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Re: linux-ipsec: cornered: MTU and fragmentation bugs



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> I'm surprised that the Linux kernel (2.0) is not sending ICMP
> "fragmentation required and DF set" responses.  I hope this is fixed

I am not aware of any circumstances where Linux does not generate
the appropriate messages. I think people would have noticed before
two years ago if it was doing this wrong.

viz..

		if (skb->len+encap > dev2->mtu && (iph->frag_off & htons(IP_DF))) 
		{
			ip_statistics.IpFragFails++;
	.....
		 		ip_send(rt,skb2,raddr,skb->len,dev2,dev2->pa_addr);
> 4) Heretofore linux has not generated these frag-needed messages.  I
> consider this a weakness in linux.  I have a patch for this, as mentioned
> in previous notes.

No patch ever seen.

> 5) What's worse, there are some firewalls (the Firewall-One brand in
> particular, and quite likely others) that in their usual configuration do
> not pass these ICMP frag-needed datagrams.  I consider this a weakness in
> the firewalls.  This is a pain in the neck to fix.

It isnt the products, its the morons who install them. They have basically
made the internet a 1500 mtu fixed size network. If you attempt to reason
with the people who paid stupid amounts of money to have a 'highly certified
security consultant' install it they know they paid $30K so even if they are
wrong they'd get fired by their boss if they admitted it.

It is perfectly possible to correctly install these products.

> Solution #1 (ideal):  Fix linux and fix the firewalls so that ICMP
> frag-needed messages are returned to servers who depend on them.  This
> results in maximum efficiency.

I've no evidence from the past two years to believe Linux does this wrongly.

Alan




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