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Re: No new PKIs! (was: Re: [ietf-dkim] agenda item on upgrading hash algorithms?)

2006-02-22 20:16:00

On Feb 22, 2006, at 5:30 PM, Mark Delany wrote:

On Wed, Feb 22, 2006 at 05:11:37PM -0800, Douglas Otis allegedly wrote:

Using this #37 RR was not a suggestion for developing yet another PKI. This was suggesting the use of a DNS resource record defined by RFC2538.

This RR imposes this header:

  +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
  |             type              |             key tag           |
  +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
  |   algorithm   |                                               /
  +---------------+

Right. A blob container. I see no functional difference from TXT.

The difference would be an assurance the information is not considered limited to 7 bit text, and that there is an IANA tag ensuring no collisions with other uses of the RR. In addition, the #37 RR header will add significant value to a DKIM Key RR. Sourceforge links to applications using this RR was to offer illustrative examples of routines and utilities available. If interested, a draft and example code for this DKIM Key RR could be provided.


Do you propose extending RFC2538 to support the plethora of tags currently defined in Selectors or do you want to hide those in the blob?

The RFC2538 draft would not describe the DKIM key structure, as it does not describe any other structures for other protocols using this RR. Only general overviews are provided. There is no structural information provided beyond the #37 RR header. A draft for the DKIM key structure, ideally in a binary TLV form, would define the tags below the #37 RR header.


If you plan extension, do you have the support of the 2538 authors?

No changes to this draft appear needed. IANA could reference the assigned Type to the draft defined by the DKIM wg. The DKIM key and signature header amalgam could be considered an identity certification. It should not be surprising to find the algorithm parameter already supports the current DKIM key. Whatever algorithm the DKIM wg selects, this will likely cover similar work in this area. There should be no conflicts created.


If you plan blobs, are you certain that matches the intent of the 2538 authors or have you not consulted them?

This was brought several up months ago. At the time, concerns raised regarding DKIM's uses of this RR were related to the mention of DNS wildcard use. In conjunction with DKIM or OpenPGP, such a wildcard record could be exploited as an attack vector to flood DNS caches. Some DNS servers do not fair very well in these scenarios. This was not discussed in great detail, as there was greater focus upon other minutia. As there is a vital need to support future upgrades of the DKIM Key RR that might not be accommodated by the TXT RR. Use of this RR for public keys should not set a precedent where this RR is considered nothing more than a blob container.

-Doug
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