Framework and Security Considerations for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) URI-List Services
RFC 5363

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Network Working Group                                       G. Camarillo
Request for Comments: 5363                                      Ericsson
Category: Standards Track                                     A.B. Roach
                                                                 Tekelec
                                                            October 2008

               Framework and Security Considerations for
          Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) URI-List Services

Status of This Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   This document describes the need for SIP URI-list services and
   provides requirements for their invocation.  Additionally, it defines
   a framework for SIP URI-list services, which includes security
   considerations applicable to these services.

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................2
   2. Terminology .....................................................2
   3. Requirements ....................................................2
      3.1. Requirements for URI-List Services Using
           Request-Contained Lists ....................................3
      3.2. General Requirements for URI-List Services .................3
   4. Framework .......................................................3
      4.1. Carrying URI Lists in SIP ..................................3
      4.2. Processing of URI Lists ....................................4
      4.3. Results ....................................................5
   5. Security Considerations .........................................5
      5.1. List Integrity and Confidentiality .........................5
      5.2. Amplification Attacks ......................................5
      5.3. General Issues .............................................7
   6. IANA Considerations .............................................7
   7. Acknowledgements ................................................8
   8. References ......................................................8
      8.1. Normative References .......................................8
      8.2. Informative References .....................................8

Camarillo & Roach           Standards Track                     [Page 1]
RFC 5363          Framework for SIP URI-List Services       October 2008

1.  Introduction

   Some applications require that, at a given moment, a SIP [RFC3261] UA
   (User Agent) performs a similar transaction with a number of remote
   UAs.  For example, an instant messaging application that needs to
   send a particular message (e.g., "Hello folks") to n receivers needs
   to send n MESSAGE requests; one to each receiver.

   When the transaction that needs to be repeated consists of a large
   request, or when the number of recipients is high, or both, the
   access network of the UA needs to carry a considerable amount of
   traffic.  Completing all the transactions on a low-bandwidth access
   would require a long time.  This is unacceptable for a number of
   applications.

   A solution to this problem consists of introducing URI-list services
   in the network.  The task of a SIP URI-list service is to receive a
   request that contains or references a URI list (i.e., a list of one
   or more URIs) and send a number of similar requests to the
   destinations in this list.  Once the requests are sent, the URI-list
   service typically informs the UA about their status.  Effectively,
   the URI-list service behaves as a B2BUA (Back-to-Back-User-Agent).

   A given URI-list service can take as an input a URI list contained in
   the SIP request sent by the client or an external URI list (e.g., the
   Request-URI is a SIP URI that is associated with a URI list at the
   server).  External URI lists are typically set up using out-of-band
   mechanisms (e.g., XML Configuration Access Protocol (XCAP)
   [RFC4825]).  An example of a URI-list service for SUBSCRIBE requests
   that uses stored URI lists is described in [RFC4662].

   The remainder of this document provides requirements and a framework
   for URI-list services using request-contained URI lists, external URI
   lists, or both.

2.  Terminology

   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.  Requirements

   Section 3.1 discusses requirements that only apply to URI-list
   services that use request-contained lists, and Section 3.2 discusses
   requirements that also apply to services using external lists.

Camarillo & Roach           Standards Track                     [Page 2]