Internet DRAFT - draft-smyslov-ipsecme-ikev2-cookie-revised

draft-smyslov-ipsecme-ikev2-cookie-revised







Network Working Group                                         V. Smyslov
Internet-Draft                                                ELVIS-PLUS
Intended status: Standards Track                         16 October 2023
Expires: 18 April 2024


            Revised Cookie Processing in the IKEv2 Protocol
             draft-smyslov-ipsecme-ikev2-cookie-revised-06

Abstract

   This document defines a revised processing of cookies in the Internet
   Key Exchange protocol Version 2 (IKEv2).  It is intended to solve a
   problem in IKEv2 when due to packets loss and reordering peers may
   erroneously fail to authenticate each other when cookies are used in
   the initial IKEv2 exchange.

Status of This Memo

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   This Internet-Draft will expire on 18 April 2024.

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   provided without warranty as described in the Revised BSD License.




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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Terminology and Notation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   3.  Using Cookies in IKEv2  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   4.  Problem Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   5.  Revised Cookie Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     5.1.  Negotiation of Revised Cookie Processing  . . . . . . . .   7
     5.2.  Processing of REVISED_COOKIE Notification . . . . . . . .   7
     5.3.  Changes in AUTH Payload Calculation . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   6.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   7.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   8.  Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   9.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10

1.  Introduction

   The Internet Key Exchange protocol Version 2 (IKEv2) described in
   [RFC7296] includes mechanism to defend against DoS attacks.  The
   mechanism is based on cookie which a responder can request an
   initiator to return in a subsequent request.  This allows the
   responder to avoid creating state until it is sure that the
   initiator's IP address is not spoofed.  The cookie mechanism is
   optional and it is up to the responder whether to use it or not.

   When the cookie mechanism is used in networks with high probability
   of packets loss and/or reordering, it is possible that peers end up
   with different views on whether cookies were used or not or which
   content the used cookie had.  Since cookie, if used, is a part of an
   IKEv2 message that is included into calculation of authentication
   data by both peers, the different views leads to the situation when
   peers erroneously fail to authenticate each other.

   This specification revises processing of cookies in IKEv2 in such a
   way that peers supporting it exclude cookies from the data to be
   authenticated.  This allows them to complete authentication even in
   the situation described above.

2.  Terminology and Notation

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
   "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP
   14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all
   capitals, as shown here.





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3.  Using Cookies in IKEv2

   Section 2.6 of [RFC7296] specifies that when a responder detects a
   large number of half-open IKE SAs, it SHOULD reply to an IKE_SA_INIT
   request with a response containing the COOKIE notification and If an
   IKE_SA_INIT response includes the COOKIE notification, the initiator
   MUST then retry the IKE_SA_INIT request, including the received
   COOKIE notification as the very first payload in it and retaining all
   other payloads intact.  This process is illustrated in Figure 1.

    Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   send req1:
   HDR, SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req1, send resp1:
                             <--         HDR, N(COOKIE,c)
   recv resp1, send req2:
   HDR, N(COOKIE,c),
        SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req2, send resp2:
                             <--         HDR, SAr1, KEr, Nr
   recv resp2

                                  Figure 1

   Note, that the responder creates no state when it sends message
   resp1.  This is achieved due to the way cookies are generated.  A
   good way to generate a cookie is described in Section 2.6 of
   [RFC7296]:

   Cookie = <VersionIDofSecret> | Hash(Ni | IPi | SPIi | <secret>)

   where <secret> is a randomly generated secret known only to the
   responder which is periodically changed.  [RFC7296] advises the
   responder to change the value of <secret> frequently, especially if
   under attack.

   Later in the IKE_AUTH exchange the IKE_SA_INIT messages are
   authenticated by including their content intact into the data that is
   signed (or MAC'ed) using peers' credentials (see Section 2.15 of
   [RFC7296] for details).

4.  Problem Description

   To successfully complete authentication it is important that both
   peers use the same content of the IKE_SA_INIT messages when
   calculating authentication data.  However, when cookies are employed,
   the IKE_SA_INIT request is sent at least twice with different
   content.  Section 2.15. of [RFC7296] states that if the first message
   of the IKE_SA_INIT exchange is sent multiple times with different



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   content (e.g. with a cookie), it is the latest version of the message
   that is used for authentication.  However, in situations when network
   packets can be lost and/or reordered, peers may end up with different
   views on what is "the latest version of the message".  Two examples
   of such situations are shown below.

   Consider a situation when at the time the initiator starts creating
   IKE SA by sending req1 message the responder thinks it's under attack
   and responds with a resp2 message containing cookie request.
   However, this message is delayed in the network.

   Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   send req1:
   HDR, SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req1, send resp1:
    (delayed)                <--         HDR, N(COOKIE,c)

   Since the initiator hasn't received any response, it retransmits the
   initial request message req1 after some time.  During this time the
   situation on the responder has changed and it doesn't think it's
   under attack anymore, so it responds with resp2 message and considers
   the IKE_SA_INIT exchange completed.  This message is also delayed in
   the network.

   Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   re-send req1:
   HDR, SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req1, send resp2:
    (delayed)                <--         HDR, SAr1, KEr, Nr

   After some time the initiator eventually receives the first
   initiator's response resp1, which contains cookie request.  It is the
   first response the initiator receives from the responder, so it re-
   sends the request adding the received cookie into it (req2).
   However, this message is lost and never reaches the responder.
   Shortly after sending req2 the initiator receives resp2 message.

   Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   recv resp1, send req2:
   HDR, N(COOKIE,c),
        SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->          (lost)
   recv resp2








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   At this point both peers have completed the IKE_SA_INIT exchange and
   the KE_AUTH exchange is ready to start.  However, the peers have
   different opinions on what the latest IKE_SA_INIT request message was
   - the initiator thinks it was req2, while the responder thinks it was
   req1.  As a result - the authentication in the IKE_AUTH exchange will
   fail.

   Let's consider another possible sequence, that leads to the same
   result.  As with the previous example the initiator starts creating
   IKE SA by sending req1 message.  The responder thinks it's under
   attack and responds with a resp1 message containing cookie request
   with cookie c1.  However, this message is delayed in the network.

   Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   send req1:
   HDR, SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req1, send resp1:
    (delayed)                <--         HDR, N(COOKIE, c1)

   As with the first example, the initiator hasn't received any response
   and retransmits its initial request message req1 after some time.  It
   happens that within this time the value of <secret> has changed
   (note, that [RFC7296] advises to do it frequently, especially when
   under attack).  Since the responder cannot verify cookie c1 and it
   still thinks it is under attack, it acts as if req1 contains no
   cookie and sends back resp2 message also containing cookie request,
   with a new cookie c2 (that was calculated using the same input data
   and the new value of <secret>).

   Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   re-send req1:
   HDR, SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req1, send resp2:
                             <--         HDR, N(COOKIE, c2)

   This message is not delayed, it reaches the initiator and the
   initiator sends a new request req2 containing cookie c2.  The
   responder receives this message and successfully verifies the cookie
   using its current value of <secret>.  Since the cookie verification
   is successfull, the responder sends back resp3 message and considers
   the IKE_SA_INIT exchange completed.  However, resp3 message is
   delayed.









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   Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   recv resp2, send req2:
   HDR, N(COOKIE, c2),
        SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req2, send resp3:
    (delayed)                <--         HDR, SAr1, KEr, Nr

   After some time the initiator eventually receives resp1 message,
   which was delayed.  This message contains another value of cookie -
   c1.  Since this message was received later than resp2 message, the
   initiator thinks the value c1 is fresher than c2 and sends a new
   request message req3 now with c1 cookie.  This message is lost in the
   network and never reaches the responder.  Shortly after sending req3
   the initiator receives resp3 message.

   Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   recv resp1, send req3:
   HDR, N(COOKIE, c1),
        SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->          (lost)
   recv resp3

   As with the first example, at this point both peers have completed
   the IKE_SA_INIT exchange and are ready for the KE_AUTH exchange.
   However, the peers again have different opinions on what the latest
   IKE_SA_INIT request message was - the initiator thinks it was req3,
   while the responder thinks it was req2.  As a result - the
   authentication in the IKE_AUTH exchange will fail as with the
   previous example.

   The root of this problem is that the initial request can be re-sent
   several times with different content depending on the responder's
   current state, which can change over time.  Note, that this situation
   is generally not possible with the INVALID_KE_PAYLOAD notification,
   even that in this case the request is also sent several times.  This
   is because the responder will always either require changing Key
   Exchange method or not, so it is not possible that eventually peers
   end up with different opinions on what Key Exchange method was
   negotiated in the IKE_SA_INIT exchange.

5.  Revised Cookie Processing

   This specification proposes to solve the problem by excluding cookie
   content from data to be authenticated.  The rationale for this is
   that cookie must be verified by the responder independently at the
   time it is received in the IKE_SA_INIT request, so there is no need
   to authenticate it.




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5.1.  Negotiation of Revised Cookie Processing

   For the purpose of using revised cookie processing a new Status Type
   notify REVISED_COOKIE is defined.  Its Notify Message Type is <TBA by
   IANA>, Protocol ID and SPI Size are both set to 0.  The responder
   includes an empty REVISED_COOKIE notification whenever it sends a
   response containing COOKIE notification.  If the initiator doesn't
   support this extension it will ignore this notification and continues
   as described in [RFC7296].  In case the initiator supports revised
   cookie processing it will re-send its initial request including the
   received cookie, but placing the cookie data into the REVISED_COOKIE
   notification instead of COOKIE notification.

   Initiator                             Responder
   -----------                           -----------
   send req1:
   HDR, SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req1, send resp1:
                                         HDR, N(COOKIE,c),
                             <--              N(REVISED_COOKIE)
   recv resp1, send req2:
   HDR, N(REVISED_COOKIE,c),
        SAi1, KEi, Ni        -->         recv req2, send resp2:
                             <--         HDR, SAr1, KEr, Nr
   recv resp2

                                  Figure 2

5.2.  Processing of REVISED_COOKIE Notification

   If the responder has sent the REVISED_COOKIE notification in the
   message requesting cookie it should be prepared to receive the re-
   sent IKE_SA_INIT request with the REVISED_COOKIE notification
   containing the cookie and with no COOKIE notification.  Processing of
   the REVISED_COOKIE notification by the responder MUST be identical to
   the processing of COOKIE notification which is described in Sections
   2.6 and 2.7 of [RFC7296].

5.3.  Changes in AUTH Payload Calculation

   In the subsequent IKE_AUTH exchange peers authenticate each other by
   signing (or MAC'ing) blobs of data.  These blobs are defined in
   Section 2.15 of [RFC7296].  In particular, initiator's blob is
   defined as follows:








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   InitiatorSignedOctets = RealMessage1 | NonceRData | MACedIDForI
   GenIKEHDR = [ four octets 0 if using port 4500 ] | RealIKEHDR
   RealIKEHDR =  SPIi | SPIr |  . . . | Length
   RealMessage1 = RealIKEHDR | RestOfMessage1
   NonceRPayload = PayloadHeader | NonceRData
   InitiatorIDPayload = PayloadHeader | RestOfInitIDPayload
   RestOfInitIDPayload = IDType | RESERVED | InitIDData
   MACedIDForI = prf(SK_pi, RestOfInitIDPayload)

                                  Figure 3

   In Figure 3 RealMessage1 is the latest version of the IKE_SA_INIT
   request message.

   If the very first payload in RealMessage1 is the REVISED_COOKIE
   notify, then InitiatorSignedOctets are computed as shown in Figure 4.
   In particular:

   1.  The content of the REVISED_COOKIE notify payload is eliminated
       from the message;

   2.  The Next Payload field in the IKE Header is set to the value of
       the Next Payload field in the header of eliminated payload;

   3.  The length of the eliminated payload (indicated in the Length
       field in its header) is subtracted from the Length field in the
       IKE Header.

   InitiatorSignedOctets = PseudoMessage1 | NonceRData | MACedIDForI
   RealMessage1 = RealIKEHDR | NotifyREVISED_COOKIE | RestOfMessage1
   NotifyREVISED_COOKIE = NextPld | 0 | PldLength | RestOfNotifyCOOKIE
   GenIKEHDR = [ four octets 0 if using port 4500 ] | RealIKEHDR
   RealIKEHDR = SPIi | SPIr |  HdrNextPld | . . . | MsgLength
   PseudoKEHDR =  SPIi | SPIr |  NewHdrNextPld | . . . | NewMsgLength
   NewHdrNextPld = NextPld
   NewMsgLength = MsgLength - PldLength
   PseudoMessage1 = PseudoIKEHDR | RestOfMessage1
   NonceRPayload = PayloadHeader | NonceRData
   InitiatorIDPayload = PayloadHeader | RestOfInitIDPayload
   RestOfInitIDPayload = IDType | RESERVED | InitIDData
   MACedIDForI = prf(SK_pi, RestOfInitIDPayload)

                                  Figure 4








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   In brief, if RealMessage1 doesn't contain the REVISED_COOKIE
   notification then it is used in the authentication as is (Figure 3).
   Otherwise a new pseudo message PseudoMessage1 is used which is
   constructed from RealMessage1 as if it doesn't contain the
   REVISED_COOKIE notification (Figure 4).

   This modification excludes Notify payload containing cookie from the
   input to the AUTH payload calculation, thus solving the problem
   described in Section 4.

6.  Security Considerations

   This extension modifies the way IKE initiator is authenticated to the
   IKE responder.  In particular, the cookie, created by the responder
   and returned by the initiator in the IKE_SA_INIT request is excluded
   from the data to be authenticated.  IKEv2 specification requires that
   cookie (if present in the request) be verified by the responder at
   the early stage of the IKE_SA_INIT request message processing.  If
   this verification fails, then the responder must act as if no cookie
   were present (see Section 2.6 of [RFC7296]), which in most cases
   results in requesting a new cookie.  An adversary that is able to
   modify cookie content (or remove it from the request) will get no new
   advantages if this extension is used: either the responder requests a
   new cookie, or it doesn't care about the cookie at the moment and the
   IKE_SA_INIT exchange succeeded with invalid cookie.  In the later
   case if revised cookie processing is used the subsequent IKE_AUTH
   exchange will also succeed and IKE SA will be created, which is
   different from the current situation, when authentication will fail
   in the IKE_AUTH if cookie is changed by the attacker.

   Excluding cookie from the data to be authenticated doesn't degrade
   security properties of IKEv2, because the content of the cookie is
   generated by the responder and must be verified by the responder well
   before the authentication takes place.  The initiator doesn't
   participate in generation of cookie, it only returns it back as a
   blob.

   Compared to the current processing of cookie the difference caused by
   the revised processing in a situation when an attacker changes cookie
   in the IKE_SA_INIT request is that IKE SA will still be created
   (provided no other obstacles exists), but only if the responder at
   the moment doesn't care about validity of the received cookie (it
   means that it is not under attack).

7.  IANA Considerations

   This document defines a new Notify Message Types in the "Notify
   Message Types - Status Types" registry:



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     <TBA>       REVISED_COOKIE

8.  Acknowledgements

   Author is grateful to Tero Kivinen and Wei Pan for sharing their
   thoughts about this problem and potential ways to solve it.

9.  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

   [RFC8174]  Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
              2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174,
              May 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8174>.

   [RFC7296]  Kaufman, C., Hoffman, P., Nir, Y., Eronen, P., and T.
              Kivinen, "Internet Key Exchange Protocol Version 2
              (IKEv2)", STD 79, RFC 7296, DOI 10.17487/RFC7296, October
              2014, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7296>.

Author's Address

   Valery Smyslov
   ELVIS-PLUS
   PO Box 81
   Moscow (Zelenograd)
   124460
   Russian Federation
   Phone: +7 495 276 0211
   Email: svan@elvis.ru


















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