Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                       J. Snijders
Request for Comments: 9589                                        Fastly
Updates: 6488                                                T. Harrison
Category: Standards Track                                          APNIC
ISSN: 2070-1721                                                 May 2024


   On the Use of the Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) Signing-Time
 Attribute in Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) Signed Objects

Abstract

   In the Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI), Signed Objects are
   defined as Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) protected content
   types.  A Signed Object contains a signing-time attribute,
   representing the purported time at which the object was signed by its
   issuer.  RPKI repositories are accessible using the rsync and RPKI
   Repository Delta protocols, allowing Relying Parties (RPs) to
   synchronize a local copy of the RPKI repository used for validation
   with the remote repositories.  This document describes how the CMS
   signing-time attribute can be used to avoid needless retransfers of
   data when switching between different synchronization protocols.
   This document updates RFC 6488 by mandating the presence of the CMS
   signing-time attribute and disallowing the use of the binary-signing-
   time attribute.

Status of This Memo

   This is an Internet Standards Track document.

   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has
   received public review and has been approved for publication by the
   Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Further information on
   Internet Standards is available in Section 2 of RFC 7841.

   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc9589.

Copyright Notice

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   document authors.  All rights reserved.

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   in the Revised BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction
     1.1.  Requirements Language
   2.  Optimized Switchover from RRDP to rsync
     2.1.  Guidance for Repository Operators
     2.2.  Guidance for Relying Parties
   3.  Presence of the CMS Signing-Time Attribute in Public
           Repositories
   4.  Updates to RFC 6488
   5.  Security Considerations
   6.  IANA Considerations
   7.  References
     7.1.  Normative References
     7.2.  Informative References
   Acknowledgements
   Authors' Addresses

1.  Introduction

   In the Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) [RFC6480], Signed
   Objects are defined as Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) [RFC5652]
   [RFC6268] protected content types by way of a standard template
   [RFC6488].  That template includes an optional CMS signing-time
   attribute, representing the time at which the object was signed by
   its issuer.  At the time when the standard template was defined,
   rsync was the only distribution mechanism for RPKI repositories.

   Since the publication of the standard template, a new, additional
   protocol for distribution of RPKI repositories has been developed:
   the RPKI Repository Delta Protocol (RRDP) [RFC8182].  While RPKI
   repository operators must provide rsync service, RRDP is typically
   deployed alongside it as well, and is preferred by default by most
   Relying Party (RP) implementations.  However, RP implementations also
   support fallback to rsync in the event of problems with the RRDP
   service.  As deployment experience with RRDP has increased, the
   usefulness of optimizing switchovers by RPs from one mechanism to the
   other has become apparent.

   This document describes how Repository Operators [RFC6481] and RPs
   can use the CMS signing-time attribute to minimize the burden of
   switching over from RRDP to rsync.  Additionally, this document
   updates [RFC6488] by mandating the presence of the CMS signing-time
   attribute and disallowing the use of the binary-signing-time
   attribute.

1.1.  Requirements Language

   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.

2.  Optimized Switchover from RRDP to rsync

   To avoid needless retransfers of unchanged files in consecutive rsync
   synchronizations, [RPKI-PUB-SERV] recommends the use of so-called
   'deterministic' (normalized) timestamps for files.  When the content
   of a file is unchanged, Repository Operators SHOULD ensure that the
   last modification timestamp of the file remains unchanged as well.

   This document advances the aforementioned concept by describing a
   synchronization strategy through which needless transfers are also
   avoided upon first use of rsync, by leveraging data previously
   fetched via RRDP.

   At the time of writing, all commonly used RP implementations will
   first attempt synchronization via RRDP, as described in
   [RPKI-REP-REQS].  If synchronization via RRDP fails for some reason
   (e.g., malformed XML, expired TLS certificate, HTTP connection
   timeout), the RP will attempt to synchronize via rsync instead.

   In the rsync synchronization protocol, a file's last modification
   timestamp ('mod-time' from here on) and file size are used to
   determine whether the general-purpose rsync synchronization algorithm
   needs to be executed for the file.  This is the default mode for both
   the original rsync implementation [rsync] and the OpenBSD
   implementation [openrsync].  If the sender's copy of the file and the
   receiver's copy of the file both have the same mod-time and file
   size, the files are assumed to contain the same content, and they
   will be omitted from the list of files to be transferred.  Ensuring
   consistency with respect to mod-time for both senders and receivers
   helps to reduce the burden of rsync synchronization in terms of
   network bandwidth, disk I/O operations, and CPU usage.

   In order to reduce the burden of the rsync synchronization (following
   an RRDP failure), Repository Operators and RPs SHOULD adhere to the
   following guidelines.

2.1.  Guidance for Repository Operators

   When serializing RPKI Signed Objects to a filesystem hierarchy for
   publication via rsync, the mod-time of the file containing the Signed
   Object SHOULD be set to the value of the CMS signing-time attribute
   contained within the Signed Object.

2.2.  Guidance for Relying Parties

   When serializing RPKI Signed Objects retrieved via RRDP to a
   filesystem hierarchy, the mod-time of the file containing the Signed
   Object SHOULD be set to the value of the CMS signing-time attribute
   contained within the Signed Object.

   If an RP uses RRDP to synthesize a filesystem hierarchy for the
   repository, then synchronizing to the corresponding directory
   directly is an option.  Alternatively, the RP can synchronize to a
   new (empty) directory using the --compare-dest=DIR rsync feature, in
   order to avoid retrieving files that are already available by way of
   the synthesized filesystem hierarchy stemming from previous RRDP
   fetches.  The DIR component is to be substituted with the name of the
   directory containing previously fetched and validated RPKI data (in
   its original DER-encoded form, to ensure the file size parameter
   matches).

   From the [rsync] man page for --compare-dest=DIR:

   |  This option instructs rsync to use DIR on the destination machine
   |  as an additional hierarchy to compare destination files against
   |  doing transfers (if the files are missing in the destination
   |  directory).  If a file is found in DIR that is identical to the
   |  sender's file, the file will NOT be transferred to the destination
   |  directory.  This is useful for creating a sparse backup of just
   |  files that have changed from an earlier backup.

   From the [openrsync] man page for --compare-dest=directory:

   |  Use directory as an alternate base directory to compare files
   |  against on the destination machine.  If file in directory is found
   |  and identical to the sender's file, the file will not be
   |  transferred.

3.  Presence of the CMS Signing-Time Attribute in Public Repositories

   Analyzing the [rpkiviews] archives containing millions of RPKI Signed
   Objects discovered via the five Regional Internet Registry (RIR)
   Trust Anchors (TAs) from 6 June 2022 to 29 January 2024, each Signed
   Object contained a CMS signing-time attribute.

   The above means that all of the commonly used TAs and their
   subordinate Certification Authorities (CAs) produce Signed Objects
   that contain a CMS signing-time attribute.  This means that making
   the CMS signing-time attribute mandatory would not cause any existing
   commonly used TA or CA to become non-compliant.

   As of 29 January 2024, for 83.8% of Signed Objects, the CMS signing-
   time timestamp matches the file's mod-time observed via rsync.  This
   means that it is already the case that RPs would see a significant
   reduction in the amount of processing required in rsync if they
   adopted the strategy outlined in Section 2.2.

   In the above-mentioned period of time, no Signed Objects were
   discovered with a CMS binary-signing-time [RFC6019] attribute in the
   specified repositories.  Therefore, disallowing the use of the CMS
   binary-signing-time attribute would not cause any existing commonly
   used TA or CA to become non-compliant.

4.  Updates to RFC 6488

   This section updates [RFC6488] to make the CMS signing-time attribute
   mandatory and to disallow the presence of the CMS binary-signing-time
   attribute.

   *  In Section 2.1.6.4, this paragraph is replaced as follows.

      OLD

      |  The signedAttrs element MUST be present and MUST include the
      |  content- type and message-digest attributes [RFC5652].  The
      |  signer MAY also include the signing-time attribute [RFC5652],
      |  the binary-signing-time attribute [RFC6019], or both
      |  attributes.  Other signed attributes MUST NOT be included.

      NEW

      |  The signedAttrs element MUST be present and MUST include the
      |  content-type, message-digest, and signing-time attributes
      |  [RFC5652].  Other signed attributes MUST NOT be included.

   *  In Section 2.1.6.4.3, the first sentence is replaced as follows.

      OLD

      |  The signing-time attribute MAY be present.

      NEW

      |  The signing-time attribute MUST be present.

   *  In Section 2.1.6.4.3, the sentence "Note that the presence or
      absence of the signing-time attribute MUST NOT affect the validity
      of the signed object (as specified in Section 3)." is removed.

   *  Section 2.1.6.4.4 is removed in its entirety.

   *  In Section 3, item 1.f is replaced as follows.

      OLD

      |  f.  The signedAttrs field in the SignerInfo object is present
      |      and contains both the content-type attribute (OID
      |      1.2.840.113549.1.9.3) and the message-digest attribute (OID
      |      1.2.840.113549.1.9.4).

      NEW

      |  f.  The signedAttrs field in the SignerInfo object is present
      |      and contains the content-type attribute (OID
      |      1.2.840.113549.1.9.3), the message-digest attribute (OID
      |      1.2.840.113549.1.9.4), and the signing-time attribute
      |      (1.2.840.113549.1.9.5).

   *  In Section 3, item 1.g is replaced as follows.

      OLD

      |  g.  The signedAttrs field in the SignerInfo object does not
      |      contain any attributes other than the following four: the
      |      content-type attribute (OID 1.2.840.113549.1.9.3), the
      |      message-digest attribute (OID 1.2.840.113549.1.9.4), the
      |      signing-time attribute (OID 1.2.840.113549.1.9.5), and the
      |      binary-signing-time attribute (OID
      |      1.2.840.113549.1.9.16.2.46).  Note that the signing-time
      |      and binary-signing-time attributes MAY be present, but they
      |      are not required.

      NEW

      |  g.  The signedAttrs field in the SignerInfo object does not
      |      contain any attributes other than the following three: the
      |      content-type attribute (OID 1.2.840.113549.1.9.3), the
      |      message-digest attribute (OID 1.2.840.113549.1.9.4), and
      |      the signing-time attribute (OID 1.2.840.113549.1.9.5).

   *  In Section 9 (Informative References), [RFC6019] is removed from
      the list.

5.  Security Considerations

   No requirement is imposed concerning the correctness of the signing
   time attribute.  It does not provide reliable information on the time
   the signature was produced and it bears no relevance for seamless
   switchover between RRDP and rsync.

   Although the Security Considerations in [RFC6019] mandate that the
   signing-time and binary-signing-time attributes (if both present)
   MUST provide the same date and time, there is still a chance that an
   object will have values for these attributes that do not represent
   the same date and time.  Restricting the RPKI Signed Object profile
   to a single field for storing the signing time removes any potential
   for ambiguity.

6.  IANA Considerations

   This document has no IANA actions.

7.  References

7.1.  Normative References

   [openrsync]
              "openrsync", 2023, <https://www.openrsync.org/>.

   [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>.

   [RFC5652]  Housley, R., "Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS)", STD 70,
              RFC 5652, DOI 10.17487/RFC5652, September 2009,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5652>.

   [RFC6268]  Schaad, J. and S. Turner, "Additional New ASN.1 Modules
              for the Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) and the Public
              Key Infrastructure Using X.509 (PKIX)", RFC 6268,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC6268, July 2011,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6268>.

   [RFC6480]  Lepinski, M. and S. Kent, "An Infrastructure to Support
              Secure Internet Routing", RFC 6480, DOI 10.17487/RFC6480,
              February 2012, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6480>.

   [RFC6481]  Huston, G., Loomans, R., and G. Michaelson, "A Profile for
              Resource Certificate Repository Structure", RFC 6481,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC6481, February 2012,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6481>.

   [RFC6488]  Lepinski, M., Chi, A., and S. Kent, "Signed Object
              Template for the Resource Public Key Infrastructure
              (RPKI)", RFC 6488, DOI 10.17487/RFC6488, February 2012,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6488>.

   [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>.

   [RFC8182]  Bruijnzeels, T., Muravskiy, O., Weber, B., and R. Austein,
              "The RPKI Repository Delta Protocol (RRDP)", RFC 8182,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC8182, July 2017,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8182>.

   [rsync]    "rsync", 2024, <https://rsync.samba.org/>.

7.2.  Informative References

   [RFC6019]  Housley, R., "BinaryTime: An Alternate Format for
              Representing Date and Time in ASN.1", RFC 6019,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC6019, September 2010,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6019>.

   [RPKI-PUB-SERV]
              Bruijnzeels, T., de Kock, T., Hill, F., and T. Harrison,
              "RPKI Publication Server Best Current Practices", Work in
              Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-timbru-sidrops-
              publication-server-bcp-02, 18 January 2024,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-timbru-
              sidrops-publication-server-bcp-02>.

   [RPKI-REP-REQS]
              Bruijnzeels, T., Bush, R., and G. Michaelson, "Resource
              Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) Repository Requirements",
              Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-ietf-sidrops-
              prefer-rrdp-02, 23 December 2022,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-ietf-sidrops-
              prefer-rrdp-02>.

   [rpkiviews]
              "rpkiviews", <https://www.rpkiviews.org/>.

Acknowledgements

   The authors would like to thank Ties de Kock, Niels Bakker, Mikael
   Abrahamsson, Russ Housley, Zaheduzzaman Sarker, Éric Vyncke, Mahesh
   Jethanandani, and Roman Danyliw, for their helpful review of this
   document.

Authors' Addresses

   Job Snijders
   Fastly
   Amsterdam
   The Netherlands
   Email: job@fastly.com


   Tom Harrison
   Asia Pacific Network Information Centre
   6 Cordelia St
   South Brisbane QLD 4101
   Australia
   Email: tomh@apnic.net







ERRATA