RFC 4108 on Using Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) to Protect Firmware Packages

A new Request for Comments is now available in online RFC libraries.

        RFC 4108

        Title:      Using Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS)
                    to Protect Firmware Packages
        Author(s):  R. Housley
        Status:     Standards Track
        Date:       August 2005
        Mailbox:    housley@vigilsec.com
        Pages:      61
        Characters: 142060
        Updates/Obsoletes/SeeAlso:    None

        I-D Tag:    draft-housley-cms-fw-wrap-11.txt

        URL:        ftp://ftp.rfc-editor.org/in-notes/rfc4108.txt

This document describes the use of the Cryptographic Message Syntax
(CMS) to protect firmware packages, which provide object code for one
or more hardware module components.  CMS is specified in RFC 3852.  A
digital signature is used to protect the firmware package from
undetected modification and to provide data origin authentication.
Encryption is optionally used to protect the firmware package from
disclosure, and compression is optionally used to reduce the size of
the protected firmware package.  A firmware package loading receipt
can optionally be generated to acknowledge the successful loading of a
firmware package.  Similarly, a firmware package load error report can
optionally be generated to convey the failure to load a firmware
package.

This is now a Proposed Standard Protocol.

This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state and
status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

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Joyce K. Reynolds and Sandy Ginoza
USC/Information Sciences Institute

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