You would have to identify a loop in the network first,
then introduce a request with an insanely large Max-Forwards.
Now, the current proxy text mandates decrementing Max-Forwards
by exactly one. A network could protect itself from this kind
of attack by reducing the value to something it thought was
sane. 

I don't see where adding Via's below ties in though.

RjS

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Henning Schulzrinne [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2002 1:17 PM
> To: Jonathan Rosenberg
> Cc: Jasson Casey; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [Sip-implementors] Max-Forwards v. Loop Detection
> 
> 
> One potential issue is DOS attacks. Without loop detection, 
> can I inject
> requests (adding Via's, say) that create additional work for 
> proxies, by
> looping around until Max-Forwards kicks in? With a high 
> Max-Forwards, I
> get a pretty good amplification factor.
> 
> Jonathan Rosenberg wrote:
> > 
> > Jasson Casey wrote:
> > 
> > > I've been going back through the RFC(s) and have a
> > > question.
> > >
> > > Requests can illegally loop or legitimately spiral. My
> > > current understanding is that an illegal loop is
> > > present when there is a corresponding via entry
> > > already in the via stack, and the message has a
> > > similar vector as with the previous via entry.
> > >
> > > What does Loop detection accomplish that cannot be
> > > accomplished with the Max-Forwards field?
> > 
> > Indeed, a fine question, and the source of Open Issue #407, which
> > proposes to deprecate loop detection in favor of max-forwards.
> > 
> > Loop detection has the benefit of detecting loops 
> immediately, whereas
> > with Max-Forwards, they can loop around a few times till the counter
> > hits zero. However, I believe experience has shown us that the
> > complexities of detecting a loop vs. a legitimate spiral are
> > substantial, and the small imporvement in performance it 
> provides is not
> > worth the cost.
> > 
> > There has been little comment on the proposal to deprecate loop
> > detection; one email in favor, and a few questions. Without any
> > additional comment it will be removed from bis-06.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > Jonathan R.
> > 
> > --
> > Jonathan D. Rosenberg, Ph.D.            72 Eagle Rock Avenue
> > Chief Scientist                         First Floor
> > dynamicsoft                             East Hanover, NJ 07936
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]                 FAX: (973) 952-5050
> > http://www.jdrosen.net                  PH:  (973) 952-5000
> > http://www.dynamicsoft.com
> > 
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