Re: [CFRG] Proposed CFRG process for handling errata

Michael StJohns <msj@nthpermutation.com> Sun, 27 December 2020 21:45 UTC

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To: "Salz, Rich" <rsalz@akamai.com>, Russ Housley <housley@vigilsec.com>
Cc: IRTF CFRG <cfrg@irtf.org>
References: <40067f90-ec2c-2a36-f6df-8afa97189cd1@isode.com> <47855176-ce02-07b2-3f78-6f373c6f118d@isode.com> <a822af77-d732-73d8-c2e9-475b1fcbb6c2@nthpermutation.com> <EF008FEE-F053-4595-ADEA-CD2E416B2DEB@vigilsec.com> <C3EB8DBD-40B4-4800-8452-80BDA100CF62@akamai.com>
From: Michael StJohns <msj@nthpermutation.com>
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Date: Sun, 27 Dec 2020 16:45:14 -0500
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Subject: Re: [CFRG] Proposed CFRG process for handling errata
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On 12/27/2020 4:36 PM, Salz, Rich wrote:
>
>   * As you say, the CFRG is not like many other RGs.  Crypto algorithm
>     specifications, while informational, ofter become normative
>     references in standards.  For this reason, I think robust handling
>     of errata is desirable.
>
> I agree.  Four other things come to mind:
>
>   * Much “crypto research” finds its home here (e.g., the pairing
>     stuff most recently), and I think would be less likely if this
>     were an IETF WG.
>   * I also wonder what a WG group with no milestones would be like
>
>   * There’s no place good IESG home for such a WG
>   * IESG “supervision” (or at least approval) seems like a really bad fit
>
All good points - but the fact remains that the CFRG is at times 
(mostly?) doing standards work and frankly, the process they're using 
for documents is much more suited for standards than research papers.

If we kept the CFRG completely to the math side, and let the IETF side 
deal with on the wire/at rest/implementation issues and we were brutal 
about ensuring that, I'd be less bothered about this creeping change to 
the model.


E.g. -> CFRG - crypto math and proofs; CWG -> on the wire and at rest 
formats, equivalent results, test vectors, protocol interfaces.

Later, Mike