ietf-dkim
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [ietf-dkim] draft-ietf-dkim-base-02 // Parent signing security considerations

2006-06-01 12:00:52

On Jun 1, 2006, at 11:33 AM, william(at)elan.net wrote:


On Thu, 1 Jun 2006, Douglas Otis wrote:

There should be a security consideration mentioning an unintended consequence when a different entity controls sub-domains of a high level domain. This could be viewed as an ICANN, ARIN, APNIC, LACNIC, AfricNIC, RIPE NCC,

Could you explain what the ip registries (ARIN, APNIC, LACNIC, AfriNIC,
RIPE) have to do with domain-based authentication protocol?

Note: they do indirectly if somebody hijacks ip address of dns server, but
the what Doug is talking about does not seem to be it.

The current obligations are strictly related to domain delegations, as you suggest. However DKIM introduces new business opportunities for these organizations. Only regulatory bodies would be in a position to establish any requisite limitations regarding the use of sub-domains as related to DKIM within their domain.

Parent signing introduces currently non-existent contractual obligations and liabilities related to the publishing of DKIM keys. Simple prohibition of any such publishing by global and regional Internet Registries would be the simplest solution. Whether these organizations view publishing DKIM keys within their prerogative may depend upon whether there is a business model that exploits their control of domains considered authoritative for all email-addresses below this domain.

Speculating on the possible business model, outbound SMTP services could be offered to those able to authenticates with a certificate from a recognized CA that identifies their email-address, for example. These messages could then be signed by the TLD domain where the i= parameter would indicate the identity found within the certificate. These TLD signed messages could then be considered an elite assurance that the message will not be abusive. The location of these keys however introduces the possibility of catastrophic failure which should involve regulatory oversight.

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

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>