Protocol to generate Client Certificates at the start of a SSL session automatically? A more secure form of 'cookie' could be created for SSL communications through the following method.


The client generates and requests the server to sign a certificate.
Then the client authenticates to the https server using the client certificate.
Additional basic auth is used to tie the client certificate to the site credentials.


That would allow the 'client computer' to be able to prove it's identity (knowledge of private key) to the server (also assuming that the server certificate is authenticated using PKI).

I am not aware of this protocol being used, advantages? disadvantages? or is it just pointless because cookies give us enough security?
I suspect that you may wish to read the current Internet draft on TLS Origin-Bound Certificates and note the organisation of the authors at the bottom.