Ballot SC-090: Gradually sunset all remaining email-based, phone-based, and ‘crossover’ validation methods from Sections 3.2.2.4 and 3.2.2.5

Ballot overview (SC-090)

• Proposes updates to the Baseline Requirements for the Issuance and Management of Publicly-Trusted TLS Server Certificates to gradually sunset remaining email-based, phone-based, and crossover validation methods from Sections 3.2.2.4 and 3.2.2.5.
• The ballot includes a schedule of effective dates for sunsetting specific validation methods.

Methods targeted for sunset

• Crossover-related method:
  • 3.2.2.4.8 IP Address
• Email and phone-based methods:
  • 3.2.2.4.16 Phone Contact with DNS TXT Record Phone Contact
  • 3.2.2.4.17 Phone Contact with DNS CAA Phone Contact
  • 3.2.2.5.2 Email, Fax, SMS, or Postal Mail to IP Address Contact
  • 3.2.2.5.5 Phone Contact with IP Address Contact
  • 3.2.2.4.4 Constructed Email to Domain Contact
  • 3.2.2.4.13 Email to DNS CAA Contact
  • 3.2.2.4.14 Email to DNS TXT Contact

Effective-date schedule stated in the ballot page

• Effective March 15, 2026:
  • Sunset method 3.2.2.4.8 IP Address
  • Discourage use of email and phone-based methods
• Effective March 15, 2027:
  • Sunset methods 3.2.2.4.16, 3.2.2.4.17, 3.2.2.5.2, and 3.2.2.5.5
• Effective March 15, 2028:
  • Sunset methods 3.2.2.4.4, 3.2.2.4.13, and 3.2.2.4.14

Voting outcome and adoption requirements

• Voting results show 27 voting YES and 0 voting NO (27 votes total) among Certificate Issuers, and 3 voting YES and 0 voting NO (3 votes total) among Certificate Consumers.
• Bylaws Requirements:
  • Bylaw 2.3(6) adoption thresholds were MET for both Certificate Issuer and Certificate Consumer categories.
  • Bylaw 2.3(7) quorum requirement was MET (quorum was 16 for this ballot).
• The ballot page indicates the ballot passed the Initial Vote and is marked current_status as passed.