Hi Alexandru,

> It may also be interesting to look at how network-layer mobility fits
> the authentication aspects you're dealing with.  For example, if a
> eduroam user uses Mobile IP to maintain ongoing sessions between
> different campuses (maybe traveling through UMTS in between).  This can
> be achieved by modifying the network layer only (Mobile IP) instead of
> going up to the application layer, having thus some advantages.
> However, the authentication problems are also raised, for example: what
> does the user authenticate - her Home Address or her Care-of Address?
> Or both?

This is indeed another challenge we ran into in eduroam, and it comes even 
without Mobile IP: when authenticating with 802.1X, a layer 2 address is 
authenticated. The later provisioning of a layer 3 address is not tied into 
the authentication at all.
However, if a user commits undesired action, he will be seen on the internet 
with the layer 3 address, which in turn needs to be tracked back to a user 
identity on layer 2.

We have been struggling with this issue for quite a while. There are numerous, 
but incomplete, approaches to that so far. I'll list them for reference, but 
it would sure be very interesting having a chat about improving the l2-to-l3 
binding of a user...

* ARP sniffing: some Access Points keep track of their ARP chaches and look 
which address is using which IP address. Even if a malicious user changes his 
IP address after 802.1X authentication, it will be detected and his identity 
remains known under the new IP address. Drawback: requires vendor support, 
currently only implemented in IPv4.

* DHCP logging: the IP addresses which are handed out can be logged and 
correlated to a layer 2 address. This works on every decent DHCP server. 
Drawback: users can change IP addresses manually later, which is not 
detectable with this method.

* DHCP logging+firewall locks: some participants in eduroam go to great 
lengths: they issue IP addresses with DHCP *and* lock all currently unleased 
IP addresses so that a change of IP address by a malicious user will either 
be caught by the firewall or lead to a clash and thereby disturb connectivity 
for him. Drawback: the approach is quite sophisticated and depends on a 
seamless interaction between DHCP and firewall equipment.

Mobile IP, and the fact that with IPv6, it is normal for a device to have 
multiple IP addresses, add another few facets to the mix.

I'm looking forward to have a chat about that!

Greetings,

Stefan Winter

-- 
Stefan WINTER

Stiftung RESTENA - Réseau Téléinformatique de l'Education Nationale et de 
la Recherche
Ingenieur Forschung & Entwicklung

6, rue Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi
L-1359 Luxembourg
E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]     Tel.:     +352 424409-1
http://www.restena.lu                Fax:      +352 422473

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