Additional Hash Algorithms for HTTP Instance Digests
draft-bryan-http-digest-algorithm-values-update-04

Abstract

The IANA registry named "Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Digest Algorithm Values" defines values for digest algorithms used by Instance Digests in HTTP. Instance Digests in HTTP provide a digest, also known as a checksum or hash, of an entire representation of the current state of a resource. This draft adds new values to the registry and updates previous values.

Status of this Memo

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Table of Contents

1.  Introduction
    1.1.  Examples
2.  IANA Considerations
    2.1.  Previous Registrations Updated
    2.2.  New Registrations
3.  Security Considerations
4.  Changes compared to RFC 3230
5.  Normative References
Appendix A.  Acknowledgements and Contributors
Appendix B.  Document History
§  Author's Address

1.  Introduction

The IANA registry named "Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Digest Algorithm Values" defines values for digest algorithms used by Instance Digests in HTTP.

Note: This is unrelated to HTTP Digest Authentication. Instance Digests in HTTP provide a digest, also known as a checksum or hash, of an entire representation of the current state of a resource.

The registry was created by [RFC3230] (Mogul, J. and A. Van Hoff, “Instance Digests in HTTP,” January 2002.) in 2002. This draft adds new values to the registry and updates previous values which had redundant or outdated references.

[[ Discussion of this draft should take place on IETF HTTP WG mailing list at ietf-http-wg@w3.org or directly to the author. ]]

1.1.  Examples

Examples of Instance Digest for SHA-256:

Digest: SHA-256=MWVkMWQxYTRiMzk5MDQ0MzI3NGU5NDEyZTk5OWY1ZGFmNzgyZTJlO
DYzYjRjYzFhOTlmNTQwYzI2M2QwM2U2MQ==

2.  IANA Considerations

This document makes use of the IANA registry named "Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Digest Algorithm Values" specified in [RFC3230] (Mogul, J. and A. Van Hoff, “Instance Digests in HTTP,” January 2002.).

2.1.  Previous Registrations Updated

Accordingly, IANA has updated the following registrations:

Digest Algorithm: MD5

Description: The MD5 algorithm, as specified in [RFC1321] (Rivest, R., “The MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm,” April 1992.). The output of this algorithm is encoded using the base64 encoding [RFC4648] (Josefsson, S., “The Base16, Base32, and Base64 Data Encodings,” October 2006.).

Reference: [RFC1321] (Rivest, R., “The MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm,” April 1992.) [RFC4648] (Josefsson, S., “The Base16, Base32, and Base64 Data Encodings,” October 2006.)

Digest Algorithm: SHA

Description: The SHA-1 algorithm [FIPS‑180‑3] (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “Secure Hash Standard (SHS),” October 2008.). The output of this algorithm is encoded using the base64 encoding [RFC4648] (Josefsson, S., “The Base16, Base32, and Base64 Data Encodings,” October 2006.).

Reference: [FIPS‑180‑3] (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “Secure Hash Standard (SHS),” October 2008.) [RFC4648] (Josefsson, S., “The Base16, Base32, and Base64 Data Encodings,” October 2006.)

2.2.  New Registrations

Accordingly, IANA has made the following registrations:

Digest Algorithm: SHA-256

Description: The SHA-256 algorithm [FIPS‑180‑3] (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “Secure Hash Standard (SHS),” October 2008.). The output of this algorithm is encoded using the base64 encoding [RFC4648] (Josefsson, S., “The Base16, Base32, and Base64 Data Encodings,” October 2006.).

Reference: [FIPS‑180‑3] (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “Secure Hash Standard (SHS),” October 2008.) [RFC4648] (Josefsson, S., “The Base16, Base32, and Base64 Data Encodings,” October 2006.)

Digest Algorithm: SHA-512

Description: The SHA-512 algorithm [FIPS‑180‑3] (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “Secure Hash Standard (SHS),” October 2008.). The output of this algorithm is encoded using the base64 encoding [RFC4648] (Josefsson, S., “The Base16, Base32, and Base64 Data Encodings,” October 2006.).

Reference: [FIPS‑180‑3] (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “Secure Hash Standard (SHS),” October 2008.) [RFC4648] (Josefsson, S., “The Base16, Base32, and Base64 Data Encodings,” October 2006.)

3.  Security Considerations

Same as [RFC3230] (Mogul, J. and A. Van Hoff, “Instance Digests in HTTP,” January 2002.).

4.  Changes compared to RFC 3230

All previous values to the registry are still valid.

The reference for base64 encoding has been updated for both MD5 and SHA.

The reference for SHA has been updated.

The SHA-256 and SHA-512 algorithms have been added to the registry.

5. Normative References

Appendix A.  Acknowledgements and Contributors

Thanks to Mark Nottingham, Eran Hammer-Lahav, Nils Maier, Lisa Dusseault, Alfred Hoenes, Pasi Eronen, Gonzalo Camarillo, and Radia Perlman.

Appendix B.  Document History

[[ to be removed by the RFC editor before publication as an RFC. ]]

Known issues concerning this draft:

• None known.

-04 : December 10, 2009.

• General Area Review Team (Gen-ART) review nits.

-03 : October 21, 2009.

• Make things look a bit nicer.

-02 : October 15, 2009.

• New title.
• "Note: This is unrelated to HTTP Digest Authentication."
• Remove SHA-224 and SHA-384.
• "Changes compared to RFC 3230" section added.

-01 : October 07, 2009.

• Update previous values that are outdated.
• RFC 4648 for Base64 encoding.

-00 : September 08, 2009.

• Initial draft.

Author's Address