RE: DDP/RDMAP Applicability

[email protected] Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:02:58 -0400
Newsgroups gmane.ietf.rddp
Message-ID <F222151D3323874393F83102D614E05502B66A33@CORPUSMX20A.corp.emc.com>
Caitlin,

The correct capitalization of IPsec is IPsec ("sec" is lower case).
I also noticed that the ESP reference needs to be updated from
RFC 2406 to RFC 4303 - it is one of a number of references that
aren't cited in the body of the draft (citations should be added
or the reference dropped).  I also have a few comments below.

Please make these changes plus the typo fix noted in previous email
and submit the resulting draft on Monday, just in case anyone else
wants to comment on the new text in the interim.

Thanks,
--David (rddp WG chair)
----------------------------------------------------
David L. Black, Senior Technologist
EMC Corporation, 176 South St., Hopkinton, MA  01748
+1 (508) 293-7953             FAX: +1 (508) 293-7786
[email protected]        Mobile: +1 (978) 394-7754
----------------------------------------------------

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Caitlin Bestler [mailto:[email protected]] 
> Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 4:09 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: RE: [rddp] DDP/RDMAP Applicability
> 
> These are additional paragraphs that would address the 
> questions raised:
> 
> 
> In 6.6 (data integrity implications)
> 
>    CRC32c only provides protection against random corruption.  To
>    protect against unauthorized alteration or forging of data packets

Add a comma at the end of this line.

>    security methods must be applied.  Use of IPSEC is supported for 
>    both SCTP and MPA/TCP.
> 
> 
> In 9.1 (Security Consideratins - Connection/Association Setup)
> 
>    Authentication of peers and approval of connections is outside of the
>    scope of DDP.  Connections are initiated and accepted by the ULP
>    using authentication information as provided by the LLP.  IPSEC is
>    usable for both TCP and SCTP.

"using authentication information as provided by the LLP" could be
misread as implying use of LLP identities.  Change it to "and
connection authentication is the responsibility of the ULP".  In 
addition to fixing the capitalization of IPsec, add the following
to the end of the last sentence above : "and can provide authentication
at a protocol layer beneath DDP"

> In 9.2 (Security Considerations - Tagged Buffer Exposure)
> 
>    DDP validates that STags are only used by the remote peer to the
>    extent authorized by the ULP.  The STag is selects amongst authorized
>    buffers;

"is selects amongst authorized buffers" --> "selects among buffers
previously authorized by the ULP"

>          an STag by itself does not authorize access.  Spacing STags
>    is more a defense against 'off by one' errors than a cryptographic
>    protection.

Replace the last sentence with:

	Use of randomization in generating STag values may be useful in
	preventing 'off by one' and other programmatic errors, but is
	of limited value in countering generation and misuse of STag values
	by an active attacker.  IPsec provides countermeasures that can
	prevent such an unauthorized attacker from gaining access to
	buffers used by DDP and RDMAP.