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Network and Certificate System Security Requirements

Network and Certificate System Security Requirements

On 3 August 2012 the CA/Browser Forum adopted the original Network and Certificate System Security Requirements with an effective date of 1 January 2013. Since then, the Network and Certificate System Security Requirements (NCSSRs) have outlined best practices for the general protection of CA networks and supporting systems, including those touching on trusted roles, delegated third parties, system accounts, logging, monitoring, alerting, vulnerability detection and patch management within a CA’s infrastructure.

Current Version

Network and Certificate System Security Requirements v2.0.5 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot NS-008)

Previous Versions

Network and Certificate System Security Requirements v2.0.4 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot NS-007)

Network and Certificate System Security Requirements v2.0.3 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot NS-006)

Network and Certificate System Security Requirements v2.0.2 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot NS-004)

Network and Certificate System Security Requirements v2.0.1 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot NS-005)

Network and Certificate System Security Requirements v2.0 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot NS-003)

Network Security Controls v1.7 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot SC41)

Network Security Controls v1.6 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot SC39)

CABForum_Network_Security_Controls_v.1.5 (redlined)(adopted with Ballot SC28)

CABForum_Network_Security_Controls_v.1.4 (redlined)(adopted with Ballot SC29)

CABForum_Network_Security_Controls_v.1.3 (redlined)(adopted with Ballot SC21)

CABForum_Network_Security_Controls_v.1.2 (redlined) (adopted with Ballot SC3)

CABForum_Network_Security_Controls_v.1.1 corrected (adopted with Ballot 210)

CABForum_Network_Security_Controls_v.1.1 corrected-redlined

Network_Security_Controls_V1 (adopted with Ballot 83)

Latest releases
Server Certificate Requirements
SC095v3: Clean-up 2025 - Apr 2, 2026

Code Signing Requirements
v3.8 - Aug 5, 2024

What’s Changed CSC-25: Import EV Guidelines to CS Baseline Requirements by @dzacharo in https://github.com/cabforum/code-signing/pull/38 Full Changelog: https://github.com/cabforum/code-signing/compare/v3.7...v3.8

S/MIME Requirements
v1.0.13 - Ballot SMC015v2 - Mar 28, 2026

This ballot introduces requirements that a CA or RA must follow to rely upon a Mobile Drivers License (mDL) to provide evidence for the authentication of individual identity. It allows the use of mDL that conform to ISO/IEC 18013-5 and which may be verified by the CA or RA in conformance with ISO/IEC 18013-7. The CA or RA shall only accept mDL from an Issuing Authority that is legally authorized by the relevant government or jurisdiction to issue driving licenses. The draft also aligns the subsections of 3.2.4.2 (Validation of individual identity) to correspond more closely with those in 3.2.4.1 (Attribute collection of individual identity). It also includes minor editorial corrections. SMC015v2 was updated to remove an additional reference to the superceded ETSI EN 319 403. This ballot is proposed by Stephen Davidson (DigiCert) and endorsed by Ben Wilson (Mozilla) and Scott Rea (eMudhra).

Network and Certificate System Security Requirements
Version 2.0.5 (Ballot NS-008) - Jul 9, 2025

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The Certification Authority Browser Forum (CA/Browser Forum) is a voluntary gathering of Certificate Issuers and suppliers of Internet browser software and other applications that use certificates (Certificate Consumers).