In that case I would suggest that we make SHA256 a MUST support for
signature verifiers and a SHOULD for signature generators. 

SHA-1 should probably also be a MUST for verifiers and a SHOULD for
signers.

As a practical matter folk are likely to want to do DKIM with hardware
acceleration that only supports SHA-1 for some time to come. I don't
think we can realistically mandate SHA-256 as a MUST.

If implementations are to be genuinely interoperable then something that
calls itself DKIM compliant must implement both hashes.




> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Stephen Farrell
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 6:33 PM
> To: Daniel Dreymann
> Cc: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [ietf-dkim] Supporting alternate algorithms
> 
> 
> While I wouldn't quibble with anyone's position on whether 
> sha-1 is still ok, or whether sha-256 is interestingly 
> stronger, (not being qualified myself), I do think the place 
> from which DKIM ought to accept guidance is the saag.
> 
> The saag minutes [1] from Vancouver contain the following:
> 
>   Security Area Response to Hash Function Breaks
>       Russ said we should "walk, not run."  This is not a problem yet
>       but as attacks are improved it will become a problem.  NIST held
>       a hash workshop.  Conclusions from that workshop include a
>       reminder that SHA-1 will reach end-of-life  for digital 
> signatures
>       by 2010.  Also, we cannot expect any new standardized hash
>       functions before then.  The security ADs have decided 
> that we need
>       to transition to sha-256 now.  There will probably be a later
>       transition to something new after it is developed.  So, we need
>       to become good at transitions as we have at least two.
>       Protocols with active WGs will be analyzed within those WGs;
>       others in SAAG.
> 
>   Directives to WGs/Chairs:
>        Do analysis on every protocol in the WG by IETF 65
>        Start standards work on transition to sha-256, but plan for
>        future transitions.
> 
> So, I'd encourage folks who want to debate algorithm 
> specifics to do so on the saag list, where such discussion is 
> more appropriate and where there is more expertise available. 
> (And so the discussion can be repeated less often:-)
> 
> For DKIM, I think we ought to try to take action as per the 
> above, but, in the knowledge that things can, and do, change, 
> so the more agile we can be, as a group, and in terms of the 
> specs we write, the better.
> 
> If there's an argument that DKIM should not follow saag's 
> line on this, then that of course would be appropriate to 
> discuss, but I find it hard to see what's that different 
> about DKIM in this respect.
> 
> Stephen.
> 
> [1] http://www3.ietf.org/proceedings/05nov/saag.html
> 
> 
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