[TLS] why TLS 1.2 uses length prefixed messages

"Andris Berzins" <pkix@inbox.lv> Tue, 13 November 2012 22:36 UTC

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Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:36:34 +0200
From: Andris Berzins <pkix@inbox.lv>
To: tls@ietf.org
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Subject: [TLS] why TLS 1.2 uses length prefixed messages
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I have noticed that TLS 1.2 introduces additional length field for messages.
For example CertificateVerify:

Structure of this message (TLS 1.1):
      struct {
           Signature signature;
      } CertificateVerify;

Structure of this message (TLS 1.2):
      struct {
           digitally-signed struct {
               opaque handshake_messages[handshake_messages_length];
           }
      } CertificateVerify;

Is there reason why TLS 1.2 uses additional length field?

[TLS] why TLS 1.2 uses length prefixed messages Andris Berzins