Fernando,

On Dec 22, 2013, at 4:06 PM, Fernando Gont <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi, Carlos,
> 
> On 12/22/2013 05:54 PM, Carlos Pignataro (cpignata) wrote:
>>> FWIW, this is what we hae at the time of this writing (still subject to
>>> comments and edits);
>>> 
>>> ---- cut here ----
>>>  When employing the term VPN (or its acronym, "VPN"), this document
>>>  refers to IPsec-based or TLS-based tunnels, where traffic is
>>>  encapsulated and sent from a client to a middle-box, to access
>>>  multiple network services (potentially emplying different transport
>>>  and/or application protocols).
>> 
>> I do not think this is the best approach. Here you are saying: “when we
>> say VPN we actually mean this, so we will make statements about VPNs”.
>> Instead, I’d suggest the more precise approach is to say “in this document
>> we consider Foobar VPNs, so we will make statements about Foobar VPNs”
>> (where Foobar is a modifier/qualifier of VPN, defined in the document).
> 
> If you know of such modifier/qualifier, I'd like to know -- particularly
> if it's a one/two word thing that will not result in cumbersome text
> throughout the document.
> 
> Besides, at the end of the day, foobar VPN would still be one definition
> of ours, so... I'm not sure that would make the text any more precise
> (as long as the terminoogy is clarified up frnt, as with a "Terminology"
> section).
> 

I proposed a couple, I think they are better than nothing but certainly not 
great. Perhaps a potentially good one is hub-and-spoke (like in the softwires 
terminology, as I understand you are talking always about cases with a VPN 
Concentrator (hub), and the vulnerability in the (software) clients (spokes)).

In any case, my main point is that saying "VPN leakages in dual-stack networks" 
is not correct, as it overgeneralizes.

And I think that "foobar VPN" is much better than "VPN", provided that "foobar" 
is defined in the document. It's OK to create a new term if it is needed and 
none exists.

> 
> 
>>>  Our use of the term "Virtual Private Networks" excludes the so-called
>>>  SSL/TLS VPN portals (a front-end provided by the middlebox to add
>>>  security to a normally-unsecured site).  Further discussion of SSL-
>>>  based VPNs can be found in [SSL-VPNs].
>> 
>> Additionally, this talks about a specific view from the user (it is not a
>> provider provisioned VPN for example). So I’d define what it is and not
>> what it is not.
> 
> Not sure what you mean.
> 
> 
> 
>>>>> 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.
>>> 
>>> Is that possible in a one-liner?
>> 
>> It is necessary, in a one- or two-liner.
> 
> So far we have tried to do that with the terminology Section -- and I
> doubt that can be clearly one with a one liner. But if you have any
> suggestions, I'm all ears.
> 

See above (although you'd need to be "all eyes" or use a text-to-speach 
interface :-)

Net-net -- given the number of different types of VPNs, if the leakage does not 
apply to all (or even most) of them, I still think that technically the 
title/abstract/doc needs to narrow scope.

> 
> 
>> The IETF has defined terminology and taxonomy for VPNs. For example:
>> http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2764
>> http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3809
>> http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4026 for PP-VPNs, esp. S. 3, 3.10, 4
>> http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4110#section-1.5
>> 
>> And as you acknowledge it is a meta term (and an overused one); I’d talk
>> about Foobar-VPNs, with narrow definitions.
> 
> I'll check the references, and will also let others weigh in.

Sounds good -- thanks.

Carlos Pignataro.

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

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