Re: [secdir] Review of draft-ietf-tsvwg-ecn-experimentation-05

[Hilarie Orman <[e-mail]>]

Yes, I think it would be suitable to include such a statement.
People read these things, they wonder, does anyone try to prevent
Internet from turning into ice-9?

Hilarie

----- Original Message -----
From: "Black, David" <[e-mail]>
To: "Hilarie Orman" <[e-mail]>, "The IESG" <[e-mail]>, "secdir" <[e-mail]>
Cc: "draft-ietf-tsvwg-ecn-experimentation all" <[e-mail]>, "Black, David" <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 12:27:55 PM
Subject: RE: Review of draft-ietf-tsvwg-ecn-experimentation-05

Hilarie,

Thank you for the review. 

> I realize that people experiment with TCP modifications all the time,
> and the ECN experiments can provide valuable engineering information.
> Nonetheless, it seems that some higher standard of safety could be
> in order for today's Internet.  But that is outside the scope of this
> document.

Well, there is a higher standard of safety and it is outside the scope of this document.

Experiments that take advantage of the liberation (I like that word!) in this document are required to first be documented in an Experimental RFC.   That requirement should provide both the Transport Area and the IESG with the ability to ensure that such experiments do not pose unacceptable risks to the continued operation of the Internet - a statement to that effect could be added if you or the Security ADs think it would be helpful.

Thanks, --David


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hilarie Orman [mailto:[e-mail]]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 2:04 PM
> To: [e-mail]; [e-mail]
> Cc: [e-mail]
> Subject: Review of draft-ietf-tsvwg-ecn-experimentation-05
> 
>                      Security review of
>          Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) Experimentation
>                 draft-ietf-tsvwg-ecn-experimentation-05
> 
> Do not be alarmed.  I have reviewed this document as part of the
> security directorate's ongoing effort to review all IETF documents
> being processed by the IESG.  These comments were written primarily
> for the benefit of the security area directors.  Document editors and
> WG chairs should treat these comments just like any other last call
> comments.
> 
> This document liberalizes the ways in which experiments can be
> conducted on explicit congestion notification with TCP, RTP, and DCCP.
> 
> Other than the alarming statement:
> 
>    "... this memo places the
>    responsibility for not breaking Internet congestion control on the
>    experiments and the experimenters who propose them, as specified in
>    Section 4.4."
> 
> there are no security considerations that occur to me.
> 
> I realize that people experiment with TCP modifications all the time,
> and the ECN experiments can provide valuable engineering information.
> Nonetheless, it seems that some higher standard of safety could be
> in order for today's Internet.  But that is outside the scope of this
> document.
> 
> 
> Hilarie
> 
> 
> 
>