When more than two parties share the same message-authentication key,
data origin authentication is not provided. Any party that knows the
message-authentication key can compute a valid MAC, therefore the
contents could originate from any one of the parties.
Implementations must randomly generate content-encryption keys,
message-authentication keys, initialization vectors (IVs), and
padding. Also, the generation of public/private key pairs relies on
a random numbers. The use of inadequate pseudo-random number
generators (PRNGs) to generate cryptographic keys can result in
little or no security. An attacker may find it much easier to
reproduce the PRNG environment that produced the keys, searching the
resulting small set of possibilities, rather than brute force
searching the whole key space. The generation of quality random
numbers is difficult. RFC1750 [RANDOM] offers important guidance in
this area, and Appendix 3 of FIPS Pub 186 [DSS] provides one quality
PRNG technique.
When using key agreement algorithms or previously distributed
symmetric key-encryption keys, a key-encryption key is used to
encrypt the content-encryption key. If the key-encryption and
content-encryption algorithms are different, the effective security
is determined by the weaker of the two algorithms. If, for example,
content is encrypted with Triple-DES using a 168-bit Triple-DES
content-encryption key, and the content-encryption key is wrapped
with RC2 using a 40-bit RC2 key-encryption key, then at most 40 bits
of protection is provided. A trivial search to determine the value
of the 40-bit RC2 key can recover the Triple-DES key, and then the
Triple-DES key can be used to decrypt the content. Therefore,
implementers must ensure that key-encryption algorithms are as strong
or stronger than content-encryption algorithms.
Implementers should be aware that cryptographic algorithms become
weaker with time. As new cryptoanalysis techniques are developed and
computing performance improves, the work factor to break a particular
cryptographic algorithm will be reduced. Therefore, cryptographic
algorithm implementations should be modular, allowing new algorithms
to be readily inserted. That is, implementors should be prepared for
the set of algorithms that must be supported to change over time.
The countersignature unsigned attribute includes a digital signature
that is computed on the content signature value, thus the
countersigning process need not know the original signed content.
This structure permits implementation efficiency advantages; however,
this structure may also permit the countersigning of an inappropriate
signature value. Therefore, implementations that perform
countersignatures should either verify the original signature value
prior to countersigning it (this verification requires processing of
the original content), or implementations should perform
countersigning in a context that ensures that only appropriate
signature values are countersigned.
15. Acknowledgments
This document is the result of contributions from many professionals.
I appreciate the hard work of all members of the IETF S/MIME Working
Group. I extend a special thanks to Rich Ankney, Simon Blake-Wilson,
Tim Dean, Steve Dusse, Carl Ellison, Peter Gutmann, Bob Jueneman,
Stephen Henson, Paul Hoffman, Scott Hollenbeck, Don Johnson, Burt
Kaliski, John Linn, John Pawling, Blake Ramsdell, Francois Rousseau,
Jim Schaad, and Dave Solo for their efforts and support.
16. Authors' Address
Russell Housley
RSA Laboratories
918 Spring Knoll Drive
Herndon, VA 20170
USA
EMail: rhousley@rsasecurity.com
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