Evaluating Trust in Grid Certificates

Digital certificates are used to secure international computation and data storage grids used for e-Science projects, like the Worldwide Large Hadron Collider Computing Grid. The International Grid Trust Federation has defined the Grid Certificate Profile: a set of guidelines for digital certificates used for grid authentication. We have designed and implemented a program and related test suites for checking X.509 certificates against the certificate profiles and policies relevant for use on the Grid. The result is a practical tool that assists implementers and users of public key infrastructures to reach appropriate trust decisions.