Re: [Cfrg] RFC Draft for Secure Crypto Config (Submission support and feedback request)

[Ellie Daw <[e-mail]>]

I think this is a really interesting idea! We’ve had a project, Crypto Done Right, in the works for a while now. The goal is along the same lines as this proposal: helping users to use cryptography correctly. However, our project provides samples and guidance, whereas this proposal could alleviate the need for users to look for guidance on how to make parameter choices, etc. altogether.

I’m curious to hear others’ thoughts; to me, having something like what’s in this proposal (standardized secure configurations and metadata which could be parsed along with ciphertexts) seems like it could effectively address some of the challenges for users.

Ellie
On Oct 18, 2020, 5:44 AM -0400, Kai Mindermann <[e-mail]>, wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have now submitted the proposal as individual draft here: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-kaimindermann-securecryptoconfig/
>
> A lot of things are still open, but I think it’s still good to show the current state and concepts to the experts already.
>
> Would be interesting to see what you think about the general concept of having something like this standardized in the future.
>
> Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards
> Kai Mindermann
>
> --
> Kai Mindermann
> Senior Consultant
> M [phone]
>
> [e-mail]
> www.ic-consult.com
>
> iC Consult Gesellschaft für Systemintegration und Kommunikation mbH
> Standort: Zettachring 8a | 70567 Stuttgart | Germany
> Verwaltung: Huyssenallee 99-103 | 45128 Essen | Germany
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>
> Von: Cfrg <[e-mail]> Im Auftrag von Kai Mindermann
> Gesendet: Dienstag, 1. September 2020 12:36
> An: [e-mail]
> Betreff: [Cfrg] RFC Draft for Secure Crypto Config (Submission support and feedback request)
>
> Hi,
>
> me and a master’s student (Lisa Teis) are working on a proposed standard to solve some problems around cryptography usage.
>
>
> I’ll cite the Secure Crypto Config draft abstract for you:
>
> Choosing secure cryptography algorithms and their corresponding parameters is difficult. Also, current cryptography APIs cannot change their default configuration which renders them inherently insecure. The Secure Crypto Config provides a method that allows cryptography libraries to change the default cryptography algorithms over time and at the same time stay compatible with previous cryptography operations. This is achieved by combining three things standardized by the Secure Crypto Config: (1) A process that is repeated every two years, where a new set of default configurations for standardized cryptography primitives is published in a specific format. (2) A Secure Crypto Config Interface that describes a common API to use cryptography primitives in software (3) using COSE to derive the parameters from output of cryptography primitives, otherwise future changes of the default configuration would change existing applications behavior.
>
> Our current draft can be found here: https://securecryptoconfig.github.io/secureCryptoConfig/draft-kaimindermann-securecryptoconfig.html and accordingly the repository (including the issue tracker to track feedback) can be found also on GitHub: https://github.com/secureCryptoConfig/secureCryptoConfig
>
> We’d like to submit a version “-01” to the IETF datatracker to work with you on this standard, yet I’m unsure which process to follow (is it a independent submission or not, etc). I tried to use the automatic submission with Travis based on the template project (https://github.com/martinthomson/i-d-template) yet it did not work.
>
> Please give us your feedback and how you would suggest to move forward to get this into the right standardization process. It’s still early work and a lot of things are not decided or open, but that’s why we want to involve more people to contribute.
>
> Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards
> Kai Mindermann
>
> --
> Kai Mindermann
> Senior Consultant
> M [phone]
>
> [e-mail]
> www.ic-consult.com
>
> iC Consult Gesellschaft für Systemintegration und Kommunikation mbH
> Standort: Zettachring 8a | 70567 Stuttgart | Germany
> Verwaltung: Huyssenallee 99-103 | 45128 Essen | Germany
> Geschäftsführer: Dr. Andreas Neumann
> HRB 116170 Amtsgericht München
>
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