1. Introduction

1.1 Overview

Dyber, Inc. ("Dyber") operates a private Public Key Infrastructure for the purpose of hardware device attestation. Every Dyber cryptographic accelerator, secure element, TPM, and RNG module ships with an Endorsement Key (EK) certificate signed by the Dyber Device Intermediate CA. This CPS describes the practices and procedures governing the issuance, management, and revocation of certificates within the Dyber PKI.

This PKI is a private trust model. The Dyber Root CA is not included in any public browser or operating system trust store. Relying parties explicitly import the Dyber Root CA certificate into their trust configuration as part of integrating Dyber hardware.

1.2 Document Name and Identification

Title
Dyber Certificate Practice Statement
Version
1.0
Effective Date
2026-06-11
OID
1.3.6.1.4.1 (pending IANA PEN assignment)
Framework
RFC 3647

1.3 PKI Participants

1.3.1 Certification Authorities

  • Dyber Root CA. Self-signed ML-DSA-65 trust anchor. Offline. Signs only the Intermediate CA and Root-level CRLs.
  • Dyber Device Intermediate CA. Subordinate CA signed by the Root CA. Issues device EK certificates and signs the operational CRL. Operates on an HSM-backed signing service.

1.3.2 Registration Authority

The Registration Authority function is performed by the Dyber manufacturing provisioning system. There is no external RA. Device identity is established through the manufacturing process, not through applicant interaction.

1.3.3 Subscribers

Subscribers are Dyber hardware devices. A device does not "apply" for a certificate. The certificate is provisioned automatically during manufacturing after the device generates its key pair and exports its public key.

1.3.4 Relying Parties

Relying parties are customers, integrators, and systems that verify Dyber device certificates. They include enterprise IT departments deploying Dyber accelerators, cloud providers integrating Dyber HSMs, and IoT platforms verifying Dyber secure elements.

1.4 Certificate Usage

1.4.1 Appropriate Certificate Uses

  • Device identity attestation (proving a device is genuine Dyber hardware)
  • Firmware integrity verification at provisioning time
  • Mutual authentication between Dyber devices and management platforms
  • Secure key agreement during device enrollment into customer infrastructure

1.4.2 Prohibited Certificate Uses

  • TLS server authentication for websites
  • Email signing (S/MIME)
  • Code signing (separate PKI via SSL.com EV certificate)
  • Any use requiring public trust

1.5 Policy Administration

Organization
Dyber, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland, United States
Contact
legal@dyber.org
PKI Page
https://dyber.org/pki/

2. Publication and Repository Responsibilities

2.1 Repositories

Dyber publishes the following PKI artifacts at https://dyber.org/pki/:

  • Root CA certificate (PEM and DER formats)
  • Intermediate CA certificate (PEM and DER formats)
  • Certificate bundle (PEM and ZIP)
  • Current CRL (PEM format)
  • Machine-readable metadata (JSON)
  • This CPS document
  • Certificate Policy
  • Key Ceremony documentation

2.2 Publication of Certificate Information

CA certificates and CRLs are published immediately upon generation. The PKI metadata endpoint at /pki/metadata.json is updated simultaneously and includes serial numbers, fingerprints, validity periods, and download URLs for programmatic consumption.

2.3 Time or Frequency of Publication

  • CA certificates: Published upon issuance. Updated only if re-keyed or re-signed.
  • CRL: Published every 7 days, or within 24 hours of an emergency revocation.
  • OCSP: Real-time. The OCSP responder at https://ocsp.dyber.org provides current revocation status.
  • CPS: Updated as needed. Material changes are announced on the Dyber news page.

2.4 Access Controls on Repositories

All published PKI artifacts are publicly readable without authentication. Write access is restricted to authorized Dyber PKI administrators via Cloudflare Workers deployment credentials with multi-factor authentication.

3. Identification and Authentication

3.1 Naming

3.1.1 Types of Names

Device EK certificates use X.500 Distinguished Names with the following structure:

Country (C)
US
State (ST)
Maryland
Organization (O)
Dyber, Inc.
Org Unit (OU)
Device model identifier (e.g., QUAC-100, QCORE-C1, QuantaRNG)
Common Name (CN)
Device serial number

The Subject Alternative Name (SAN) extension may include a firmware version hash URI.

3.1.2 Uniqueness of Names

Each device serial number is unique within the Dyber manufacturing system. The CN field (serial number) combined with the OU field (model) guarantees globally unique subject names. The manufacturing database enforces uniqueness and rejects duplicate serial numbers.

3.2 Initial Identity Validation

Device identity is validated through the manufacturing process itself. A certificate is issued only when:

  1. A physical device is present on the provisioning station and has passed functional testing.
  2. The device has generated a key pair internally and exported its public key.
  3. The provisioning station has verified the device's serial number against the manufacturing order system.
  4. The device responds correctly to a challenge-response protocol confirming possession of the private key.

There is no human applicant. The entire process is automated within the manufacturing facility.

3.3 Identification and Authentication for Re-key

Device certificates are not re-keyed. If a device key is compromised, the certificate is revoked and the device is decommissioned. A replacement device receives a new certificate through the standard manufacturing provisioning process.

3.4 Identification and Authentication for Revocation

Revocation requests are accepted from:

  • Authorized Dyber personnel via authenticated access to the CA management system.
  • Device owners via authenticated request to legal@dyber.org, verified against the device purchase record.

4. Certificate Life-Cycle Operational Requirements

4.1 Certificate Application

There is no application process. Certificates are issued automatically during device manufacturing. The provisioning system acts as both the applicant and the registration authority.

4.2 Certificate Application Processing

The provisioning station performs the following before submitting a signing request to the Intermediate CA:

  1. Validates the device model and serial number against the manufacturing order database.
  2. Verifies the device public key format and algorithm (ML-DSA-44 or ML-DSA-65).
  3. Confirms the device passes a proof-of-possession challenge (signs a nonce with its private key, station verifies with the public key).
  4. Records the firmware version hash from the device's secure boot attestation.
  5. Constructs a CSR with the validated information and submits it to the signing service.

4.3 Certificate Issuance

The Intermediate CA signing service validates the CSR format and extensions, signs the certificate, and returns it to the provisioning station. The signed certificate is then:

  • Written to the device's internal certificate store along with the full chain.
  • Logged in the CA database with the serial number, subject, and issuance timestamp.
  • Verified by the provisioning station through a second challenge-response to confirm the device can produce valid signatures that chain to the Root CA.

4.4 Certificate Acceptance

A certificate is considered accepted when the post-provisioning verification (challenge-response against the full chain) succeeds. If verification fails, the certificate is immediately revoked and the device is flagged for investigation.

4.5 Key Pair and Certificate Usage

Device EK private keys are generated on-device and never exported. The device uses the EK for:

  • Identity attestation during device enrollment
  • Signing attestation evidence (PCR quotes, firmware measurements)
  • Key agreement during secure channel establishment

4.6 Certificate Renewal

Device certificates are not renewed. Devices are provisioned once. If a certificate approaches expiry (10-year validity), the device owner contacts Dyber for a replacement device or re-provisioning service.

4.7 Certificate Re-key

Not supported. See Section 3.3.

4.8 Certificate Modification

Not supported. A new certificate requires a new key pair and a new provisioning event.

4.9 Certificate Revocation and Suspension

4.9.1 Circumstances for Revocation

  • Device reported compromised, stolen, or lost
  • Manufacturing defect affecting cryptographic integrity of a batch
  • Firmware vulnerability requiring key rotation
  • Device owner request
  • Intermediate CA key compromise (triggers mass revocation and re-key)

4.9.2 Who Can Request Revocation

  • Dyber PKI administrators
  • Dyber security incident response team
  • Verified device owners

4.9.3 Procedure for Revocation Request

Submit a revocation request to legal@dyber.org with the device serial number, certificate serial number (if known), and reason for revocation. Emergency revocations are processed within 24 hours. Routine revocations are processed within 7 days and reflected in the next CRL.

4.9.4 Revocation Request Grace Period

None. Revocation requests are acted upon as soon as they are validated.

4.9.5 Certificate Suspension

Certificate suspension is not supported. Certificates are either valid or revoked.

4.9.6 CRL Issuance Frequency

Every 7 days under normal operations. Within 24 hours for emergency revocations.

4.9.7 CRL Checking Requirements

Relying parties should check the CRL or query the OCSP responder before accepting a device certificate. The CRL distribution point and OCSP responder URL are embedded in every device certificate via the Authority Information Access and CRL Distribution Points extensions.

4.10 Certificate Status Services

The OCSP responder at https://ocsp.dyber.org provides real-time certificate status per RFC 6960. It supports both HTTP GET and POST methods. Responses are signed by the Intermediate CA using ML-DSA-65.

4.11 End of Subscription

A device's subscription ends when its certificate is revoked or expires. No additional action is required from the device owner.

4.12 Key Escrow and Recovery

Device EK private keys are never escrowed. They are generated on-device and cannot be exported. There is no key recovery mechanism. If a device key is lost, the device must be replaced.

5. Facility, Management, and Operational Controls

5.1 Physical Controls

5.1.1 Site Location and Construction

The Root CA HSM is stored in a physically secured, access-controlled location operated by Dyber. The location has environmental controls (temperature, humidity, fire suppression) and is protected by multi-layer physical access controls.

5.1.2 Physical Access

Access to the Root CA HSM requires the physical presence of a quorum of key custodians (minimum 2 of 3). Access events are logged with timestamps and participant identity. The HSM is stored in a tamper-evident container when not in use.

5.1.3 Power and Air Conditioning

The Root CA HSM storage location has uninterruptible power supply (UPS) protection. The Intermediate CA signing service runs on Cloudflare's infrastructure with redundant power and cooling.

5.2 Procedural Controls

5.2.1 Trusted Roles

PKI Administrator
Manages the CA systems, publishes CRLs, and deploys OCSP updates. Requires MFA authentication.
Key Custodian
Holds a share of the Root CA activation credential. Minimum 3 custodians, quorum of 2 required for any Root CA operation.
Ceremony Witness
Observes and documents key ceremonies. Must be independent from the key custodians.
Provisioning Operator
Operates the manufacturing provisioning station. Authenticated by badge and MFA.

5.2.2 Number of Persons Required per Task

  • Root CA operations: 2 key custodians + 1 witness (minimum)
  • CRL signing: 1 PKI administrator
  • Device provisioning: 1 provisioning operator (automated system, human oversight)
  • Revocation: 1 PKI administrator (routine) or 2 for emergency mass revocation

5.3 Personnel Controls

All personnel in trusted roles undergo background checks and sign confidentiality agreements. Training on PKI operations, key management, and incident response is required before assuming any trusted role. Annual refresher training is mandatory.

5.4 Audit Logging Procedures

5.4.1 Types of Events Recorded

  • All certificate issuance and revocation events
  • CRL generation and publication
  • Root CA HSM access (online/offline transitions)
  • Key ceremony events
  • Administrative access to CA systems
  • OCSP responder configuration changes
  • Failed authentication attempts

5.4.2 Frequency of Processing Log

Audit logs are reviewed weekly by a PKI administrator who was not the subject of the logged events. Anomalies are escalated immediately.

5.4.3 Retention Period for Audit Log

Audit logs are retained for a minimum of 7 years after the expiration of the last certificate issued under the logged CA key.

5.5 Records Archival

All CA records, including issuance logs, revocation records, key ceremony documentation, and audit logs, are archived in encrypted storage with geographic redundancy. Archives are retained for the lifetime of the Root CA plus 7 years.

5.6 Key Changeover

If the Root CA key approaches end of life, a new Root CA is generated in a formal key ceremony (see Key Ceremony Documentation). The old Root CA continues to validate existing certificates until all devices provisioned under it are decommissioned or re-provisioned. Both Root CAs are published simultaneously during the transition period.

5.7 Compromise and Disaster Recovery

5.7.1 Intermediate CA Key Compromise

  1. Immediately revoke the Intermediate CA certificate by publishing an updated Root-level CRL.
  2. Generate a new Intermediate CA key pair in a key ceremony.
  3. Issue new device certificates for all affected devices (requires device re-provisioning or remote re-enrollment where supported).
  4. Publish incident report on the Dyber news page.

5.7.2 Root CA Key Compromise

  1. Publish a public notice of the compromise on the Dyber website and via direct notification to all known relying parties.
  2. Generate a new Root CA in a key ceremony with enhanced security controls.
  3. Re-sign the Intermediate CA under the new Root CA.
  4. All relying parties must update their trust anchor to the new Root CA.

5.7.3 Disaster Recovery

Root CA key material is backed up in encrypted, geographically separated HSMs. Recovery requires a quorum of key custodians and follows the same security procedures as a key ceremony.

6. Technical Security Controls

6.1 Key Pair Generation and Installation

6.1.1 Key Pair Generation

  • Root CA: Generated in a formal key ceremony on an air-gapped HSM. The generation process is witnessed and documented. See Key Ceremony Documentation.
  • Intermediate CA: Generated in a key ceremony on an HSM connected to the signing service.
  • Device EK: Generated on-device in the hardware secure element or tamper-resistant storage. The device's true random number generator (TRNG) provides entropy.

6.1.2 Private Key Delivery to Subscriber

Not applicable. Device private keys are generated on-device and never leave the device.

6.1.3 Public Key Delivery to Certificate Issuer

The device exports its public key to the provisioning station over a physically secured interface (USB, JTAG, or SPI, depending on the device model). The public key is transmitted in ML-DSA raw format and wrapped in a PKCS#10 CSR by the provisioning station.

6.2 Private Key Protection and Cryptographic Module Controls

6.2.1 Cryptographic Module Standards

Root CA HSM
FIPS 140-3 Level 3 (or equivalent) hardware security module
Intermediate CA
FIPS 140-3 Level 3 HSM for key storage; signing service authenticated via mTLS
Device Keys
Generated and stored in on-device secure element with tamper detection

6.2.2 Private Key Multi-Person Control

The Root CA private key requires a quorum of 2-of-3 key custodians to activate. No single person can access the Root CA private key.

6.2.3 Private Key Escrow

The Root CA private key is backed up to a secondary HSM stored at a geographically separate location, accessible only with the same quorum requirements. Device private keys are never escrowed.

6.2.4 Private Key Backup

Root CA: encrypted backup in secondary HSM. Intermediate CA: encrypted backup in secondary HSM. Device keys: no backup (generated and retained on-device only).

6.2.5 Private Key Archival

Private keys are not archived after destruction. When a CA key reaches end of life, it is securely destroyed per Section 6.2.9.

6.2.6 Private Key Transfer Into or From a Cryptographic Module

CA private keys are generated within the HSM and never exported in plaintext. Key transfer between HSMs (for backup) uses the HSM vendor's secure key wrapping protocol.

6.2.7 Private Key Storage on Cryptographic Module

All CA private keys are stored within FIPS 140-3 Level 3 HSMs. Keys are protected by the HSM's internal access control mechanisms and are never stored in software or on disk.

6.2.8 Method of Activating Private Key

Root CA: quorum authentication (2-of-3 custodian tokens/PINs). Intermediate CA: automated activation via HSM partition credentials, with MFA for administrative access. Device keys: activated by the device's firmware after secure boot.

6.2.9 Method of Deactivating Private Key

Root CA: HSM powered off and returned to tamper-evident storage after each use. Intermediate CA: HSM session closed when signing service is stopped. Keys are zeroized on the HSM if the key is being decommissioned.

6.3 Other Aspects of Key Pair Management

6.3.1 Public Key Archival

CA public keys are archived indefinitely as part of the published certificates. Device public keys are recorded in the CA database.

6.3.2 Certificate Operational Periods and Key Pair Usage Periods

Root CA
20-year certificate validity. Key usage: keyCertSign, cRLSign only.
Intermediate CA
10-year certificate validity. Key usage: keyCertSign, cRLSign only.
Device EK
10-year certificate validity. Key usage: digitalSignature, keyAgreement.

6.4 Activation Data

HSM activation data (PINs, tokens) are distributed to key custodians in sealed, tamper-evident envelopes. Custodians store their activation data separately from the HSM. Activation data is changed after each key ceremony or if a custodian's role changes.

6.5 Computer Security Controls

The Intermediate CA signing service runs on Cloudflare Workers with the following controls:

  • Worker secrets encrypted at rest (Cloudflare infrastructure)
  • No persistent storage; state is derived from the HSM seed at runtime
  • Deployment requires authenticated access with MFA
  • All code changes are reviewed before deployment

6.6 Life Cycle Technical Controls

Software updates to the CA signing service and OCSP responder are deployed via Cloudflare's CI/CD pipeline. All changes are version-controlled, code-reviewed, and deployed with zero-downtime rollout. Rollback is available within seconds.

6.7 Network Security Controls

The Root CA is air-gapped. It has no network connectivity. The Intermediate CA signing service communicates with the provisioning station over mutually authenticated TLS. The OCSP responder is served via Cloudflare's edge network with DDoS protection and TLS termination.

6.8 Time-stamping

Certificate issuance and revocation events are timestamped using the signing system's clock, synchronized via NTP. OCSP responses include thisUpdate and nextUpdate fields with UTC timestamps.

7. Certificate, CRL, and OCSP Profiles

7.1 Certificate Profile

7.1.1 Root CA Certificate

Version
X.509 v3
Algorithm
ML-DSA-65 (FIPS 204)
Subject
C=US, ST=Maryland, L=Annapolis, O=Dyber, Inc., CN=Dyber Root CA
Validity
20 years
Basic Constraints
critical, CA:TRUE
Key Usage
critical, keyCertSign, cRLSign
Subject Key ID
SHA-1 hash of public key

7.1.2 Intermediate CA Certificate

Version
X.509 v3
Algorithm
ML-DSA-65 (FIPS 204)
Subject
C=US, ST=Maryland, L=Annapolis, O=Dyber, Inc., OU=Device Attestation, CN=Dyber Device Intermediate CA
Validity
10 years
Basic Constraints
critical, CA:TRUE, pathlen:0
Key Usage
critical, keyCertSign, cRLSign
Authority Key ID
Root CA Subject Key Identifier
CRL Dist. Point
https://dyber.org/pki/crl.pem
OCSP
https://ocsp.dyber.org

7.1.3 Device EK Certificate

Version
X.509 v3
Algorithm
ML-DSA-44 or ML-DSA-65 (FIPS 204)
Subject
C=US, ST=Maryland, O=Dyber, Inc., OU=[model], CN=[serial]
Validity
10 years
Basic Constraints
critical, CA:FALSE
Key Usage
critical, digitalSignature
Extended Key Usage
id-kp-clientAuth
Authority Key ID
Intermediate CA Subject Key Identifier
CRL Dist. Point
https://dyber.org/pki/crl.pem
OCSP
https://ocsp.dyber.org

7.2 CRL Profile

Version
CRL v2
Algorithm
ML-DSA-65
Issuer
Dyber Device Intermediate CA
Update Cycle
7 days (nextUpdate = thisUpdate + 7 days)
Extensions
Authority Key Identifier, CRL Number

7.3 OCSP Profile

Protocol
RFC 6960
Methods
HTTP GET (base64url path) and POST (DER body)
Responder ID
byKeyHash (Intermediate CA Subject Key Identifier)
Signature
ML-DSA-65
Response Validity
7 days (nextUpdate = thisUpdate + 7 days)
Statuses
good, revoked, unknown

8. Compliance Audit and Other Assessment

8.1 Frequency of Audit

Internal compliance audits are conducted annually. The audit covers all aspects of this CPS, including key management, certificate lifecycle, physical controls, and personnel procedures. External audits are conducted as required by customer contracts or regulatory obligations.

8.2 Identity and Qualifications of Assessor

Internal audits are performed by Dyber personnel who do not hold trusted roles in the PKI (separation of duties). External audits are performed by qualified auditors with experience in PKI operations and FIPS 140 validation.

8.3 Actions Taken as a Result of Deficiency

Audit findings are classified by severity. Critical findings (those affecting key security or certificate integrity) require immediate remediation. All findings are tracked to resolution and verified in the subsequent audit.

8.4 Communication of Results

Internal audit results are reported to Dyber executive management. External audit reports are made available to relying parties and customers upon request under NDA where appropriate.

9. Other Business and Legal Matters

9.1 Fees

There are no fees for accessing CA certificates, CRLs, OCSP responses, or this CPS. Device EK certificates are included with Dyber hardware products at no additional cost.

9.2 Financial Responsibility

Dyber maintains appropriate insurance for its business operations. Specific financial responsibility related to PKI operations is governed by individual customer agreements.

9.3 Confidentiality of Business Information

The following information is confidential:

  • HSM activation data and custodian identities
  • Detailed physical security configurations
  • Internal audit reports (shared under NDA on request)
  • Manufacturing provisioning system architecture details

The following information is public:

  • CA certificates, CRLs, and OCSP responses
  • This CPS and the Certificate Policy
  • Key Ceremony documentation (procedures, not activation data)
  • PKI metadata

9.4 Privacy of Personal Information

The Dyber PKI does not process personal information. Certificates are issued to hardware devices, not individuals. Audit logs may contain employee names in trusted roles; these are handled per the Dyber Privacy Policy.

9.5 Intellectual Property Rights

Dyber retains all intellectual property rights in the PKI infrastructure, software, and documentation. Relying parties are granted a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the published CA certificates and CRLs for the purpose of verifying Dyber device certificates.

9.6 Representations and Warranties

9.6.1 CA Representations

Dyber warrants that:

  • Certificates are issued in accordance with this CPS.
  • CRLs and OCSP responses accurately reflect the revocation status of certificates at the time of signing.
  • CA private keys are protected as described in this CPS.

9.6.2 Relying Party Obligations

Relying parties must:

  • Verify the full certificate chain before trusting a device certificate.
  • Check revocation status via CRL or OCSP before accepting a device certificate.
  • Use the certificates only for appropriate purposes as defined in Section 1.4.

9.7 Disclaimers of Warranties

Except as expressly stated in this CPS and applicable customer agreements, Dyber provides the PKI on an "as is" basis. Dyber does not warrant uninterrupted availability of the CRL or OCSP services, though it makes commercially reasonable efforts to maintain high availability.

9.8 Limitations of Liability

Dyber's liability related to the PKI is limited to the terms of the applicable customer agreement. In no event shall Dyber be liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from reliance on certificates issued under this CPS.

9.9 Governing Law

This CPS is governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles.

9.10 Dispute Resolution

Disputes related to this CPS or the PKI are resolved per the dispute resolution provisions of the applicable customer agreement. In the absence of such provisions, disputes are submitted to binding arbitration in Annapolis, Maryland.

Version 1.0. Effective date: 2026-06-11. Dyber, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland.