Subject: [Dtls-iot] Secure Time Summary

From: Hannes Tschofenig <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2015 12:20:33 +0200

Hi all,

this topic lead to a longer discussion; references are here:
http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/dtls-iot/current/msg00628.html
http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/dtls-iot/current/msg00629.html
http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/dtls-iot/current/msg00657.html

The conclusion seems to be that we do not want to incorporate a secure
network time protocol functionality into the TLS protocol but rather
offer it on a higher layer.

Thanks for your feedback.

I therefore suggest to change the following paragraph

FROM:

---------

   The ClientHello and the ServerHello messages contains the 'Random'
   structure, which has two components: gmt_unix_time and a sequence of
   28 random bytes. gmt_unix_time holds the current time and date in
   standard UNIX 32-bit format (seconds since the midnight starting Jan
   1, 1970, GMT).  [I-D.mathewson-no-gmtunixtime] argues that the entire
   ClientHello.Random value (including gmt_unix_time) should be a
   sequence of random bits because of device fingerprinting privacy
   concerns.  Since many IoT devices do not have access to an accurate
   clock, it is RECOMMENDED to follow the guidance outlined in
   [I-D.mathewson-no-gmtunixtime] regarding the content of the
   ClientHello.Random field.  However, for the ServerHello.Random
   structure it is RECOMMENDED to maintain the existing structure with
   gmt_unix_time followed by a sequence of 28 random bytes since the
   client can use the received time information to securely obtain time
   information.  For constrained servers it cannot be assumed that they
   maintain accurate time information; these devices MUST include time
   information in the Server.Random structure when they actually obtain
   accurate time information that can be utilized by clients.  Clients
   MUST only use time information obtained from servers they trust and
   the use of this approach has to be agreed out-of-band.

---------

TO:

---------

   The ClientHello and the ServerHello messages contains the 'Random'
   structure, which has two components: gmt_unix_time and a sequence of
   28 random bytes. gmt_unix_time holds the current time and date in
   standard UNIX 32-bit format (seconds since the midnight starting Jan
   1, 1970, GMT). Since many IoT devices do not have access to an
   accurate  clock, it is RECOMMENDED to place a sequence of random
   bytes in the two components of the 'Random' structure when creating
   a ClientHello or ServerHello message and not to assume a structure
   when receiving these payloads.

   When TLS is used with certificate-based authentication the
   availability of time information is needed to check the validity of
   a certificate. Higher-layer protocols may provide secure time
   information. The gmt_unix_time component of the ServerHello is not
   used for this purpose.

---------

Ciao
Hannes

PS: This text is documented in issue#31 (and issue #32 was merged with
issue #31).