ietf-dkim
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Re: [ietf-dkim] draft-ietf-dkim-ssp-02.txt

2008-02-02 20:46:24
Douglas Otis wrote:

RFC 4871 clearly indicates the i= parameter is _intended_ to identify the user or agent for which the message is being signed. When a signature is added on-behalf-of an entity whose email-address is found within the Sender header, and where the message happens to include a From address within the same domain, the definition for Author Signature within the SSP makes the signature specified by RFC 4871 non-compliant with an "all" or "discardable" policy assertions, however the definition within ASP does not.

Sorry, I don't see it. I am going to ignore ASP/SSP-02 and deal with SSP-01 because it is well understood and not subject to the majors security issues in ASP/SSP-02.

DKIM=ALL means ANYONE can sign, but it must be signed.
DKIM=STRICT it must be signed by the AUTHOR (ORIGINATING DOMAIN).

This would be a 1PS:

   From: person(_at_)domain1(_dot_)com
   Sender: listadmin(_at_)listdomain(_dot_)com
   DKIM-Signature:  d=domain1.com i=person(_at_)domain1(_dot_)com
                    h= may include Sender: binding

For a 1PS scenario, domain1.com SSP policy can be:

   DKIM=unknown    (weak protection)
   DKIM=ALL        (protection against non-signed mail)
   DKIM=STRICT     (protection against non-signed mail and 3PS)

This would be a 3PS:

   From: person(_at_)domain1(_dot_)com
   Sender: listadmin(_at_)listdomain(_dot_)com
   DKIM-Signature:  d=listdomain.com i=listadmin(_at_)listdomain(_dot_)com
                    h= SHOULD (good idea) include Sender: binding
                       since it was the signer.

For a 3PS scenario, domain1.com SSP policy can be:

   DKIM=unknown    (weak protection)
   DKIM=ALL        (protection against non-signed mail)


Per 4871, if i= is used, which is OPTIONAL, the domains of d= and i= must be the same or be a sub-domain of d=.

Per x822, Sender: is OPTIONAL and not a network required control header. It is more information than anything else. Furthermore, not everyone supports Sender: unlike From: which is a requirement.

I see no conflict.

> SSP stipulations changes RFC 4871
signature handling to not use the i= parameter when there might be such a conflict with the From header.

Per 4871, if i= is used, which is OPTIONAL, the domains of d= and i= must be the same

Per x822, Sender: is OPTIONAL and not a network required control header.

Not surprisingly, RFC 4871 never suggested the i= parameter not be used when there might be a conflict with an address within the From header.

What conflict?

It is clear in 4871 section 6.3:

   If the message is
   signed on behalf of any address other than that in the From: header
   field, the mail system SHOULD take pains to ensure that the actual
   signing identity is clear to the reader.

The logical association implies for this to be:

      ([i] == d) != From

which is the fundamental basis for a 3rd party Signing operation. Like wise, the logical association for a 1st party signature is:

      ([i] == d) == From

We need to keep our eye on the prize here and that is DOMAIN protection, to assist it in keeping with its new asserted DKIM-BASE "social and ethical" responsibility. SSP is basically a fraud detection or protocol consistency checker. If everything is koshser, I believe no one has ever said SSP allows a message to pass or skip any other testing.

Traditionally, by far, the From: is the author of the message. It is reflective in all mail systems. The author does not mean it has to be the signer, and I hope no one is claiming a 3rd party signer is an AUTHOR and/or copyright holder of the message content.


--
Sincerely

Hector Santos, CTO
http://www.santronics.com
http://santronics.blogspot.com

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