Subject: [Mip4] [Issue] Name for the nonces in aaa-keys and diameter-mip

From: Pete McCann <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 10:45:43 -0600

Hi,

During my presentation of the Diameter Mobile IPv4 application to the
AAA working group, an item came up around the use of the term "Key
Material" in the Diameter Mobile IPv4 application and the Mobile IP
aaa-key draft.  It was noted that the term "Key Material" usually
denotes stuff that should be kept secret, whereas the "Key Material"
sent in a Registration Reply are actually nonces intended to be used
by the MN to derive session keys.  They will be visible to third
parties while in transit.

To resolve this, I suggest that we change all instances of "Key
Material" in both of these drafts to something more descriptive,
like "Nonce for Key Generation" or just "Nonce" when the context is
clear.

Is that acceptable to everyone?  Hopefully we can make this change
quickly and get both drafts ready for IESG submission.

Thanks,

-Pete

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From: Bernard Aboba <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 09:19:05 -0800 (PST)

This change is ok with me as long as the term "Nonce" refers to a
non-secret quantity.  It would appears to me that at least some of the
quantities referred to as "Key Material" in the Diameter MIPv4 draft are
in fact secret.

Also, I'd prefer to use the term "Session Key" for an ephemeral key that
is refreshed by a nonce, and "Pre-shared key" for a quantity that is a
long-term secret (such as that shared between the MN and HA).

Getting the terminology straight is probably half the battle in getting
these drafts completed.

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From: Pete McCann <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 12:43:03 -0600

Hi, Bernard,

Ok, let's make sure to check the context in each case.

Also, please note that the only long-term secret required is the one
shared between MN and AAAH.  The Diameter-MIP4 application can
dynamically distribute the MN-HA session key (and the nonce that was
used to generated it) to the HA.  You are of course allowed to have a
long-term secret between the MN and HA as part of a manually (or
otherwise) configured mobility security association, but it isn't
required.

-Pete