Additional Key Algorithms for Host Identity Protocol
draft-ponomarev-hip-ecc-00

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Abstract

This document specifies how to use Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) public-key algorithms in the Host Identity Protocol (HIP)

Table of Contents

1.  Introduction
2.  Additions to Host Identity Protocol
    2.1.  DIFFIE_HELLMAN
    2.2.  HOST_ID
3.  IANA Considerations
4.  Security Considerations
5.  Normative References
§  Author's Address

1.  Introduction

Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is an approach to public-key cryptography offering equivalent security with smaller key sizes than RSA or DSA [nist‑key‑management] (, “NIST SP 800-57, Recommendation for Key Management — Part 1: General (Revised),” May 2006.). The smaller keys result in less computational costs and therefore better performance for HIP [RFC4423] (Moskowitz, R. and P. Nikander, “Host Identity Protocol (HIP) Architecture,” May 2006.). Its reduced power consumption is also important for mobile devices.

 Symmetric  |   ECC   |  DH/DSA/RSA
------------+---------+-------------
     80     |   160   |     1024
    112     |   224   |     2048
    128     |   256   |     3072
    192     |   384   |     7680
    256     |   512   |    15360

This document describes additions to HIP to support ECC, applicable to RFC5201 [RFC5201] (Moskowitz, R., Nikander, P., Jokela, P., and T. Henderson, “Host Identity Protocol,” April 2008.). ECC keys may be used both as Host Identity to authenticate the hosts and in the Diffie-Hellman key exchange to generate a piece of keying material.

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[RFC2119] (Bradner, S., “Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels,” March 1997.).

2.  Additions to Host Identity Protocol

2.1.  DIFFIE_HELLMAN

The following additional Group IDs MAY be used:

NAME (NIST)                      |   NAME (SECG)  | Value
---------------------------------+----------------+-------
192-bit Random ECP Group         |    secp192r1   |  7
224-bit Random ECP Group         |    secp224r1   |  8
256-bit Random ECP Group         |    secp256r1   |  9
384-bit Random ECP Group         |    secp384r1   | 10
521-bit Random ECP Group         |    secp521r1   | 11

The groups are defined in RFC 5114 [RFC5114] (Lepinski, M. and S. Kent, “Additional Diffie-Hellman Groups for Use with IETF Standards,” January 2008.).

2.2.  HOST_ID

The following additional algorithm MAY be supported by the Host Identity Protocol Implementations

        Algorithms       Values
------------------------------------------------------
         ECC              4 (OPTIONAL)

3.  IANA Considerations

This section will be added later on.

4.  Security Considerations

This section will be added later on.

5. Normative References

Author's Address