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Re: [websec] Strict-Transport-Security syntax redux

Adam Barth <ietf@adambarth.com> Thu, 29 December 2011 19:50 UTC

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From: Adam Barth <ietf@adambarth.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:50:18 -0800
Message-ID: <CAJE5ia_HhenArVey=5-ttLqh4-vbBE01TFZKuzAmAtHQJQJ3kQ@mail.gmail.com>
To: Julian Reschke <julian.reschke@gmx.de>
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Cc: IETF WebSec WG <websec@ietf.org>
Subject: Re: [websec] Strict-Transport-Security syntax redux
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On Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 4:39 AM, Julian Reschke <julian.reschke@gmx.de> wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> Looking at
> <http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-websec-strict-transport-sec-03>.
>
> I note that the spec doesn't state what ABNF syntax it uses; something like
> <http://greenbytes.de/tech/webdav/rfc5988.html#rfc.section.2.p.2> should be
> added.
>
> Now for the actual ABNF
> (<http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-websec-strict-transport-sec-03#section-5.1>):
>
>
>    Strict-Transport-Security = "Strict-Transport-Security" ":"
>                                    directive *( ";" [ directive ] )
>
> This works for me.
>
>
>    directive         = max-age | includeSubDomains | STS-d-ext
>
>    max-age           = "max-age" "=" delta-seconds
>
>    includeSubDomains = "includeSubDomains"
>
>
>    STS-d-ext     = token [ "=" ( token | quoted-string ) ]
>
> I would turn that around; a parser for STS should parse all directives the
> same way, thus:
>
>    directive         = token [ "=" ( token | quoted-string ) ]

As I wrote before, I don't think we should include quoted-string in
the grammar.  As far as I know, no one has implemented it and I have
no plans to implement quoted-string in Chrome.  Having quoted-string
in the grammar only leads to pain.,

Adam


> And then state that this spec defines two directives, and future specs can
> define more (maybe you need to state how to do that; "update" this spec? Add
> registry?)
>
> Then, for max-age and includeSubDomains, define their individual syntax
> separately, and don't forget to describe what to do with things like:
>
>  includeSubDomains="true"
>
> or
>
>  max-age
>
> or
>
>  max-age="10"
>
> Also:
>
>   The max-age directive MUST appear once in the Strict-Transport-
>   Security header field value.  The includeSubDomains directive MAY
>
>   appear once.  The order of appearance of directives in the Strict-
>   Transport-Security header field value is not significant.
>
> It would be better to state that *each* directive (including future ones)
> must appear only once, and that max-age is REQUIRED and includeSubDomains is
> OPTIONAL.
>
> (BTW: wouldn't it make sense to have a default for max-age so it can be made
> OPTIONAL?)
>
>
> Best regards, Julian
>
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