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Re: [ietf-dkim] small question in draft-ietf-dkim-base-00.txt on TXTrecord

2006-02-21 17:45:18

On Feb 21, 2006, at 9:10 AM, Hallam-Baker, Phillip wrote:
Douglas Otis wrote:

2048 bits represents 256 bytes of binary data easily and reliably stored using the #37 RR. In addition, the #37 Cert RR also provides a method to reference other key acquisition options in the event something is needed that DNS can not provide.

http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-dnsext- rfc2538bis-09.txt

With a draft describing the data structure, this could be expanded to:
      Value  Mnemonic  Certificate Type
      -----  --------  ----------------
          9   DKIM      DKIM Binary Key
         10   IDKIM     The URL of a DKIM Key Server


If the goal is to handle 2k bit keys, the need for binary encoding is paramount.

I do not see the value in having a pointer to a CERT record with a pointer to a cert over a pointer to the cert.

The suggestion for using #37 RR for offering a URL vector to the "Next means of obtaining the DKIM information" was to circumvent future hunting.

If the idea is to replace the existing key format with self signed X.509v3 certificates it ignores the long (and justified) history of ASN.1 hatred in the IETF.

A data structure defined by the #37 RR type is not limited to X.509 certificates. There are many experimental values for use, pending a draft being accepted that defines a suitable DKIM public key binary structure. The DKIM test server would need to transition from accepting an experimental type value to the assigned value. To further reduce DNS payloads, a signature conventions could differentiate DKIM from that of DomainKeys, where then a label "_dkim" could also replace the "_domainkeys" label where just #37 RR would be obtained. The use of a binary key format from the outset prevents the need for multiple lookups and better ensures use of 2048 bit keys will not become a problem. #37 RR more than doubles the otherwise limited name space.

-Doug _______________________________________________ NOTE WELL: This list operates according to http://dkim.org/ietf-list-rules.html

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