Ballot 147 – Attorney Accountant Letter Changes

Ballot overview

• Ballot 147, Attorney Accountant Letter Changes, was a Server Certificate Working Group ballot.
• The ballot passed with quorum met.
• Voting results were 15 YES, 0 NO, and 3 ABSTAIN from CAs, and 1 YES, 0 NO, and 0 ABSTAIN from browsers.

Purpose

• The ballot amended the EV Guidelines to permit verification of legal existence through an attorney/accountant opinion letter.
• The rationale stated that attorneys are skilled at verifying legal existence, but were not previously permitted to do so.
• The motion also required corroboration with a QIIS so that a single legal letter would not be the sole source of validation.

Main changes described in the motion

• Added the definition of Verified Professional Letter as a Verified Accountant Letter or Verified Legal Opinion.
• Updated Section 11.2 to allow reliance on a Verified Professional Letter for establishing applicant information, subject to two conditions:
  • the letter includes supporting documentation used to establish legal existence, and
  • the CA confirms the organization name with a QIIS or QGIS.
• Updated Section 11.3 to allow a Verified Professional Letter, Verified Legal Opinion, or Verified Accountant Letter for assumed name verification.
• Updated Section 11.4 to allow reliance on a Verified Professional Letter, Verified Legal Opinion, or Verified Accountant Letter for place of business verification.
• Updated Section 11.4.2 to allow reliance on a Verified Professional Letter, Verified Legal Opinion, or Verified Accountant Letter for verifying the applicant’s telephone number.
• Updated Section 11.6 to allow reliance on a Verified Professional Letter, Verified Legal Opinion, or Verified Accountant Letter for verifying operational existence through an active current demand deposit account with a regulated financial institution.
• Updated Section 11.8 to allow reliance on a Verified Professional Letter, Verified Legal Opinion, or Verified Accountant Letter for agency and authority verification of the contract signer and certificate approver.
• Updated Section 11.12 to allow reliance on a Verified Professional Letter, Verified Legal Opinion, or Verified Accountant Letter for verifying parent/subsidiary/affiliate relationships.

Dates stated in the ballot page

• The review period was to commence at 2200 UTC on Thursday, 11 June 2015 and close at 2200 UTC on Thursday, 18 June 2015.
• The voting period was to start immediately thereafter and close at 2200 UTC on Thursday, 25 June 2015.
• The ballot page states that voting on Ballot 147 has closed and the ballot passes.