Subject: Algorithm Naming

From: "Raif S. Naffah" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 09:36:05 +1100

We are faced with the problem of referencing algorithm names in
our specification (SRP SASL mechanism).  Related to algorithm
naming, http://www.ietf.org/ID-nits.html states:

   Variant Algorithm Definitions

   If you specify multiple algorithms for a particular function:
   For example, if there are multiple compression algorithms,
   encryption algorithms, representation formats, etc., consider

     * A robust way to enumerate these, preferably with space
     for future assignments by the Internet Assigned Number
     Authority

     * Consider re-using an existing IANA registry instead of
     creating a new one, since this leads to less confusion
     between different registries that have similar items.

Current IANA registries related to algorithm naming include:

   "Magic Numbers" for ISAKMP Protocol
   http://www.iana.org/assignments/isakmp-registry

   ONE TIME PASSWORD PARAMETERS
   http://www.iana.org/assignments/otp-parameters

   TELNET OPTIONS
   http://www.iana.org/assignments/telnet-options

All of these are references for a certain specification and/or
protocol.  None of them provide a central reference that can
be used by current or future IETF drafts/RFCs to unambiguously
reference algorithms/primitives used within their
specifications.

Rather than create a new IANA registry solely for our
specification, we propose that a new IANA registry be created
to store security-related naming information that can be
referenced by multiple specifications.  This registry would
hold information such as the names of message digest
algorithms, integrity protection algorithms, ciphers, cipher
modes of operations, key negotiation algorithms etc. (the
name), as well as the reference to some published
specifications of their design (the specification).

The initiation of this process may be through an informational
RFC that (a) describes the problem in more details, (b) gives
an initial list of algorithm names, and (c) guidelines for
registring more names with IANA.

Keith Burdis and Raif S. Naffah

---

From: Scott Bradner <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 18:51:22 -0500 (EST)

>         Before IETF goes off to create another registry, ought we not
> check and see if there is one existant elsewhere that we could
> just reuse 

as long as entry to those lists is not unduely restricted

Scott