Hi Sebastian,

Please see below.


> > > 13.4.1.   Risk Scenarios
> > >
> > >    By analyzing the queries sent from an ALTO client, the ALTO server
> as
> > >    well as a third-party intercepting the message exchange could track
> user
> > >    behaviors and communication patterns.  This is particularly true
> for the
> > >    endpoint property service, to which the user sends the IP addresses
> of
> > >
> >
> > How about we say "endpoint property and endpoint cost services"?
>
> Right. It may also apply to the map filtering service, if you request
> very fine-grained filters.
>
>
Added this as an example as well.


>
> > >    potential communication partners.  For a more comprehensive
> > >    classification of risk scenarios, see cases 4, 5, and 6 in [RFC
> 6708],
> > >    Section 5.2.
> > >
> > >    A related scenario is that an ALTO server could unintentionally
> > >    give "bad" guidance.  If too many ALTO clients follow the guidance
> > >    without doing additional sanity checks and measurements, more
> > >    preferrable hosts and/or links could get overloaded while less
> > >    preferrable ones remain idle.
>
> Should we add a "(see alsoe AR-14 in RFC 6708)"  at the end of the last
> sentence?!  I think we can never say too often that ALTO is neither
> admission control nor centralized congestion control.
>

Good idea. Added a reference to AR-14 for more considerations.


>
> > > 13.5.2. Protection Mechanisms
> > >
> > >    Applications that are able to establish several connections to
> > >    different resource providers at the same time (e.g., chunk-based
> > >    peer-to-peer file sharing applications) may select those by a mix of
> > >    ALTO-assisted and random selection.  If throughput measurements do
> > >    not show "better-than-random" results for the resource providers
> > >    selected with ALTO support of if other evidence suggests misleading
> > >    ALTO Information Resources, a user might want to disable ALTO usage
> > >    or switch to another ALTO server provided by an "independent
> > >    organization". This holds in particular if the first ALTO server is
> > >    provided by the access network operator (see AR-20 and AR-21 in [RFC
> > >    6708]).  An access network operator in turn might try to redirect
> > >    queries to external ALTO servers to the operator's ALTO server or
> try
> > >    to tamper with their responses. Authentication and integrity
> > >    protection can at least detect such behavior (see
> > >    xref-to "Authenticity and Integrity of ALTO Information Resources").
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Assuming that you like the section split I proposed above, I'd like
> > > to further propose re-ordering the sections:
> > >
> > > 13.1   Authenticity and Integrity of ALTO Information Resources
> > > 13.2.  Undesirable results from an authenticated ALTO server
> > > 13.3.  Confidentiality of ALTO Information Resources
> > > 13.4.  Privacy Protection for ALTO Users
> > > 13.5.  Availability of the ALTO Service
> > >
> > >
> > I think the ordering is good and will revise to it.
> >
> >
> > > Maybe we should also rename the 13.?.2 Sections from
> > > "Protection Mechanisms" to "Protection Strategies" as most of the
> > > text is still rather high-level recommendations.  Or use a
> > > three-subsection design:
> > > 1. Risk secnarios (someone could be listening)
> > > 2. Protection Strategies (use encryption)
> > > 3. Protection Mechanisms and Guidelines (use TLS with cipher x and
> > >    minimum key length y)
> > >
> > > Protection Strategies is a better term indeed. Let's change to it.
> >
> > As you mentioned TLS with cipher x and key length y, I assume that the
> > protocol spec will not specify it, as it will be a moving target and
> should
> > be handled by TLS negotiation according to best practices. What do you
> > think?
>
> What I wanted to say: In my first proposal, I had three subsections
> for every protection goal.  Their headings were still worded clumsy but
> the idea was:
>
> 13.x.1 Risk Scenarios
> 13.x.2 Protection Strategy
> 13.x.3 Protection Mechanisms and Configuration Guidelines
>
> with "Protection Strategy" as a high-level discussion which mechansims
> (e.g., encryption) can solve the problems at which cost, leaving which
> issues open, etc.  and "Protection Mechanisms and Configuration
> Guidelines" containing very specific guidance how to implement and
> configure these mechanisms.
>
>
> Most of the text we have so far goes into the "Risk Scenarios" and
> "Protection Strategy" subsections. So I'd like to propose now to
> rename our existing "Protection Mechanisms" sections to "Protection
> Strategy"
>
>
> Regarding "Protection Mechanisms and Configuration Guidelines"
> in general and TLS ciphersuites in particular: Maybe it is better to
> omit the 13.x.3 subsections completely, as this is indeed a
> moving target while RFCs last "forever".
>
> Given that our base protocol HTTP is extremely widespread I assume that
> there will be Best Current Practices how to secure it for very many
> years to come.  So a rather generic reference to BCPs might be better in
> the long-term than a detailed elaboration of today's state of the art.
>
> What about:
>
> Software engineers developing and operators deploying ALTO must make
> themselves familar with up-to-date Best Current Practices how to secure
> HTTP against these types of attacks.
>
>
> This kind of sentence still could go in the respective
> "Protection Strategy" subsection, i.e., no need to open a separate
> "Protection Mechanisms" subsection.
>
>
> Agreed. Revised to this structure.

Thanks a lot!

Richard


>
>
>
>
> Thanks
> Sebastian
>
>
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