Subject: I-D ACTION:draft-ietf-openpgp-rfc2440bis-11.txt

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 16:01:12 -0400

A New Internet-Draft is available from the on-line Internet-Drafts directories.
This draft is a work item of the An Open Specification for Pretty Good Privacy Working Group of the IETF.

	Title		: OpenPGP Message Format
	Author(s)	: J. Callas, et al.
	Filename	: draft-ietf-openpgp-rfc2440bis-11.txt
	Pages		: 72
	Date		: 2004-10-22
	
This document is maintained in order to publish all necessary
information needed to develop interoperable applications based on
the OpenPGP format. It is not a step-by-step cookbook for writing an
application. It describes only the format and methods needed to
read, check, generate, and write conforming packets crossing any
network. It does not deal with storage and implementation questions.
It does, however, discuss implementation issues necessary to avoid
security flaws.
OpenPGP software uses a combination of strong public-key and
symmetric cryptography to provide security services for electronic
communications and data storage.  These services include
confidentiality, key management, authentication, and digital
signatures. This document specifies the message formats used in
OpenPGP.

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---

From: Ian Grigg <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 23:08:27 +0100

Expires Apr 20, 2004

> 	Filename	: draft-ietf-openpgp-rfc2440bis-11.txt

The version I just downloaded says on every page:

     Expires Apr 20, 2004

Shouldn't that be 2005?

iang

---

From: Ian Grigg <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 15:53:19 +0100

#1. Minor comment

4.2 Packet Headers

    "... Thus, software that
    interoperates with those versions of PGP must only use old format
    packets. If interoperability is not an issue, either format may be
    used."

Setting it up for a future deprecation of the old format
may be useful.  In which case, it could be advantageous to
prefer the new format.  Some example text:

    "... Thus, software that
    interoperates with those versions of PGP must only use old format
    packets. If interoperability is not an issue, THE NEW PACKET FORMAT
    IS PREFERRED."

#2 Medium Comment

13. Security Considerations
      ...
      * The MD5 hash algorithm has been found to have weaknesses
        (pseudo-collisions in the compress function) that make some
        people deprecate its use.  They consider the SHA-1 algorithm
        better.

I think it's fair to say that since the last draft, we've
moved on beyond that.  I'd suggest that MD5 should be deprecated.
and applications SHOULD use SHA1 and for compatibility MAY
accept MD5.  Or somesuch.

Now, that's either easy to say or hard to say, depending on
whether one thinks that SHA1 is wobbly or safe.  But, on the
whole, I don't think it should stop us deprecating MD5 at this
point in time.  If that means that the document has a sort of
hole in it, then so be it, mark it and let's move on.

Before going on to deal with this - can we agree or discuss
whether we should deprecate MD5 at this point?  If we agree
to do so, then it's just a matter of scanning for MD5 and
doing the switcheroo.

iang

---

From: Jon Callas <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 13:26:14 -0700

>    packets. If interoperability is not an issue, THE NEW PACKET FORMAT

Done.

> and applications SHOULD use SHA1 and for compatibility MAY

This is part of what I've glibly characterized as PGP 2 deprecation. No 
argument here.

> to do so, then it's just a matter of scanning for MD5 and

MD5 needs to be fully deprecated.

	Jon