RE: [tcpinc] Making ECDHE-Curve25519 the only MTI for tcpcrypt (RE: Last Call: <draft-ietf-tcpinc-tcpcrypt-07.txt> (Cryptographic protection of TCP Streams (tcpcrypt)) to Experimental RFC)

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> > BCP 201 a.k.a. RFC 7696 (Guidelines for Cryptographic Algorithm Agility and
> Selecting Mandatory-to-Implement Algorithms) Section 3.1 (Picking One True
> Cipher Suite Can Be Harmful) further justifies the need for more than one
> algorithm. The document also makes other relevant points.

Not exactly - section 3.3 (NB: not 3.1) is focused on why it's a bad idea to bake the One True Cipher Suite into a protocol design in a fashion that prevents the crypto from being changed.  tcpcrypt did not do that - the draft specifies multiple algorithms and creates an IANA registry for them, e.g., to enable others to be added in the future.

In contrast, the second paragraph in Section 3 of RFC 7696 appears to be a cogent summary of the concern:

   Ideally, two independent sets of mandatory-to-implement algorithms
   will be specified, allowing for a primary suite and a secondary
   suite.  This approach ensures that the secondary suite is widely
   deployed if a flaw is found in the primary one.

Thanks, --David

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tcpinc [mailto:tcpinc-bounces@xxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Paul Wouters
> Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2017 2:49 PM
> To: Denis Ovsienko <denis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: tcpinc <tcpinc@xxxxxxxx>; ietf@xxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [tcpinc] Making ECDHE-Curve25519 the only MTI for tcpcrypt (RE:
> Last Call: <draft-ietf-tcpinc-tcpcrypt-07.txt> (Cryptographic protection of TCP
> Streams (tcpcrypt)) to Experimental RFC)
> 
> On Wed, 18 Oct 2017, Denis Ovsienko wrote:
> 
> > Let me suggest a couple documents.
> >
> > RFC 6709 (Design Considerations for Protocol Extensions) Section 4.5
> (Cryptographic Agility) recommends having two algorithms of "distinct
> lineage" for a few reasons it explains.
> >
> > BCP 201 a.k.a. RFC 7696 (Guidelines for Cryptographic Algorithm Agility and
> Selecting Mandatory-to-Implement Algorithms) Section 3.1 (Picking One True
> Cipher Suite Can Be Harmful) further justifies the need for more than one
> algorithm. The document also makes other relevant points.
> >
> > Even if draft-ietf-tcpinc-tcpcrypt has nothing to do with the problems
> reviewed there (which is not so as far as it seems to me and may seem to
> other readers), it would help to make references and specifically clarify how
> the choices relate with the points made in those guidelines.
> 
> 
> Let me suggest two other documents dealing with Mandatory To Implement
> for IKE and ESP/AH as well as another example on how to specify these:
> 
> https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8221
> 
> https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8247
> 
> Paul
> 
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