Re: [HACKERS] Possible SSL improvements for a newcomer to tackle

On Tue, Oct 03, 2017 at 12:33:00AM -0400, Tom Lane wrote:
> So to default to verification would be to default to failing to
> connect at all until user has created a ~/.postgresql/root.crt file with
> valid, relevant entries.  That seems like a nonstarter.
>
> It's possible that we could adopt some policy like "if the root.crt file
> exists then default to verify" ... but that seems messy and unreliable,
> so I'm not sure it would really add any security.

Still, it would be safer to refuse to connect until the lack of trust
anchors is rectified than to connect without warning about the inability
to verify a server.  By forcing the user (admins) to take action to
remediate the problem, the problem then gets fixed, whereas plowing on
creates an invisible (for many users) security problem.