Mmastodon BusinessCrypto first seen 11 h ago, last 36 min ago, peak #7
X.509 certificate validity dates need a calendar, not a clock
Original: The validity period is the only part of a certificate written as text. Everything else DER encodes is... # python # fint
Engineers are discussing a quirk of X.509 digital certificates: while nearly every field is DER-encoded in binary, the validity period remains a plain-text timestamp. That means a strict DER reader must parse human-readable date strings and, because the format lacks time zones, needs calendar knowledge rather than a simple clock to interpret expiry correctly.
Why now: It is a surprising, niche technical detail about certificate encoding that resonates with developers working in security and fintech.
X.509 certificatesDER encodingPython
Evidence
- The validity period is the only part of a certificate written as text. Everything else DER encodes is... # python # fintech # crypto # architecture # software # coding # development # engineering # inclusive # community A strict DER reader needs a calendar, not a clock · hackaday@www.urbanmind.net · 2
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