Re: [Pearg] [Secdispatch] Numeric IDs: Update to RFC3552

[Eric Rescorla <[e-mail]>]

On Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 6:25 PM Benjamin Kaduk <[e-mail]> wrote:

> On Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 05:01:17PM -0700, Eric Rescorla wrote:
> > On Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 4:40 PM Fernando Gont <[e-mail]>
> wrote:
> >
> > > On 19/4/19 01:09, Eric Rescorla wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 3:03 PM Fernando Gont <[e-mail]
> > > > <mailto:[e-mail]>> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >     On 18/4/19 15:45, Eric Rescorla wrote:
> > > >     >
> > > >     >
> > > >     > On Tue, Apr 16, 2019 at 2:07 AM Fernando Gont
> > > >     <[e-mail] <mailto:[e-mail]>
> > > >     > <mailto:[e-mail] <mailto:[e-mail]>>>
> > > wrote:
> > > >     >
> > > >     >     Folks,
> > > >     >
> > > >     >     At the last secdispatch meeting I presented our I-D
> > > >     >     draft-gont-predictable-numeric-ids.
> > > >     >
> > > >     >     >From the meeting discussion, it would seem to me that
> there
> > > >     is support
> > > >     >     for this work.
> > > >     >
> > > >     >     It would also seem to me that part of this work is to be
> > > >     pursued in an
> > > >     >     appropriate IRTF rg, while the update to RFC3552
> > > >     >     (draft-gont-numeric-ids-sec-considerations) should be
> pursued
> > > >     as an
> > > >     >     AD-sponsored document.
> > > >     >
> > > >     >
> > > >     > I'm somewhat skeptical on an update to 3552; the proposed set
> of
> > > >     things
> > > >     > to be improved seems unclear.
> > > >
> > > >     Can you please state what's unclear?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I understand the list of things in your document. However, there have
> > > > been proposals for a larger revision to 3552.
> > >
> > > There was an effort to revise RFC3552. It just didn't happen. Looks
> like
> > > trying to boil the ocean wasn't the best idea.
> > >
> >
> > Yes.
> >
> >
> >
> > >
> > > It's a total of 9 pages. If you remove abstract, boilerplate, and
> > > references, you end up with ~4 pages. In fact, the update (and
> > > indispensable text) is that in Section 5, and boils down to:
> > >
> > > ---- cut here ----
> > > 5.  Security and Privacy Requirements for Identifiers
> > >
> > >    Protocol specifications that specify transient numeric identifiers
> > >    MUST:
> > >
> > >    1.  Clearly specify the interoperability requirements for the
> > >        aforementioned identifiers.
> > >
> > >    2.  Provide a security and privacy analysis of the aforementioned
> > >        identifiers.
> > >
> > >    3.  Recommend an algorithm for generating the aforementioned
> > >        identifiers that mitigates security and privacy issues, such as
> > >        those discussed in [I-D.gont-predictable-numeric-ids].
> > > ---- cut here ----
> > >
> >
> > Eh, I think something like this would have been OK in 3552; I'm not
> > sure that it's necessary to add at this point to the list of things that
> > 3552 considers.
> >
> >
> >
> > > >     That said, this document is *updating* RFC3552, rather than a
> > > revision
> > > >     of RFC3552. Therefore, the content in this document wouldn't
> become
> > > part
> > > >     of RFC3552, necessarily.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Well, the semantics of "Updates" would be somewhat confusing here.
> > > > Certainly I don't think that this document is something we need to
> > > > transitively incorporate into 3552, but I care a lot less about the
> > > > contents of this header than I do about whether 3552 should be
> updated
> > > > to include this material.
> > >
> > > I do think RFC3552 should be updated as indicated (this stuff is
> general
> > > enough to be covered there).
> > >
> > > That said, the high-order bit here is to do something to prevent the
> bad
> > > history we have wrt numeric ids from repeating itself.
> > >
> > > If the whole point is that you'd like the "Updates: 3552 (if approved)"
> > > header to be removed (along with references to "updating RFC3552"),
> > > please say so.
> >
> >
> > No, that's not my point. As I said, I don't think we should publish a new
> > version
> > of 3552 with this material or similar material in it. I don't much care
> one
> > way
> > or the other whether this document is published, and while I don't think
> > marking
> > it as updating 3552 is that helpful, I'm not going to die on that hill
> > either.
>
> Do you care to state an opinion on "Updates: 3552" vs. an additional
> document in BCP 72 (vs. both or none)?
>

I don't really think either of them matters much one way or the other.

-Ekr


> Thanks,
>
> Ben
>
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