Subject: draft-vives-v6ops-ipv6-security-ps-01 comments

From: Pekka Savola <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2004 18:04:40 +0300 (EEST)

Hi,

A couple of comments..

semi-substantial
----------------

  This model is based on the following assumptions:

   o  The threats come from "outside" the FW, basically the Internet.

==> this doesn't yet reflect that there could be multiple FW's, so maybe
reword to something like:

   o  The threats come from "outside" the FW(s), basically the Internet or
      some other internal network behind a different FW.

...

   o  The protected nodes won't go "outside" where FW won't be able to
      protect them.

==> maybe add at the end: ", and then later come back in, unknowingly
compromising the rest of the network."

   o  Enables better protection from attacks by the "internal" users, 
      and possibly even to a degree from those in the local segment.    
      For example address spoofing can be detected and avoided coming  
      from the same LAN segment, whitout router participation.

==> I didn't quite understand this advantage of the distributed model.  The
last sentence doesn't seem to be true, or I don't understand it.  I mean,
the host doesn't really know whether a packet it received was spoofed --
whether it was received from Internet through a router, or from a legitimate
local host in the same LAN, or a host in the same LAN spoofing the packet,
right?

   o  A host that becomes compromised or infected with a worm or virus
      in any case can't be trusted to operate according to the policies,
      as the worms/viruses probably first create holes or disable the
      protections if they can.

==> This also needs to have additional problem why this is severe; add e.g.,
                                Further, such compromises or infections
     are often built such that they exploit a bug in the local system,
     gaining super-user privileges, which allow them to do more than even the
     user could.

Editorial:
----------

==> Abstract is too long, should be cut to something like 30% of its current
length (IMHO).

   In this section two different approaches are analyzed to be used
   later in the rationale about the security problems that IPv6 could
   introduce

==> add '.' at the end.

  The biggest challenge, however, is trusting that the hosts comply to
   the rules they've received, for example that the user can't just
   disable the firewall if (s)he dislike the policy; of course, this
   only can happen in the case (s)he has administrative rights for that 
   (often not the case in non-personal systems, those not owned by the  
   end user).  It seems that one ore more network entities would have to

==> s/dislike/dislikes/
==> s/ore/or/

      For example address spoofing can be detected and avoided coming  
      from the same LAN segment, whitout router participation.

==> s/whitout/without/

   o  The hosts must be trusted (or designed appropriately) so that they
      will operate according to the policy.  For example, it must be
      impossible to disable the firewall functions or if the policy is
      not followed network communication is not allowed.

==> s/is not/must not be/ (just to make it stronger)

   [8]  Nikander, P., "IPv6 Neighbor Discovery trust models and
        threats", draft-ietf-send-psreq-04 (work in progress), October
        2003.

==> this is now RFC

-- 
Pekka Savola                 "You each name yourselves king, yet the
Netcore Oy                    kingdom bleeds."
Systems. Networks. Security. -- George R.R. Martin: A Clash of Kings

---

From: "JORDI PALET MARTINEZ" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2004 22:53:33 -0700

Hi Pekka,

See my comments in-line, below.

Regards,
Jordi

---- Original Message ----
From: "Pekka Savola" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 8:04 AM
Subject: draft-vives-v6ops-ipv6-security-ps-01 comments

> semi-substantial

Ok.

> compromising the rest of the network."

Ok.

> ==> I didn't quite understand this advantage of the distributed model. 
> The last sentence doesn't seem to be true, or I don't understand it.  I
> mean, the host doesn't really know whether a packet it received was
> spoofed -- whether it was received from Internet through a router, or
> from a legitimate local host in the same LAN, or a host in the same LAN
> spoofing the packet, right?

Or appearing as coming from Internet, but actually coming from the same LAN ?

> ==> This also needs to have additional problem why this is severe; add
>                                 e.g., Further, such compromises or
>      infections are often built such that they exploit a bug in the local
>      system, gaining super-user privileges, which allow them to do more
>      than even the user could.

Ok.

> 
> Editorial:
> ----------
> 
> ==> Abstract is too long, should be cut to something like 30% of its
> current length (IMHO).

Ok. To be done in next version.

>    later in the rationale about the security problems that IPv6 could

Ok.

>    end user).  It seems that one ore more network entities would have to
Ok.
> ==> s/ore/or/
Ok.

>       from the same LAN segment, whitout router participation.
Ok.

> ==> s/is not/must not be/ (just to make it stronger)
Ok.

>         threats", draft-ietf-send-psreq-04 (work in progress), October
Ok.

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