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diff --git a/doc/rfc/rfc4262.txt b/doc/rfc/rfc4262.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f72fecc --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/rfc/rfc4262.txt @@ -0,0 +1,283 @@ + + + + + + +Network Working Group S. Santesson +Request for Comments: 4262 Microsoft +Category: Standards Track December 2005 + + + X.509 Certificate Extension for + Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) Capabilities + +Status of This Memo + + This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the + Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for + improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet + Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state + and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. + +Copyright Notice + + Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005). + +Abstract + + This document defines a certificate extension for inclusion of + Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) Capabilities in + X.509 public key certificates, as defined by RFC 3280. This + certificate extension provides an optional method to indicate the + cryptographic capabilities of an entity as a complement to the S/MIME + Capabilities signed attribute in S/MIME messages according to RFC + 3851. + +1. Introduction + + This document defines a certificate extension for inclusion of S/MIME + Capabilities in X.509 public key certificates, as defined by RFC 3280 + [RFC3280]. + + The S/MIME Capabilities attribute, defined in RFC 3851 [RFC3851], is + defined to indicate cryptographic capabilities of the sender of a + signed S/MIME message. This information can be used by the recipient + in subsequent S/MIME secured exchanges to select appropriate + cryptographic properties. + + However, S/MIME does involve also the scenario where, for example, a + sender of an encrypted message has no prior established knowledge of + the recipient's cryptographic capabilities through recent S/MIME + exchanges. + + + + + +Santesson Standards Track [Page 1] + +RFC 4262 S/MIME Capabilities Extensions December 2005 + + + In such a case, the sender is forced to rely on out-of-band means or + its default configuration to select a content encryption algorithm + for encrypted messages to recipients with unknown capabilities. Such + default configuration may, however, be incompatible with the + recipient's capabilities and/or security policy. + + The solution defined in this specification leverages the fact that + S/MIME encryption requires possession of the recipient's public key + certificate. This certificate already contains information about the + recipient's public key and the cryptographic capabilities of this + key. Through the extension mechanism defined in this specification, + the certificate may also identify the subject's cryptographic S/MIME + capabilities. This may then be used as an optional information + resource to select appropriate encryption settings for the + communication. + + This document is limited to the "static" approach where asserted + cryptographic capabilities remain unchanged until the certificate + expires or is revoked. Other "dynamic" approaches, which allow + retrieval of certified dynamically updateable capabilities during the + lifetime of a certificate, are out of scope of this document. + +1.1. Terminology + + The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", + "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this + document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 [STDWORDS]. + +2. S/MIME Capabilities Extension + + This section defines the S/MIME Capabilities extension. + + The S/MIME Capabilities extension data structure used in this + specification is identical to the data structure of the + SMIMECapabilities attribute defined in RFC 3851 [RFC3851]. (The + ASN.1 structure of smimeCapabilities is included below for + illustrative purposes only.) + + smimeCapabilities OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= + {iso(1) member-body(2) us(840) rsadsi(113549) pkcs(1) + pkcs-9(9) 15} + + SMIMECapabilities ::= SEQUENCE OF SMIMECapability + + SMIMECapability ::= SEQUENCE { + capabilityID OBJECT IDENTIFIER, + parameters ANY DEFINED BY capabilityID OPTIONAL } + + + + +Santesson Standards Track [Page 2] + +RFC 4262 S/MIME Capabilities Extensions December 2005 + + + All content requirements defined for the SMIMECapabilities attribute + in RFC 3851 apply also to this extension. + + There are numerous different types of S/MIME Capabilities that have + been defined in various documents. While all of the different + capabilities can be placed in this extension, the intended purpose of + this specification is mainly to support inclusion of S/MIME + Capabilities specifying content encryption algorithms. + + Certification Authorities (CAs) SHOULD limit the type of included + S/MIME Capabilities in this extension to types that are considered + relevant to the intended use of the certificate. + + Client applications processing this extension MAY at their own + discretion ignore any present S/MIME Capabilities and SHOULD always + gracefully ignore any present S/MIME Capabilities that are not + considered relevant to the particular use of the certificate. + + This extension MUST NOT be marked critical. + +3. Use in Applications + + Applications using the S/MIME Capabilities extension SHOULD NOT use + information in the extension if more reliable and relevant + authenticated capabilities information is available to the + application. + + It is outside the scope of this specification to define what is, or + is not, regarded as a more reliable source of information by the + application that is using the certificate. + +4. Security Considerations + + The S/MIME Capabilities extension contains a statement about the + subject's capabilities made at the time of certificate issuance. + Implementers should therefore take into account any effect caused by + the change of these capabilities during the lifetime of the + certificate. + + Change in the subject's capabilities during the lifetime of a + certificate may require revocation of the certificate. Revocation + should, however, only be motivated if a listed algorithm is + considered broken or considered too weak for the governing security + policy. + + + + + + + +Santesson Standards Track [Page 3] + +RFC 4262 S/MIME Capabilities Extensions December 2005 + + + Implementers should take into account that the use of this extension + does not change the fact that it is always the responsibility of the + sender to choose sufficiently strong encryption for its information + disclosure. + +5. Normative References + + [STDWORDS] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate + Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997. + + [RFC3280] Housley, R., Polk, W., Ford, W., and D. Solo, "Internet + X.509 Public Key Infrastructure Certificate and + Certificate Revocation List (CRL) Profile", RFC 3280, + April 2002. + + [RFC3851] Ramsdell, B., "Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail + Extensions (S/MIME) Version 3.1 Message Specification", + RFC 3851, July 2004. + +Author's Address + + Stefan Santesson + Microsoft + Tuborg Boulevard 12 + 2900 Hellerup + Denmark + + EMail: stefans@microsoft.com + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Santesson Standards Track [Page 4] + +RFC 4262 S/MIME Capabilities Extensions December 2005 + + +Full Copyright Statement + + Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005). + + This document is subject to the rights, licenses and restrictions + contained in BCP 78, and except as set forth therein, the authors + retain all their rights. + + This document and the information contained herein are provided on an + "AS IS" basis and THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE ORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS + OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET + ENGINEERING TASK FORCE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, + INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE + INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED + WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Intellectual Property + + The IETF takes no position regarding the validity or scope of any + Intellectual Property Rights or other rights that might be claimed to + pertain to the implementation or use of the technology described in + this document or the extent to which any license under such rights + might or might not be available; nor does it represent that it has + made any independent effort to identify any such rights. Information + on the procedures with respect to rights in RFC documents can be + found in BCP 78 and BCP 79. + + Copies of IPR disclosures made to the IETF Secretariat and any + assurances of licenses to be made available, or the result of an + attempt made to obtain a general license or permission for the use of + such proprietary rights by implementers or users of this + specification can be obtained from the IETF on-line IPR repository at + http://www.ietf.org/ipr. + + The IETF invites any interested party to bring to its attention any + copyrights, patents or patent applications, or other proprietary + rights that may cover technology that may be required to implement + this standard. Please address the information to the IETF at ietf- + ipr@ietf.org. + +Acknowledgement + + Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the + Internet Society. + + + + + + + +Santesson Standards Track [Page 5] + |