Network Working Group                                        A. Rundgren
Internet-Draft                                               Independent
Intended status: Informational                          February 9, 2019
Expires: August 13, 2019


                      "Comparable" JSON (JSONCOMP)
                   draft-rundgren-comparable-json-02

Abstract

   This application note describes how JCS [JCS] can be utilized to
   support applications needing canonicalization beyond the core JSON
   [RFC8259] level, with comparisons as the primary target.

Status of This Memo

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   This Internet-Draft will expire on August 13, 2019.

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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   3.  String Subtype Normalization  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   4.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   5.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   6.  Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   7.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     7.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     7.2.  Informal References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4

1.  Introduction

   The purpose of JCS [JCS] is creating "Hashable" representations of
   JSON [RFC8259] data intended for cryptographic solutions.  JCS
   accomplishes this by combining normalization of the native JSON
   String and Number primitives with a deterministic property sorting
   scheme.  That is, JCS provides canonicalization at the core JSON
   level.  For interoperability reasons JCS also constrains data to the
   I-JSON [RFC7493] subset.

   However, if you rather would like to compare JSON data from different
   sources or runs, JCS would in many cases be inadequate since the JSON
   String type is commonly used for holding subtypes like "DateTime" or
   "BigNumber" objects.

   This application note outlines how JCS in spite of having a limited
   canonicalization scope still may be utilized by applications like
   above.

2.  Terminology

   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.

3.  String Subtype Normalization

   Assume you want to compare productions of JSON data where the schema
   designer assigned the property "big" for holding a "BigInteger"
   subtype and "time" for holding a "DateTime" subtype, while "val" is
   supposed to be a JSON Number compliant with JCS.  The following
   example shows such an object:




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     {
       "time": "2019-01-28T07:45:10Z",
       "big": "055",
       "val": 3.5
     }

   A problem here is that "055" clearly is not a canonical form for a
   "BigInteger" while a "DateTime" object like "2019-01-28T07:45:10Z"
   might as well be expressed as "2019-01-28T08:45:10.000+01:00" making
   comparisons based on JCS canonicalization fail.

   To resolve this issue using JCS the following measures MUST be taken:

   o  The community or standard utilizing a specific JSON schema defines
      a strict normalized form for each of the used subtypes.

   o  Compatible serializers are created for each subtype.

   A positive side effect of this arrangement is that it enforces strict
   definitions of subtypes which improves interoperability in general as
   well.

   Below is an example how such a serializer could be expressed in
   ECMAScript [ECMASCRIPT] for a "DateTime" subtype:

     Date.prototype.toJSON = function() {
         let date = this.toISOString();
         // In this particular case we selected a UTC notation
         // yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ssZ
         return date.substring(0, date.indexOf('.')) + 'Z';
     };

   Defining specific subtypes and their normalized form is out of scope
   for this application note.

4.  IANA Considerations

   This document has no IANA actions.

5.  Security Considerations

   TBD.

6.  Acknowledgements

   TBD.





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7.  References

7.1.  Normative References

   [JCS]      A. Rundgren, B. Jordan, S. Erdtman, "JSON Canonicalization
              Scheme - Work in progress", <https://tools.ietf.org/html/
              draft-rundgren-json-canonicalization-scheme-04>.

   [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>.

   [RFC7493]  Bray, T., Ed., "The I-JSON Message Format", RFC 7493,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC7493, March 2015,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7493>.

   [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>.

   [RFC8259]  Bray, T., Ed., "The JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Data
              Interchange Format", STD 90, RFC 8259,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC8259, December 2017,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8259>.

7.2.  Informal References

   [ECMASCRIPT]
              Ecma International, "ECMAScript 2015 Language
              Specification", <https://www.ecma-international.org/ecma-
              262/6.0/index.html>.

Author's Address

   Anders Rundgren
   Independent
   Montpellier
   France

   Email: anders.rundgren.net@gmail.com
   URI:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersrundgren/









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