Key Exchange (KEX) Method Updates and Recommendations for Secure Shell (SSH)
draft-ietf-curdle-ssh-kex-sha2-06

Internet Engineering Task Force                               M. Baushke
Internet-Draft                                    Juniper Networks, Inc.
Updates: 4253, 4419, 4432, 4462, 5656                 September 20, 2016
         (if approved)
Intended status: Standards Track
Expires: March 24, 2017

 Key Exchange (KEX) Method Updates and Recommendations for Secure Shell
                                 (SSH)
                   draft-ietf-curdle-ssh-kex-sha2-06

Abstract

   This document adds recommendations for adoption of ssh-curves from
   the [I-D.ietf-curdle-ssh-curves] and new-modp from the
   [I-D.ietf-curdle-ssh-modp-dh-sha2], and deprecates some previously
   specified Key Exchange Method algorithm names for the Secure Shell
   (SSH) protocol.  It also updates [RFC4253], [RFC4419], [RFC4462], and
   [RFC5656] by specifying the set key exchange algorithms that
   currently exist and which ones MUST, SHOULD, MAY, and SHOULD NOT be
   implemented.  New key exchange methods use the SHA-2 family of
   hashes.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

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   This Internet-Draft will expire on March 24, 2017.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2016 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents

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   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

1.  Overview and Rationale

   Secure Shell (SSH) is a common protocol for secure communication on
   the Internet.  In [RFC4253], SSH originally defined the Key Exchange
   Method Name diffie-hellman-group1-sha1 which used [RFC2409] Oakley
   Group 2 (a 1024-bit MODP group) and SHA-1 [RFC3174].  Due to recent
   security concerns with SHA-1 [RFC6194] and with MODP groups with less
   than 2048 bits [NIST-SP-800-131Ar1] implementer and users request
   support for larger MODP group sizes with data integrity verification
   using the SHA-2 family of secure hash algorithms as well as MODP
   groups providing more security.

   The United States Information Assurance Directorate (IAD) at the
   National Security Agency (NSA) has published a FAQ
   [MFQ-U-OO-815099-15] suggesting that the use of Elliptic Curve
   Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) using the nistp256 curve and SHA-2 based hashes
   less than SHA2-384 are no longer sufficient for transport of Top
   Secret information.  It is for this reason that this draft moves
   ecdh-sha2-nistp256 from a REQUIRED to OPTIONAL as a key exchange
   method.  This is the same reason that the stronger MODP groups being
   adopted.  As the MODP group14 is already present in most SSH
   implementations and most implementations already have a SHA2-256
   implementation, so diffie-hellman-group14-sha256 is provided as an
   easy to implement and faster to use key exchange.  Small embedded
   applications may find this KEX desirable to use.

   The NSA Information Assurance Directorate (IAD) has also published
   the Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite (CNSA Suite)
   [CNSA-SUITE] in which the 3072-bit MODP Group 15 in RFC 3526 is
   explicitly mentioned as the minimum modulus to protect Top Secret
   communications.

   It has been observed in [safe-curves] that the NIST recommended
   Elliptic Curve Prime Curves (P-256, P-384, and P-521) are perhaps not
   the best available for Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) Security.
   For this reason, none of the [RFC5656] curves are marked as a MUST
   implement.  However, the requirement that "every compliant SSH ECC
   implementation MUST implement ECDH key exchange" is now taken to mean
   that if ecdsa-sha2-[identifier] is implemented, then ecdh-
   sha2-[identifier] MUST be implemented.

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   Please send comments on this draft to curdle@ietf.org.

2.  Requirements Language

   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 [RFC2119].

3.  Key Exchange Algorithms

   This memo adopts the style and conventions of [RFC4253] in specifying
   how the use of new data key exchange is indicated in SSH.

   A new set of Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman ssh-curves exist.  The
   curve25519-sha256 MUST be adopted where possible.

   As a hedge against uncertainty raised by the NSA IAD FAQ publication,
   new MODP Diffie-Hellman based key exchanges are proposed for
   inclusion in the set of key exchange method names as well as the
   curve448-sha512 curve.

   The following new key exchange algorithms are defined:

             Key Exchange Method Name      Note
             ----------------------------- ------------------
             curve25519-sha256             MUST/REQUIRED
             curve448-sha512               MAY/OPTIONAL
             diffie-hellman-group14-sha256 MUST/REQUIRED
             diffie-hellman-group15-sha512 MAY/OPTIONAL
             diffie-hellman-group16-sha512 SHOULD/RECOMMENDED
             diffie-hellman-group17-sha512 MAY/OPTIONAL
             diffie-hellman-group18-sha512 MAY/OPTIONAL
             gss-group14-sha256-*          SHOULD/RECOMMENDED
             gss-group15-sha512-*          MAY/OPTIONAL
             gss-group16-sha512-*          SHOULD/RECOMMENDED
             gss-group17-sha512-*          MAY/OPTIONAL
             gss-group18-sha512-*          MAY/OPTIONAL

   The SHA-2 family of secure hash algorithms are defined in
   [FIPS-180-4].

4.  IANA Considerations

   This RFC augments the Key Exchange Method Names in [RFC4253].  It
   downgrades the use of SHA-1 hashing for key exchange methods in
   [RFC4419], [RFC4432], and [RFC4462].  It also moves from MUST to
   SHOULD the ecdh-sha2-nistp256 given in [RFC5656].

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   It adds a new set of named "gss-*" methods to [RFC4462] with a MAY
   recommendation.

   It is desirable to also include the new-modp from the
   [I-D.ietf-curdle-ssh-modp-dh-sha2] in this list.

   It is desirable to also include the ssh-curves from the
   [I-D.ietf-curdle-ssh-curves] in this list.  The "curve25519-sha256"
   is currently available in some Secure Shell implementations under the
   name "curve25519-sha256@libssh.org" and is the best candidate for a
   fast, safe, and secure key exchange method.

   IANA is requested to update the SSH algorithm registry to ensure that
   all of the listed Key Exchange Method Name and References exist in
   the following table.  However, the Implement column is just the
   current recommendations of this RFC.

        Key Exchange Method Name             Reference  Implement
        ------------------------------------ ---------- ----------
        curve25519-sha256                    ssh-curves MUST
        curve448-sha512                      ssh-curves MAY
        diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1   RFC4419    SHOULD NOT
        diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256 RFC4419    MAY
        diffie-hellman-group1-sha1           RFC4253    SHOULD NOT
        diffie-hellman-group14-sha1          RFC4253    SHOULD
        diffie-hellman-group14-sha256        new-modp   MUST
        diffie-hellman-group15-sha512        new-modp   MAY
        diffie-hellman-group16-sha512        new-modp   SHOULD
        diffie-hellman-group17-sha512        new-modp   MAY
        diffie-hellman-group18-sha512        new-modp   MAY
        ecdh-sha2-nistp256                   RFC5656    SHOULD
        ecdh-sha2-nistp384                   RFC5656    SHOULD
        ecdh-sha2-nistp521                   RFC5656    SHOULD
        ecdh-sha2-*                          RFC5656    MAY
        ecmqv-sha2                           RFC5656    SHOULD NOT
        gss-gex-sha1-*                       RFC4462    SHOULD NOT
        gss-group1-sha1-*                    RFC4462    SHOULD NOT
        gss-group14-sha1-*                   RFC4462    SHOULD
        gss-group14-sha256-*                 new-modp   SHOULD
        gss-group15-sha512-*                 new-modp   MAY
        gss-group16-sha512-*                 new-modp   SHOULD
        gss-group17-sha512-*                 new-modp   MAY
        gss-group18-sha512-*                 new-modp   MAY
        gss-*                                RFC4462    MAY
        rsa1024-sha1                         RFC4432    SHOULD NOT
        rsa2048-sha256                       RFC4432    MAY

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   The Implement column in the above table is a suggestion/
   recommendation for the listed key exchange method to be implemented
   in the default list of key exchange methods.  It is up to the end-
   user as to what algorithms they choose to be able to negotiate, so
   the KEX algorithms should be configurable by the administrator of the
   server as well as the user of the client.  This RFC is intended to
   provide IANA defined names for these groups for interoperability.
   The Note column of the IANA table should probably continue to point
   to the implementation detail sections of the Reference RFCs where
   appropriate.

   The guidance of his RFC is that the SHA-1 algorithm hashing SHOULD
   NOT be used.  If it is used, it should only be provided for backwards
   compatibility, should not be used in new designs, and should be
   phased out of existing key exchanges as quickly as possible because
   of its known weaknesses.  Any key exchange using SHA-1 SHOULD NOT be
   in a default key exchange list if at all possible.  If they are
   needed for backward compatibility, they SHOULD be listed after all of
   the SHA-2 based key exchanges.

   The RFC4253 REQUIRED diffie-hellman-group14-sha1 method SHOULD be
   retained for compatibility with older Secure Shell implementations.
   It is intended that this key exchange method be phased out as soon as
   possible.

   It is believed that all current SSH implementations should be able to
   achieve an implementation of the "diffie-hellman-group14-sha256"
   method.  To that end, this is one method that MUST be implemented.

   If GSS-API methods are available, then the RFC4462 REQUIRED gss-
   group14-sha1-* method SHOULD be retained for compatibility with older
   Secure Shell implementations and the gss-groups14-sha256-* method
   SHOULD be added as for "sha1".

   [TO BE REMOVED: This registration should take place at the following
   location: <http://www.iana.org/assignments/ssh-parameters/ssh-
   parameters.xhtml#ssh-parameters-16>]

5.  Acknowledgements

   Thanks to the following people for review and comments: Denis Bider,
   Peter Gutmann, Damien Miller, Niels Moeller, Matt Johnston, Iwamoto
   Kouichi, Simon Josefsson, Dave Dugal, Daniel Migault.

   Thanks to the following people for code to implement interoperable
   exchanges using some of these groups as found in an this draft:
   Darren Tucker for OpenSSH and Matt Johnston for Dropbear.  And thanks
   to Iwamoto Kouichi for information about RLogin, Tera Term (ttssh)

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   and Poderosa implementations also adopting new Diffie-Hellman groups
   based on this draft.

6.  Security Considerations

   The security considerations of [RFC4253] apply to this RFC.

   The security considerations of [RFC3526] suggest that these MODP
   groups have security strengths given in this table.  They are based
   on [RFC3766] Determining Strengths For Public Keys Used For
   Exchanging Symmetric Keys.

   Group modulus security strength estimates (RFC3526)

   +--------+----------+---------------------+---------------------+
   | Group  | Modulus  | Strength Estimate 1 | Strength Estimate 2 |
   |        |          +----------+----------+----------+----------+
   |        |          |          | exponent |          | exponent |
   |        |          | in bits  | size     | in bits  | size     |
   +--------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
   |  14    | 2048-bit |      110 |     220- |      160 |     320- |
   |  15    | 3072-bit |      130 |     260- |      210 |     420- |
   |  16    | 4096-bit |      150 |     300- |      240 |     480- |
   |  17    | 6144-bit |      170 |     340- |      270 |     540- |
   |  18    | 8192-bit |      190 |     380- |      310 |     620- |
   +--------+----------+---------------------+---------------------+

                                 Figure 1

   Many users seem to be interested in the perceived safety of using
   larger MODP groups and hashing with SHA2-based algorithms.

7.  References

7.1.  Normative References

   [FIPS-180-4]
              National Institute of Standards and Technology, "Secure
              Hash Standard (SHS)", FIPS PUB 180-4, August 2015,
              <http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/
              NIST.FIPS.180-4.pdf>.

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

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   [RFC3526]  Kivinen, T. and M. Kojo, "More Modular Exponential (MODP)
              Diffie-Hellman groups for Internet Key Exchange (IKE)",
              RFC 3526, DOI 10.17487/RFC3526, May 2003,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc3526>.

   [RFC4253]  Ylonen, T. and C. Lonvick, Ed., "The Secure Shell (SSH)
              Transport Layer Protocol", RFC 4253, DOI 10.17487/RFC4253,
              January 2006, <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4253>.

7.2.  Informative References

   [CNSA-SUITE]
              "Information Assurance by the National Security Agency",
              "Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite", September
              2016, <https://www.iad.gov/iad/programs/iad-initiatives/
              cnsa-suite.cfm>.

   [I-D.ietf-curdle-ssh-curves]
              Adamantiadis, A. and S. Josefsson, "Secure Shell (SSH) Key
              Exchange Method using Curve25519 and Curve448", draft-
              ietf-curdle-ssh-curves-00 (work in progress), March 2016.

   [I-D.ietf-curdle-ssh-modp-dh-sha2]
              Baushke, M., "More Modular Exponential (MODP) Diffie-
              Hellman (DH) Key Exchange (KEX) Groups for Secure Shell
              (SSH)", draft-ietf-curdle-ssh-modp-dh-sha2-00 (work in
              progress), September 2016.

   [MFQ-U-OO-815099-15]
              "National Security Agency/Central Security Service", "CNSA
              Suite and Quantum Computing FAQ", January 2016,
              <https://www.iad.gov/iad/library/ia-guidance/ia-solutions-
              for-classified/algorithm-guidance/cnsa-suite-and-quantum-
              computing-faq.cfm>.

   [NIST-SP-800-131Ar1]
              Barker, and Roginsky, "Transitions: Recommendation for the
              Transitioning of the Use of Cryptographic Algorithms and
              Key Lengths", NIST Special Publication 800-131A Revision
              1, November 2015,
              <http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/
              NIST.SP.800-131Ar1.pdf>.

   [RFC2409]  Harkins, D. and D. Carrel, "The Internet Key Exchange
              (IKE)", RFC 2409, DOI 10.17487/RFC2409, November 1998,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2409>.

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   [RFC3174]  Eastlake 3rd, D. and P. Jones, "US Secure Hash Algorithm 1
              (SHA1)", RFC 3174, DOI 10.17487/RFC3174, September 2001,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc3174>.

   [RFC3766]  Orman, H. and P. Hoffman, "Determining Strengths For
              Public Keys Used For Exchanging Symmetric Keys", BCP 86,
              RFC 3766, DOI 10.17487/RFC3766, April 2004,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc3766>.

   [RFC4419]  Friedl, M., Provos, N., and W. Simpson, "Diffie-Hellman
              Group Exchange for the Secure Shell (SSH) Transport Layer
              Protocol", RFC 4419, DOI 10.17487/RFC4419, March 2006,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4419>.

   [RFC4432]  Harris, B., "RSA Key Exchange for the Secure Shell (SSH)
              Transport Layer Protocol", RFC 4432, DOI 10.17487/RFC4432,
              March 2006, <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4432>.

   [RFC4462]  Hutzelman, J., Salowey, J., Galbraith, J., and V. Welch,
              "Generic Security Service Application Program Interface
              (GSS-API) Authentication and Key Exchange for the Secure
              Shell (SSH) Protocol", RFC 4462, DOI 10.17487/RFC4462, May
              2006, <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4462>.

   [RFC5656]  Stebila, D. and J. Green, "Elliptic Curve Algorithm
              Integration in the Secure Shell Transport Layer",
              RFC 5656, DOI 10.17487/RFC5656, December 2009,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5656>.

   [RFC6194]  Polk, T., Chen, L., Turner, S., and P. Hoffman, "Security
              Considerations for the SHA-0 and SHA-1 Message-Digest
              Algorithms", RFC 6194, DOI 10.17487/RFC6194, March 2011,
              <http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6194>.

   [safe-curves]
              Bernstein, and Lange, "SafeCurves: choosing safe curves
              for elliptic-curve cryptography.", February 2016,
              <https://safecurves.cr.yp.to/>.

Author's Address

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   Mark D.     Baushke
   Juniper Networks, Inc.
   1133 Innovation Way
   Sunnyvale, CA  94089-1228
   US

   Phone: +1 408 745 2952
   Email: mdb@juniper.net
   URI:   http://www.juniper.net/

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