Re: [TLS] TLS Proxy Server Extension

[Martin Rex <[e-mail]>]

David McGrew wrote:
> 
> On Jul 29, 2011, at 1:44 PM, Martin Rex wrote:
> >
> > Matt McCutchen wrote:
> >>
> >> On Wed, 2011-07-27 at 20:17 +0200, Martin Rex wrote:
> >>> Only for Web-Browser scenario can I personally see a very limited
> >>> value that does not amount to 100% wiretapping.
> >>>
> >>> Are you aware of rfc2804 "IETF Policy on Wiretapping"?
> >>>
> >>>  http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2804
> >>>
> >>> Standardizing MITM attacks on TLS-protected communication
> >>> ("lawful intercept?") seems like an extremely bad idea to me.
> >>
> >> This is not wiretapping as defined in that policy.

On the contrary, it is EXACTLY wiretapping _as_meant_by_rfc2804_.

> 
> Right, it's clearly not wiretapping as per RFC 2804: "Wiretapping is  
> what occurs when information passed across the Internet from one party  
> to one or more other parties is delivered to a third party: 1. Without  
> the sending party knowing about the third party ..."   The intent of  
> the work we are discussing is to ensure that the client knows about  
> the third party.

As Marsh Ray previously pointed out...

...the server might be sending a response, and due to the server
not knowing about the MitM on the communication link to the client
this falls within the description and intent of RFC2804.

In Germany such a TLS proxy will always and unconditionally fall under
the constitutional protection of telecommunications (Art 10 Abs. 1 GG),
unless **ALL** communication parties have consciously agreed.

(it would fall under the less stringent constitutional protection
 of informational self-determination of the sender of information
 when communication contents were leaked only at a rightful
 TLS endpoint as conceived by the information sender,
 which is _still_ a very serious legal problem where I live).


> 
> >
> > I *STRONGLY* disagree.  That is very much about wiretapping and
> > even goes far beyond that, because it not only reveals the content
> > of the communication, it also allows the "TLS proxy" to arbitrarily
> > manipulate the communication in a fashion that might be entirely
> > concealed to the communication peers at the end.
> >
> >
> > I am strongly opposed to have any document describing such proxies
> > published as an RFC!
> 
> And yet you would favor a protocol that propagates decryption keys  
> around the network?

That approach would ensure communication integrity and keep client
certificates functional.  Favour? No, but it is by a huge margin the
lesser evil and the lesser security problem when compared to a
TLS-terminating proxy with a super-CA-equivent keypair that can
fake every server cert and surreptitiously modify all
comunications, which completely precludes control and accountability
through technical/protocol safeguards.


> 
> We don't have a choice about whether or not TLS proxying will be done  
> on the Internet; it is being done.  What we can choose is whether or  
> not the IETF improves how it is being done.


The IETF does not have a choice whether law enforcement does
wiretap, yet it refuses to work on and standarize technology
that provides or facilitates such activities.


-Martin