Hi, Tal,

> On Jul 20, 2016, at 11:42 AM, Tal Mizrahi <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> Hi Carlos,
> 
> 
>> Let’s step back a little — the “vulnerability” you are describing comes with 
>> the
>> assumption that a MIIT attacker can intercept a packet, extract a TLV from
>> the MD Type 2, drop the packet; then intercept another packet (with the
>> knowledge that it took a different path, so maybe the attacker is using 
>> inband
>> OAM as well :-), and insert (or modify) a TLV within the content of the MD
>> Type 2 within the content of NSH, within a specific packet.
>> 
>> This sounds quite sophisticated.
> 
> I am not sure I agree this is a 'sophisticated' attack.
> The attack does not require any cryptographic or algorithmic functionality, 
> and to that end it is very lightweight in terms of processing resources.

Sorry if I was not clear — I do not mean technological sophistication or 
massive processing resources required. I mean access and operational one.

> 
> If this kind of attack is not within the scope here, then I would argue that 
> you don't need a cryptographic mechanism at all. All you need is a TLV that 
> specifies the list of nodes. However, I believe that you did want to try to 
> mitigate MITM attackers. Correct me if I am wrong.
> 

You seem to have missed quoting the important part of my response: "My point is 
that what you seem to be describing is a generic threat use case and not a 
specific vulnerability.”

Selectively dropping part of the response removes important context.

> I fully agree that the threat model needs to be well-defined.

The threat model for SFC MD, yes. Access to the POT comes with assumptions.

Thanks,

— Carlos.

> I hope you will elaborate more on the threat model in the next version of the 
> draft.
> 
> Cheers,
> Tal.
> 
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Carlos Pignataro (cpignata) [mailto:[email protected]]
>> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 11:34 AM
>> To: Tal Mizrahi
>> Cc: Sashank Dara (sadara); Frank Brockners (fbrockne); draft-brockners-proof-
>> [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
>> Subject: MD Type attack (Was: Question regarding Proof of Transit draft)
>> 
>> Tal,
>> 
>>> On Jul 20, 2016, at 6:30 AM, Tal Mizrahi <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi Sashank,
>>> 
>>>> [SD] The attack is valid only if the attacker can get away bypassing a
>> service function/node.
>>>> For example, if the attacker bypasses a node and if POT determines it did
>> not bypass is a valid attack on the system.
>>> 
>>> I would phrase it this way: *Given* a packet that did not go through its
>> desired path, the attacker can easily make you think that it *did* go through
>> the desired path.
>>> Sounds like a very significant vulnerability.
>>> 
>>> If a packet did not go through the firewall (for one reason or another), the
>> attacker will make you think that it did go through the firewall.
>>> 
>> 
>> Let’s step back a little — the “vulnerability” you are describing comes with 
>> the
>> assumption that a MIIT attacker can intercept a packet, extract a TLV from
>> the MD Type 2, drop the packet; then intercept another packet (with the
>> knowledge that it took a different path, so maybe the attacker is using 
>> inband
>> OAM as well :-), and insert (or modify) a TLV within the content of the MD
>> Type 2 within the content of NSH, within a specific packet.
>> 
>> This sounds quite sophisticated.
>> 
>> Do you think that if an MIIT can have that surface of attack and
>> sophistication, they can mess up with other even more critical things?
>> Changing a Tenant ID, messing up with Policy Groups, etc?
>> 
>> My point is that what you seem to be describing is a generic threat use case
>> and not a specific vulnerability. Engineering is about trade-offs (i.e., 
>> solutions
>> that have practical performance) and about placing the solution in the most
>> effective place.
>> 
>> I’m not deflecting but at the same time, let’s understand the assumptions you
>> are making for this potential attack you describe, as part of the threat
>> analysis.
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> — Carlos.
>> 
>>> Cheers,
>>> Tal.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From: Sashank Dara (sadara) [mailto:[email protected]]
>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 4:31 AM
>>> To: Tal Mizrahi; Frank Brockners (fbrockne); draft-brockners-proof-of-
>> [email protected]
>>> Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
>>> Subject: Re: Question regarding Proof of Transit draft
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The POT replacement attack (1.) is not an attack on the integrity. It is an
>> attack on the path verification.
>>> This simple attack can cause the verifier to accept a packet that did not go
>> through the firewall SF (even though it should). I believe this is exactly 
>> the
>> problem you were aiming to address in this draft.
>>> 
>>> [SD] The attack is valid only if the attacker can get away bypassing a 
>>> service
>> function/node.
>>> For example, if the attacker bypasses a node and if POT determines it did
>> not bypass is a valid attack on the system.
>>> 
>>> In the current state, there is no way an attacker can get away as we
>> determine the exact path the packet travelled (aim of the draft) .
>>> I reiterate that the verifier needs to handle what to do with the path
>> reconstructed !
>>> We could emphasize this in our next draft , but it would be beyond scope of
>> POT to determine what to do with the path constructed.
>>> IMO, It would be highly application specific.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Regards,
>>> Sashank
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Thanks,
>>> Tal.
>>> 
>>> From: Frank Brockners (fbrockne) [mailto:[email protected]]
>>> Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 6:00 PM
>>> To: Tal Mizrahi; Sashank Dara (sadara); draft-brockners-proof-of-
>> [email protected]<mailto:draft-brockners-proof-of-
>> [email protected]>
>>> Cc: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>;
>> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>;
>> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
>>> Subject: RE: Question regarding Proof of Transit draft
>>> 
>>> Hi Tal,
>>> 
>>> thanks for the summary. We'll provide more details on 2. Per my earlier
>> point - 1. is an interesting discussion, given that we don't claim to provide
>> integrity protection for the packet payload. Or in other terms - to be exact:
>> What POT provides is a proof that the POT-header/meta-data transited all the
>> required nodes. There is no association (and thus proof) provided for the
>> additional data carried along with the POT-header - neither header nor
>> payload. As a consequence, attacks which change the packet payload won't
>> be detected/mitigated. We'll explicitly state this in the security 
>> considerations
>> in the next rev of the document.
>>> What we could consider is linking the RND number to CRC across the packet
>> payload or similar - but that way we'd restrict the applicability to 
>> deployments
>> where the packet payload isn't changed across the path (which might not
>> apply to certain deployment - e.g. WAN optimization / compression schemes).
>>> Do you think it is worthwhile to provide a solution for a deployment which 
>>> is
>> expected to not alter the packet payload?
>>> 
>>> Thanks,
>>> Frank
>>> 
>>> From: Tal Mizrahi [mailto:[email protected]]
>>> Sent: Dienstag, 19. Juli 2016 17:44
>>> To: Sashank Dara (sadara)
>> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>; Frank Brockners (fbrockne)
>> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>; draft-brockners-
>> [email protected]<mailto:draft-brockners-proof-of-
>> [email protected]>
>>> Cc: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>;
>> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>;
>> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
>>> Subject: RE: Question regarding Proof of Transit draft
>>> 
>>> Hi,
>>> 
>>> To summarize my take on this thread:
>>> The proposed mechanism has two significant vulnerabilities that (in my
>> understanding) are currently not addressed:
>>> 
>>> 1.       A man-in-the-middle can replace the POT of packet A with the POT of
>> packet B.
>>> 
>>> 2.       It is possible to replay POTs within a certain time window, whose
>> length is determined by the timestamp resolution.
>>> 
>>> Sashank, thanks for agreeing to look into it further. I am looking forward 
>>> to
>> your insights on this.
>>> 
>>> Regards,
>>> Tal.
>>> 
>>> Link to the draft: https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-brockners-proof-of-
>> transit-01
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From: Sashank Dara (sadara) [mailto:[email protected]]
>>> Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 12:20 PM
>>> To: Tal Mizrahi; Frank Brockners (fbrockne); draft-brockners-proof-of-
>> [email protected]<mailto:draft-brockners-proof-of-
>> [email protected]>; [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
>>> Subject: Re: Question regarding Proof of Transit draft
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I want to ask a simple question:
>>> If the attacker attaches the POT of packet A (indicating the path through
>> 1,3,5,6) to packet B, will the verifier accept packet B and believe that its 
>> path
>> was indeed (1,3,5,6)?
>>> 
>>> [SD] If the verifier is programmed to just validate the POT meta data 
>>> against
>> {1,3,5,6} then yes it accepts it.
>>> If the verifier is programmed to consult a policy database to cross check if
>> the reconstructed path {1,3,5,6} is as per the policies then no , it drops 
>> it .
>>> 
>>> But I see your point , that the parameters used in POT data donot consider
>> the path or node-ids etc . We shall discuss this internally and get back.
>>> 
>>> Also, We shall get back with more concrete numbers of the timestamp
>> resolution and cache sizes (or other better approaches).
>>> 
>>> Thank you so much for all the inputs.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From: Tal Mizrahi
>>> Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 10:28 AM
>>> To: 'Sashank Dara (sadara)'; Frank Brockners (fbrockne); draft-brockners-
>> [email protected]<mailto:draft-brockners-proof-of-
>> [email protected]>; [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
>>> Subject: RE: Question regarding Proof of Transit draft
>>> 
>>> Dear Sashank,
>>> 
>>> I really appreciate the quick and detailed responses.
>>> 
>>>>>> Lets take correct path taken by Packet A  to be Path1 - ( 1,3,5,6) nodes
> 

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