Qin,

You are right. Hence the ability to change the MIC key if you want to.

Thomas

On Thu, Apr 23, 2015 at 7:05 PM, Qin Wang <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi Thomas and Xavi,
>
> I agree that with the a well-known key based MIC, some useless "start to
> join" can be avoided. However, it is under the assumption that there is no
> other 6tisch networks, right? If there are more than one 6tisch networks in
> the same area, and all of them use the well-known  key based MIC to
> authentication, then the authentication will not save anything, right?
>
> Thanks
> Qin
>
>
>
>   On Thursday, April 23, 2015 8:30 PM, Xavier Vilajosana <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> Hi Thomas,
>
> now things are clear. If the "starting to join" is the bottleneck then I
> agree with you and I come up to the same conclusion.
>
> thanks for the clarification. At least for me now there is no doubt about
> it.
>
> regards,
> Xavi
>
> 2015-04-23 10:35 GMT+02:00 Thomas Watteyne <[email protected]>:
>
> Xavi,
>
> I think (?) I understand where we get confused.
>
> In both case 1 and case 2 Zelda's network will be sending a lot of EBs and
> Charlie's nodes will be receiving that EBs.
>
>
> Agreed.
>
>
> In both cases Charlie node will be receiving more EBs from Zelda's network
> than from Charlie's network.
>
>
> Agreed.
>
>
> This will be slowing down the join procedure.
>
>
> Not agreed, or not exactly :-) Many packets in the air (EBs or not) mean
> occasional packet collision and MAC-level retransmissions, for sure.
> But the main reason in this case for Charlie's mote to join slowly is that
> is attempts to join Zelda's network: the mote hears Zelda's EB,
> synchronizes to it, contacts Zelda's JCE to join, which rejects it. That
> process might take tens of second, and it happens every time Charlie's mote
> mistakes Zelda's EB for one of Charlie's.
>
> I understand that Zelda's network JCE will reject Charlie's nodes when
> trying to join if MIC is not correct.
>
>
> Agreed.
>
>
> However, when Zelda's network send EBs, they are broadcast and Charlie's
> nodes must receive them anyway. So the difference seems slight and only
> from the JCE side not from Charlie's nodes which will be still trying to
> parse a lot of EBs.
>
>
> Agreed, regardless of what we come up with, Charlie's node needs to listen
> for valid EBs, which involves parsing all packets it receives (maybe with a
> little help of the HW). But it terms of delays, it's the "starting to join
> the wrong network" that has the most impact.
>
> right? wrong?
>
> Thomas
>
> On Thu, Apr 23, 2015 at 9:36 AM, Xavier Vilajosana <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
> Hi Thomas,
>
> sorry, but I still do not see the benefit :) .. In both case 1 and case 2
> Zelda's network will be sending a lot of EBs and Charlie's nodes will be
> receiving that EBs. In both cases Charlie node will be receiving more EBs
> from Zelda's network than from Charlie's network. This will be slowing down
> the join procedure.
>
> I understand that Zelda's network JCE will reject Charlie's nodes when
> trying to join if MIC is not correct. However, when Zelda's network send
> EBs, they are broadcast and Charlie's nodes must receive them anyway. So
> the difference seems slight and only from the JCE side not from Charlie's
> nodes which will be still trying to parse a lot of EBs.
>
> am I missing something?
> X
>
> 2015-04-23 9:31 GMT+02:00 Thomas Watteyne <[email protected]>:
>
> Xavi,
>
> If I read Kris' e-mail correctly, in option 1, Charlie's nodes attempt to
> join Zelda's network (i.e. they synchronize and ask the JCE, or equivalent,
> to join). Since Zelda's network cannot authenticate Charlie's node, it gets
> rejected. Charlie's node then tries again by listening for EBs. Because
> Zelda's toys send so many beacons (they are little robots with motors
> drawing 1A of current, so the little bit of extra current because of a
> large number of EBs doesn't matter), Charlie's node attempts to join
> Zelda's network much more often that its own. Charlie's nodes waste a lot
> of energy trying over and over, until they finally join Charlie's network.
>
> Thomas
>
> On Thu, Apr 23, 2015 at 5:14 AM, Xavier Vilajosana <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
> Kris,
>
> can you explain me
>
> "Charlie does some testing of option 1, and finds that when there is a
> Zelda's Toy Shop
> near one of his stores, his networks take a *really* long time to join.
> It seems that
> Zelda's toys send 15.4e EBs too, and they send a lot of them.  The sensors
> that
> Alice and Bob sell spend a lot of time and battery energy trying to join
> the wrong network.
> Charlie would really like something better than option 1."
>
> why if there is no authentication it takes longer that if there is
> authentication? I understand that if a network sends a lot of EBs other
> networks will receive the frames despite there is authentication or not.
>  if there is no authentication a node parses the EB and decides to join
> or not. If the nodes uses a MIC it has to receive the packet as well and
> check the MIC then decides to join or not. In both cases the nodes receive
> a lot of EBs so the situation is similar (the only difference is that if we
> use MIC and the node can decode it the node knows that it is allowed to
> join that network).
>
> I only see benefit if the MIC is used as a filter and this is done
> automatically by the hw.
>
> regards,
> Xavi
>
> 2015-04-22 19:15 GMT+02:00 Kris Pister <[email protected]>:
>
> Alice and Bob make wireless temperature sensors that run a 6tisch stack.
> Charlie owns a nationwide chain grocery store and is rolling out 6tisch
> everywhere.
> Zelda sells wireless toys that use 802.15.4e.
> Mallory is always lurking.
>
> Charlie needs to decide if and how to use message integrity checks on
> enhanced beacons.
> He thinks that he has three options:
> 1) don't use MICs on EBs.
> 2) use MICs on EBs, with a secret key
> 3) use MICs on EBs, with a well-known key
>
> Charlie does some testing of option 1, and finds that when there is a
> Zelda's Toy Shop
> near one of his stores, his networks take a *really* long time to join.
> It seems that
> Zelda's toys send 15.4e EBs too, and they send a lot of them.  The sensors
> that
> Alice and Bob sell spend a lot of time and battery energy trying to join
> the wrong network.
> Charlie would really like something better than option 1.
>
> Charlie decides to use option 2, a MIC with a secret key, and it works
> great!  The sensors
> ignore EBs from Zelda's, and only respond to EBs from his networks. He
> asks Alice and Bob
> if they are willing to install that secret key before they ship the
> sensors to his various
> stores, and he's such a big customer that they say sure.  He is driving an
> industry standard.
>
> But then Charlie gets worried.  He's probably going to end up buying
> sensors from
> Aaron, Abu, Acacia, and Ada as well.  How will he keep his key secret?
> Eventually
> someone will find it or leak it, and then there will be a big news story
> "Charlie's
> Markets Hacked!"  He imagines himself trying to explain to reporters that
> the
> MIC key on the EB is just there for network segregation and message
> integrity.
> He imagines that wouldn't go very well, so he decides option 2 is out.
> Maybe
> he can just publish the MIC key in the standard?
>
> But if Charlie uses option 3, a well-known key, Mallory will be able to
> spoof EBs.
> Of course, if he uses no MIC at all, Mallory will also be able to spoof
> EBs.
>
> What should Charlie do?
>
> ksjp
>
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