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Q257587: Description of Server Authentication Process During SSLHandshake

Article: Q257587
Product(s): Internet Information Server
Version(s): 4.0,5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 18-OCT-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Internet Information Server versions 4.0, 5.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article describes the server authentication process during the Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL) handshake.

MORE INFORMATION
================

During the SSL handshake, the server sends the client a certificate to
authenticate itself. The client uses the certificate to authenticate the
identity the certificate claims to represent.

An SSL-enabled client goes through these steps to authenticate a server's
identity:

1. Is today's date within the validity period?

The client checks the server certificate's validity period. If the current date
and time are outside of that range, the authentication process does not go any
further. If the current date and time are within the certificate's validity
period, the client goes on to step 2.

2. Is the issuing Certificate Authority (CA) a trusted CA?

Each SSL-enabled client maintains a list of trusted CA certificates. This list
determines which server certificates the client will accept. If the
distinguished name (DN) of the issuing CA matches the DN of a CA on the client's
list of trusted CAs, the answer to this question is yes, and the client goes on
to step 3. If the issuing CA is not on the list, the server is not authenticated
unless the client can verify a certificate chain ending in a CA that is on the
list.

3. Does the issuing CA's public key validate the issuer's digital signature?

The client uses the public key from the CA's certificate (which it found in its
list of trusted CAs in step 2) to validate the CA's digital signature on the
server certificate that is being presented. If the information in the server
certificate has changed since it was signed by the CA, or if the CA
certificate's public key doesn't correspond to the private key that was used by
the CA to sign the server certificate, the client does not authenticate the
server's identity. If the CA's digital signature can be validated, the client
treats the server's certificate as a valid "letter of introduction" from that CA
and proceeds. At this point, the client has determined that the server
certificate is valid. It is the client's responsibility to take step 4 before it
takes step 5.

4. Does the domain name in the server's certificate match the domain name of the
  server itself?

This step confirms that the server is actually located at the same network
address that is specified by the domain name in the server certificate. Although
step 4 is not technically part of the SSL protocol, it provides the only
protection against a form of security attack known as a "Man-in-the-Middle
Attack." Clients must perform this step and must refuse to authenticate the
server or establish a connection if the domain names do not match. If the
server's actual domain name matches the domain name in the server certificate,
the client goes on to step 5.

5. The server is authenticated.

The client proceeds with the SSL handshake. If the client does not get to step 5
for any reason, the server that is identified by the certificate cannot be
authenticated, and the user is warned of the problem and informed that an
encrypted and authenticated connection cannot be established.

REFERENCES
==========

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q257591 Description of the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Handshake

Additional query words:

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbiisSearch kbiis500 kbiis400
Version           : :4.0,5.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

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