Re: DBIS - new IETF drafts

On 09/01/2014 17:43, Andrew Findlay wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 09, 2014 at 04:22:22PM +0100, Michael Ströder wrote:
>
>> Mark R Bannister wrote:
>>>> Exposing hashes should be a last resort for compatibility reasons only
>>>> and should be disabled by default with appropriate ACIs.
> Absolutely. You need the LDAP server to support the old-style hashes
> to allow for migrating data in, but exposing *any* form of hash
> outside your trusted LDAP servers is asking for trouble.
>
> Every LDAP-aware client system that I have worked with can use the
> bind operation as a means to validate passwords, so the only
> possible excuse for exporting hashes is temporary support of
> migrating systems. If you only allow the export of hashes that are
> actually needed by the old non-LDAP systems then at least you are
> not making matters worse than they were before the migration.

Ok, so I posed this question just now, but can all LDAP servers you can 
think of authentication bind operations using CRYPT-style passwords?  If 
it can be done server-side there'll be no problem here and we need never 
expose the hashes to clients.

> <snip>
>> IMO any new standard should focus on getting the near future right.
> Yes, but that does have to include migrating stuff that is currently
> stuck in the technological past!
>
>

Thanks Andrew, I think this point can't be emphasised enough.  We must 
always be aware of how customers are going to be expected to get from A 
to B.  That journey needs to be as simple as possible. If that means 
supporting extra legacy stuff to smooth the transition, than so be it.

Best regards,
Mark.