Subject: Integrity Object

From: "manoj juneja" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 16:44:33 -0700

Hi All,

        If a node does not support integrity object and receives
this object in a message, should it ignore the object (as it is optional) or 
discard the complete message (as integrity object is optional but if present 
the integrity check is mandatory) ?

I know this is not the right mailing list for this question but just wanted 
to know the thoughts of MPLS experts.

Regards,
manoj.

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From: David Charlap <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 19:18:25 -0500

manoj juneja wrote:
> this object in a message, should it ignore the object (as it is
> optional) or discard the complete message (as integrity object is
> optional but if present the integrity check is mandatory) ?

I have been working with the assumption that the object should be
ignored.

IMO, there's no reason to discard the message.  The sender is including
information to cryptographically validate the message.  If you are
incapable of performing the validation, the presence/absence of the
object does not in any way alter the validity of the data, so there's no
reason why you should reject the message.

One thing you should definitely _NOT_ do is forward the INTEGRITY
object.  Its contents can not possibly be valid when the message body
changes (e.g. a different HOP or ERO object).

-- David