Internet Protocol Security Protocol (ipsec) Charter


NOTE: This charter is accurate as of the 31st IETF Meeting in San Jose. It may now be out-of-date. (Consider this a "snapshot" of the working group from that meeting.) Up-to-date charters for all active working groups can be found elsewhere in this Web server.

Chair(s)

Security Area Director(s):

Mailing List Information

Description of Working Group

Rapid advances in communication technology have accentuated the need for security in the Internet. The IP Security Protocol Working Group (IPSEC) will develop mechanisms to protect client protocols of IP. A security protocol in the network layer will be developed to provide cryptographic security services that will flexibly support combinations of authentication, integrity, access control, and confidentiality. The protocol formats for the IP Security Protocol (IPSP) will be independent of the cryptographic algorithm. The preliminary goals will specifically pursue host-to-host security followed by subnet-to-subnet and host-to-subnet topologies.

Protocol and cryptographic techniques will also be developed to support the key management requirements of the network layer security. The key management will be specified as an application layer protocol that is independent of the lower layer security protocol. The protocol will initially support public key-based techniques. Flexibility in the protocol will allow eventual support of Key Distribution Center (KDC - such as Kerberos) and manual distribution approaches.

Goals and Milestones

Jun 93
Post as an Internet-Draft the IP Security Protocol.
Jul 93
Post as an Interenet-Draft the specification for Internet key management.
Nov 93
Report on pilot implementation of the IP Security Protocol. Update Protocol as needed.
Mar 94
Report on pilot implementation of the Internet Key Management Protocol. Update Internet-Draft as needed.
Jul 94
Submit the IP Security Protocol to the IESG for consideration as a Proposed Standard.
Jul 94
Submit the Internet Key Management Protocol to the IESG for consideration as a Proposed Standard.

Current Internet-Drafts

No Request for Comments