[secdir] secdir review of draft-josefsson-rc4-test-vectors-02
Tom Yu <tlyu@MIT.EDU> Wed, 23 February 2011 04:12 UTC
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To: secdir@ietf.org, iesg@ietf.org, draft-josefsson-rc4-test-vectors.all@tools.ietf.org
From: Tom Yu <tlyu@MIT.EDU>
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:13:17 -0500
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Subject: [secdir] secdir review of draft-josefsson-rc4-test-vectors-02
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The Security Considerations section states:
The RC4 algorithm does not meet the basic criteria required for an
encryption algorithm, as its output is distinguishable from random.
The use of RC4 continue to be recommended against; in particular, its
use in new specifications is discouraged. This note is intended only
to aid the interoperability of existing specifications that make use
of RC4.
I believe this statement is accurate, and have nothing substantial to
add to it.
Comments not directly relevant to security follow.
Section 5 ("Copying conditions") states:
This document is intended to be considered a Code Component, and is
thus effectively available under the Simplified BSD license.
I think it would be reasonable to say that Section 2 qualifies as a
Code Component; the case for the other sections being considered as
Code Components is tenuous, in my opinion.
Editorial: In Section 1, "crypto-analysis" should probably be
"cryptanalysis".