9 mar 2013 kl. 09:09 skrev Alper Yegin <[email protected]>:

> Hi Leif,
> 
> 
>> 
>> 
>>> 
>>> This "MUST" cannot be implemented. It's not clear what an implementor 
>>> "must" be doing to comply.
>>> This is merely telling us "there's a problem, you MUST deal with it". 
>>> This reads more like recognition of an issue, rather than a solution.
>> 
>> I' going to weigh in (as an individual) on this point. 
>> 
>> There is (imo) nothing inherently problematic about calling out a problem 
>> that needs to be addressed in another specification, especially when writing 
>> an applicability statement.
>> 
> 
> I read the text again, and let me recap it here:
> > Alternatively, EAP permits a lower layer to set the retransmission timer
> > to infinite. When this happens, the lower layer becomes responsible for
> > reliable delivery of EAP messages. Applications that use a lock-step or
> > client-driven authentication protocol might benefit from this approach.
> > 
> > In addition to retransmission behavior applications need to deal with
> > discarded EAP messages. For example, whenever some EAP methods receive  
> > erroneous
> > input, these methods discard the input rather than generating an error
> > response. If the erroneous input was generated by an attacker,
> > legitimate input can sometimes be received after the erroneous
> > input. Applications MUST handle discarded EAP messages,
> > although the specific way in which discarded messages will be handled
> > depend on the characteristics of the application. Options include
> > failing the authentication at the application level, requesting an EAP 
> > retransmit and waiting for additional EAP input.  
> 
> This text implies there is a problem, but it does not define what the problem 
> is.
> Or under what circumstances that problem arises.
> 
> The issue is very specific to the case where the EAP lower layer is in charge 
> of rexmits, and the rexmits are solely client-side driven.
> It does not apply to any other case. 
> And if the EAP stack (the combination of EAP method, EAP layer, and EAP lower 
> layer) does not handle this case in a special way, then the state machines 
> may stall.
> 
> None of that can be understood from the above text at all.
> 
> Once the readers understand the issue, then they can proceed to "dealing with 
> it". 
> 
> As for the suggested solutions, failing the authentication reduces the 
> resiliency of EAP solutions. 
> The other option requires an API between EAP method and EAP lower-layer. 
> 
> OK, maybe we don't care about the analysis of the solutions, but we do care 
> about defining what the problem is.
> 
> And also, this issue is not really an "applicability statement" matter. This 
> is a "requirement on EAP lower layer (which is based on strictly 
> client-driven rexmits)" matter, IMHO. 
> 
> (I understand some people might want to get done with this, but if we don't 
> do it properly I'm afraid it'd open more problems than it solves for people 
> down the road).
> 
> 
> Alper
>  
> 

Why don't you propose text!

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>>      Cheers Leif
>> 
>> 
> 
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