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Will the real PFS please stand up?



I'd like to ask folks exactly what they mean by perfect forward secrecy?

The recent ID on SKIP extension for Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) uses
the term, but never actually defines it.  (I think there should be a
definition, to ensure clarity and consistency.)

The latest ID draft-ietf-ipsec-isakmp-05.txt defines it (which is good),
but while the definition may be more intuitive, it is BACKWARDS from 
what appeared in all the earlier drafts, as well as what I understand
to be the traditional meaning.

The best definition I know of is actually in the Diffie/Van Oorschot/
Wiener paper on Authentication and Authenticated Key Exchanges.

Regards,

-DB

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
David M. Balenson
Trusted Information Systems, 3060 Washington Rd., Glenwood, MD 21738 USA
balenson@tis.com; tel 301.854.5358; fax 301.854.5363



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