Re: [mif] declaring interface 'up', with WiFi DNS/HTTP interception (login) proxies [was RE: DNS selection with HE-MIF]

[Keith Moore <[e-mail]>]

On 02/07/2013 12:13 PM, Dan Wing wrote:
> The technique used by both Apple and Microsoft is, when joining a new
> network, to attempt to retrieve a certain URI.  Microsoft's procedure
> is described in
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766017%28v=ws.10%29.aspx,
> which queries www.msftncsi.com and needs to see 131.107.255.255 as
> the answer, and then does an HTTP GET.  If anything is abnormal, it
> assumes there is a proxy on the path.  Apple does something similar by
> attempting to retrieve https://www.apple.com/library/test/success.html.
> Unfortunately, this seems the best technique available to detect such
> DNS interception and HTTP interception proxies that force a login or
> force a click-through.
>
> For MIF -- not just HE-MIF, but all of MIF -- we should not declare an
> interface "up" until such a validation succeeds.  It is unfortunate
> this is not solved at layer 2, where it arguably belongs.

Would it be worthwhile for MIF to start making a list of things that 
really need solutions elsewhere?   Even if there are hacks or heuristics 
that are used in the absence of such solutions?

Keith