Last Call Review of draft-ietf-rtcweb-fec-08
review-ietf-rtcweb-fec-08-secdir-lc-orman-2019-02-07-00

Hi,

Please note that this review is for draft-ietf-rtcweb-fec-08, not the PERC
draft referenced in the subject.

Thanks!

Ben.

> On Feb 1, 2019, at 1:42 AM, Hilarie Orman <hilarie@purplestreak.com> wrote:
>
> Security Review of WebRTC Forward Error Correction Requirements
> draft-ietf-rtcweb-fec-08
>
> Do not be alarmed.  I have reviewed this document as part of the
> security directorate's ongoing effort to review all IETF documents
> being processed by the IESG.  These comments were written primarily
> for the benefit of the security area directors.  Document editors and
> WG chairs should treat these comments just like any other last call
> comments.
>
> The document describes the appropriate uses of FEC for web content when
> using WebRTC.  It also describes how to indicate that FEC is being used.
>
> The Security Considerations mention the possibility of additional network
> congestion when using FEC.  Although this can be a problem, I do not think
> it is a security issue, thus it does not belong in this section.
>
> There is a security-related issue wrt to FEC and encryption.  If the
> error model is that message blocks may be lost but not altered in
> transit, then FEC with encryption is fine.  But if FEC is added for
> the purpose of correcting corrupted bits in a message block, then it
> is important that FEC is done after encryption.  The draft seems to
> ignore the issue, and it also seems to recommend a processing scheme
> that would result in encryption of the FEC data.  If there is a body
> of practice for other IETF FEC protocols that explains these issues,
> an explicit reference to it in the Security Considerations would be
> very helpful.
>
> Hilarie
>
>