Re: [Last-Call] Tsvart last call review of draft-ietf-ntp-port-randomization-06

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

 



Hi, Brian,

Thanks so much for you comments! In-line...

On 23/2/21 16:15, Brian Trammell via Datatracker wrote:
[....]

This document is ready from a transport standpoint. It describes an
already-implemented, relatively-straightforward application of an existing BCP
to a well-understood protocol, and is clearly written. I especially appreciated
the complete set of considerations, covering situations in which NTP port
randomization could cause issues with certain deployment scenarios. The effect
of routing on NTP is well studied (one such study is cited in the draft), and
sections 3.3 and 3.4 discuss how this draft could interact with on-path
modification of NTP traffic. Herein lies my only nit with the draft: it would
be nice if 3.3 and 3.4 discussed how an NTP-speaking endpoint could detect and
react to issues caused by misconfigured filtering or NAT.

You mean issues caused by packet filtering meant to mitigate DoS attacks? If the service port is used (src=dst=123), it'd be impossible (from the layer-4 header) to tell client or server traffic. So one would resort to dropping all traffic, or no traffic. BUt if port randomization is employed, client traffic will employ an ephemeral port and thus it becomes possible to distinguish client/server traffic by looking at the transport protocol port numbers -- i.e., port randomization helps in this scenario.

Similarly, in the case of mis-configured NATs (I'm assuming that you're referring to NATs not translating service ports) doing port randomization would actually allow for multiple clients to work across NATs, since there wouldn't be conflicting uses of the service port on the NAT internal realm.

i.e., in both cases, port randomization actually helps in these two scenarios.

Please do let me know if I've misinterpreted your comment.

Thanks!

Regards,
--
Fernando Gont
SI6 Networks
e-mail: fgont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
PGP Fingerprint: 6666 31C6 D484 63B2 8FB1 E3C4 AE25 0D55 1D4E 7492




--
last-call mailing list
last-call@xxxxxxxx
https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/last-call



[Index of Archives]     [IETF Annoucements]     [IETF]     [IP Storage]     [Yosemite News]     [Linux SCTP]     [Linux Newbies]     [Mhonarc]     [Fedora Users]

  Powered by Linux