   period of a public key certificate is given in an annex.





Adams, et al.               Standards Track
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