Subject: Last Call: <draft-ietf-httpauth-scram-auth-13.txt> (Salted Challenge Response (SCRAM) HTTP Authentication Mechanism) to Experimental RFC

From: The IESG <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 02 Dec 2015 08:11:01 -0800

The IESG has received a request from the Hypertext Transfer Protocol
Authentication WG (httpauth) to consider the following document:
- 'Salted Challenge Response (SCRAM) HTTP Authentication Mechanism'
  <draft-ietf-httpauth-scram-auth-13.txt> as Experimental RFC

The IESG plans to make a decision in the next few weeks, and solicits
final comments on this action. Please send substantive comments to the
[email-masked] mailing lists by 2015-12-16. Exceptionally, comments may be
sent to [email-masked] instead. In either case, please retain the
beginning of the Subject line to allow automated sorting.

Abstract

   The authentication mechanism most widely deployed and used by
   Internet application protocols is the transmission of clear-text
   passwords over a channel protected by Transport Layer Security (TLS).
   There are some significant security concerns with that mechanism,
   which could be addressed by the use of a challenge response
   authentication mechanism protected by TLS.  Unfortunately, the HTTP
   Digest challenge response mechanism presently on the standards track
   failed widespread deployment, and have had success only in limited
   use.

   This specification describes a family of HTTP authentication
   mechanisms called the Salted Challenge Response Authentication
   Mechanism (SCRAM), which addresses security concerns with HTTP Digest
   and meets the deployability requirements.  When used in combination
   with TLS or an equivalent security layer, a mechanism from this
   family could improve the status-quo for HTTP authentication.

The file can be obtained via
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-httpauth-scram-auth/

IESG discussion can be tracked via
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-httpauth-scram-auth/ballot/

No IPR declarations have been submitted directly on this I-D.