Subject: Re: V3 secret keys

From: [email-masked] ("Hal Finney")
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 10:32:11 -0800 (PST)

Peter Gutmann writes:
>> Why not just include the pseudocode (or more usefully straight C code) for
>> the operation? That's the ultimate definitive description, any programmer
>> can understand it, and you don't run into the problems you do with the
>> english description.
>>
>> (Even if an implementer doesn't understand it, they can always just cut &
>> paste the code).

We do have an extremely verbose, algorithmic description of the encrypted
message CFB mode, in section 12.8.  It's basically English language
pseudocode.  We could add another section for the somewhat-similar V3
key decryption, I guess.  Seems like a lot of work for functionality
that we would hope to be deprecating, but I know people do need it to
work with the large body of V3 keys.

Hal

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From: David Shaw <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 13:48:38 -0500

> work with the large body of V3 keys.

If the language in 1991 is suitable, perhaps we could just point to
1991.  Is it legal to refer in this way to a document that we're
obsoleting in 2440bis?

David

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From: Jon Callas <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 00:54:01 -0800

> 1991.  Is it legal to refer in this way to a document that we're

I don't think so. 1991 was never standards track. I don't want to re- 
open the old dead horse of whether you can obsolete something that  
was never standards track. It's too much like Alice's comment on more  
tea.

Furthermore, it would committing a sin that drives me up the wall, of  
requiring someone to go back N documents. If the language in 1991 is  
close, then why not edit it into something suitable? I think that's  
much better than leaving pointers all over the place for people who  
read it a decade from now to have to deal with.

	Jon

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From: David Shaw <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:04:43 -0500

> read it a decade from now to have to deal with.

It may be moot - taking a look at 1991 now, it doesn't seem to say
anything about storing V3 secret keys at all!

David