nanog mailing list archives

Re: "Defensive" BGP hijacking?


From: Doug Montgomery <dougm.work () gmail com>
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2016 11:31:59 -0400

Ah, the global system I was referring to was the RPKI as distributed
repository of routing information.  With consistent properties (data
formats, security models, data validation techniques, etc) across all 5
RIRs.

What an ISP does with the RPKI data, interns of route filtering, is always
a local policy decision.    Somehow "global enforcement system" sounded
like a vision where ISPs don't have a choice of how and where to use the
system.  Maybe I read too much into the phrasing.

In the end, I think the issues boils down to if the community has the
desire and will to address the route hijack issue.    If the answer is no,
then no further discussion is needed.  If the answer is yes, then it is
best to discuss and compare real proposals / mechanisms to address the
issue at scale.

I am still interested in some detail on the "tyranny implications".  We
can't address them until we know what they are and how they compare to any
other solution that tries to address the same problem.

dougm

On Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 6:04 PM, Mel Beckman <mel () beckman org> wrote:

Doug,

I was basing my comments on your statement "If only there were a global
system.."  However you slice or dice it, the tyranny implications have not
yet been addressed. That certainly needs to be in front of any technical
idea such as RPKI.

Although I haven't participated in the OT&E, nothing I've read in RFC 6810
talks about these issues. It talks about authentication and transport
security, but doesn't talk about the potential for government interference.

 -mel beckman

On Sep 14, 2016, at 8:22 AM, Doug Montgomery <dougm.work () gmail com> wrote:

Mel,

If you are speaking of RPKI based origin validation, I am not sure
"automated / global enforcement system" is a useful description.   It does
provide a consistent means for address holders to declare AS's authorized
to announce prefixes, and a means for remote ASs to compare received
updates vs such declarations.   What the receiving AS does with the
validation information is strictly a local policy matter.

Frankly, this is no more a "new automated enforcement system" than
IRR-based route filtering has been for 20 years.  The only difference is
that there is a consistent security model across all 5 RIRs as to who can
make such declarations and it is tightly tied to the address allocation
business process.

I have seen a lot of FUD about the specter of interference, but not a lot
of serious thought / discussion.  Having a serious technical discussion of
potential risks and mitigations in the system would be useful.

dougm

On Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 10:51 AM, Mel Beckman <mel () beckman org> wrote:

Scott and Doug,

The problem with a new automated enforcement system is that it hobbles
both agility and innovation. ISPs have enjoyed simple BGP management,
entirely self-regulated, for decades. A global enforcement system, besides
being dang hard to do correctly, brings the specter of government
interference, since such a system could be overtaken by government entities
to manhandle free speech.

In my opinion, the community hasn't spent nearly enough time discussing
the danger aspect. Being engineers, we focus on technical means, ignoring
the fact that we're designing our own guillotine.

 -mel beckman

On Sep 14, 2016, at 12:10 AM, Scott Weeks <surfer () mauigateway com>
wrote:



--- dougm.work () gmail com wrote:
From: Doug Montgomery <dougm.work () gmail com>

If only there were a global system, with consistent and verifiable
security
properties, to permit address holders to declare the set of AS's
authorized
to announce their prefixes, and routers anywhere on the Internet to
independently verify the corresponding validity of received
announcements.

*cough      https://www.nanog.org/meetings/abstract?id=2846     cough*
------------------------------------------------


Yes, RPKI.  That's what I was waiting for.  Now we can get to
a real discussion... ;-)

scott




--
DougM at Work




-- 
DougM at Work


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