ietf-dkim
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Re: [ietf-dkim] Proposal: get rid of x=

2006-04-11 14:04:43

On Apr 11, 2006, at 12:42 PM, william(at)elan.net wrote:

On Tue, 11 Apr 2006, Mark Delany wrote:

So the purpose of x= is to optimize corner-case DNS queries?

That is just one of the cases where they can be of use, you after all asked for "specific value".

This is not a compelling reason. What percentage would this exclude from further examination? .00001%?

It would also be good to have when you want to do more refined security setup between two hosts.

Although I am still publishing the public key, do not consider it to be from me?

For a security refinement, retire the key and achieve increased security. Do not rely upon a message expiry parameter.

Even the informative note discounts a "security refinement" motive, which sounds like double-speak for an abusive message replay defense.

Security Refinement: One may receive message replay abuse for 2 weeks, rather than for the period pending key retirement. The expiry strategy offers little protection. When used as protection (security), the problems a precision timed expiry may create increase.

Please don't consider DSNs someone else's concern. If there is a problem, establish a mechanism to expunge the messages, and not have them fall into a category where they might be rejected post up stream acceptance.


x= base:
,---
| Signatures MUST NOT be considered valid if the current time at the
| verifier is past the expiration date.  The value is expressed as
| an unsigned integer in decimal ASCII.
|...
|  INFORMATIVE NOTE:  The x= tag is not intended as an anti-replay
|                     defense.
'___

-Doug
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