Hola, Fernando!

On 12/22/13, 12:56 AM, "Fernando Gont" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hola, Carlos,
>
>Thanks so much for your feedback! Please find my responses in-line...

AnytimeŠ please see inline.

>
>On 12/16/2013 05:20 PM, Carlos Pignataro (cpignata) wrote:
>> Apologies for the lateness of these two small comments, and if it
>> has been made before --
>> 
>> Looking only at the title and first sentence of the Abstract:
>> 
>> --->8--- Virtual Private Network (VPN) traffic leakages in
>> dual-stack hosts/networks
>> 
>> Abstract
>> 
>> The subtle way in which the IPv6 and IPv4 protocols co-exist in
>> typical networks, together with the lack of proper IPv6 support in
>>  popular Virtual Private Network (VPN) products, may inadvertently
>>  result in VPN traffic leaks. --->8---
>> 
>> I have one concern and one small comment:
>> 
>> First, "VPN" is a pseudo-technical term, or a meta-term. If I
>> understand, this document refers to a very narrow slice of "VPNs"
>> (not to L1VPNs, not to L2VPNs, not to MP-BGP/MPLS IP VPNs, not
>> to...). The document seems to be (only?) focusing on
>> client/concentrator VPNs, and within these ones the IPsec ones.
>> Can we make this very explicit in the 1. title, 2. abstract, and
>> even 3. a formal definition of scope?
>
>I'm currently working on a "Terminology" section which describes what
>we mean by "VPN".

This is a good start.

>
>Regarding the title... I'm not sure it's easy to come up with
>something simple that makes this clear (particularly when, as you
>correctly state, "VPN" is kind of a meta-term)... Do you have any
>suggestions for some alternative title?

I think that, for the title, saying ³VPN traffic leakages² is too generic
to be accurate, and you need to qualify ³VPN².

The document seems to hint at the type of VPNs in scope. Although this
would be more clear after the terminology section, basically the document
covers VPNs that are:
1. Hub-and-Spoke (I.e., client-based in a client-gateway model) VPNs, as
opposed to Mesh VPNs (MPLS BGP VPNs).
2. Encryption-based VPNs (given the mentions of ³in the clear²), as
opposed to simply tunneling.

This is similar to the Cisco AnyConnect software client in my mac.

Based on this, ³Client-based encryption-based VPNs²?

Again, maybe it will be more clear after the terminology section.

>
>wrt to the Abstract, how about changing it to:
>
>---- cut here ----
>   The subtle way in which the IPv6 and IPv4 protocols co-exist in
>   typical networks, together with the lack of proper IPv6 support in
>   popular SSL-based or IPsec-based Virtual Private Network (VPN)
>   products, may inadvertently result in VPN traffic leaks.
>[...]
>---- cut here ----
>
>?

I think this covers one of the qualities (SSL-based or IPsec-based) but
not the other (client-based vs. full mesh).

>
>I realize that this might still be a bit unclear, though. If you have
>any suggestions, please do let me know.

I do think it¹s better, but not quite there yet.

>
>
>> Second, are these "leakages" if the packets are not destined to go
>> in the tunnel? I guess if the "traffic" (i.e., payload) is not sent
>> on the IPsec tunnel, then it is leaked. But it is a bit
>> borderline...
>
>We deem it as a "leakage" when traffic to some destination is expected
>to go through the VPN, but doesn't. Trivial example: You employ e.g.
>OpenVPN to send all your traffic through some VPN gateway (e.g., some
>box at you office or home), but then connect to a dual-stacked
>network. If the destination is IPv6-enabled, your traffic will leak
>out of your VPN inadvertently.

I agree with your perspective. Although it can be argued both ways, I do
think it is totally fair to call it a leakage in this case.

>
>Thoughts?
>
>Thanks!


Thanks,

‹ Carlos.


>
>Best regards,
>-- 
>Fernando Gont
>SI6 Networks
>e-mail: [email protected]
>PGP Fingerprint: 6666 31C6 D484 63B2 8FB1 E3C4 AE25 0D55 1D4E 7492
>
>
>
>

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