> The attacker could just proxy the plaintext by issuing HTTPS requests to the backend server instead of issuing HTTP requests. Yes, assuming the target has HT

> The attacker could just proxy the plaintext by issuing HTTPS requests to the backend server instead of issuing HTTP requests. Yes, assuming the target has HTTPS. The context I originally assumed was one where the target doesn’t yet have a certificate and is using ACME to obtain one. Separate from that, I agree that an attacker with the ability to demonstrate domain control can subvert issuance in a way that only CT, stapling, and other “post hoc” methods can detect.