RFC 9925 - Unsigned X.509 Certificates

• Status: Proposed Standard
• Published: February 2026
• Stream: IETF
• Updates: RFC 5280
• Errata: RFC Editor Errata

Abstract

This document defines a placeholder X.509 signature algorithm for contexts where the certificate consumer is not expected to verify the signature. It updates RFC 5280 and defines how unsigned X.509 certificates represent standalone subject information while preserving compatibility with PKI data structures.

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Requirements Language
• 3. Constructing Unsigned Certificates
• 4. Consuming Unsigned Certificates
• 5. Security Considerations
• 6. IANA Considerations
• 7. References
• Appendix A. ASN.1 Module
• Acknowledgements
• Author's Address

Related Resources

• Official Text: RFC 9925
• Official Page: RFC 9925 DataTracker
• Errata: RFC Editor Errata