X509SerialNumber schema

I have several questions about the representation of this element.

1

The DSIG schema says it's type is integer. In XML Schema, an integer
is a base 10 number, using the characters 0-9.  Is this right?

2

Assuming that (1) is right - If I have an X509SerialNumber from a
certificate that is a long string of bits (Tom Ginden mentioned back on
July that some certificates use a hash value of 160 bits) doesn't the
binary to decimal conversion become computationally painful.

It would seem like this might be often required in verification to
match the XML to the ASN.1 in the certificate.

3

Assuming that (1) is right - I recently received a document claiming to be
signed using DSIG, which included the following XML fragment:

	<X509SerialNumber>39F497CA</X509SerialNumber>

Is this valid XML DSIG?  Was it valid at one time in the past?

4

Assuming all of the above, why was integer chosen?  It would seem like
binary, hex or base64 encoded, would be computationally easier when
handling X509SerialNumber's with many bits.

-- 
Ken Goldman   kgold@watson.ibm.com   914-784-7646

Received on Friday, 9 March 2001 15:31:03 UTC