Re: [jose] Issue #13 - use AES-GCM for Key Wrapping

[Mike Jones <[e-mail]>]

http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-jones-jose-aes-gcm-key-wrap-00 seems like a substantially simpler approach than http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-barnes-jose-key-wrapping-01.  This is evident by several metrics:

*         Number of proposed changes:  The Jones draft proposes no changes to any of the current specs.  It simply defines an encoding for GCM and adds registry entries for it.  Whereas the Barnes draft proposes a major restructuring - listing 4 major changes in the introduction and 4 smaller changes.

*         Normative text size:  The Jones GCM key wrap approach requires only 7 normative sentences in 1/2 page of text.  The Barnes draft has four pages of normative text, along with an extensive introduction describing the proposed complete restructuring of JWS and JWE.

We don't need to boil the ocean with a total redesign to enable AEAD key wrapping.  It can already easily be done with the current specs simply by defining new algorithms.  The approach taken in http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-jones-jose-aes-gcm-key-wrap-00 would work for any AEAD algorithm.

                                                                -- Mike

From: [e-mail]<mailto:[e-mail]> [mailto:[e-mail]] On Behalf Of Jim Schaad
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 9:53 AM
To: [e-mail]<mailto:[e-mail]>
Subject: [jose] Issue #13 - use AES-GCM for Key Wrapping

We now have two documents - one from Richard and one from Mike - which provide the two different ways that have been proposed for doing key wrapping with an AEAD algorithm.

Please review the two documents and provide comments to the list.

Jim