S/MIME Mail Security (smime)

Last Modified: 2005-10-03

Chair(s):

Sean Turner <turners@ieca.com>

Blake Ramsdell <blake@sendmail.com>

Security Area Director(s):

Russ Housley <housley@vigilsec.com>

Sam Hartman <hartmans-ietf@mit.edu>

Security Area Advisor:

Russ Housley <housley@vigilsec.com>

Mailing Lists:

General Discussion: ietf-smime@imc.org
To Subscribe: ietf-smime-request@imc.org
Archive: http://www.imc.org/ietf-smime/

Description of Working Group:

The S/MIME Working Group has completed a series of Proposed Standards
that comprise the S/MIME version 3.1 specification. As part of the
specification update, a new suite of "mandatory to implement"
algorithms
was be selected. Current efforts update and build upon these base
specifications.

The Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) (RFC 3852) is cryptographic
algorithm independent, yet there is always more than one way to use any
algorithm. To ensure interoperability, each algorithm should have a
specification that describes its use with CMS. Specifications for the
use of additional cryptographic algorithms will be developed.

CMS, as well as S/MIME version 3 and later, permit the use of
previously
distributed symmetric key-encryption keys. Specifications for the
distribution of symmetric key-encryption keys to multiple message
recipients will be developed. Mail List Agents (MLAs) are one use of
symmetric key-encryption keys. The specification will be algorithm
independent.

To aid initial determination of recipient's cryptographic capabilities
a
specification will be developed allowing S/MIME capabilities to be
stored and asserted in X.509 certificates based on the X.509
certificate
and CRL profile developed by the PKIX Working Group.

The working group will perform necessary interoperability testing to
progress the CMS and S/MIME specifications to Draft Standard. The CMS
specification depends on the RFC 3280, which was developed by the PKIX
working group. This profile must progress to Draft Standard before CMS
and the other S/MIME specifications can progress to Draft Standard.
Assuming timely progress by the PKIX Working Group, the S/MIME
specification can start progressing to Draft Standard in 2005.

Goals and Milestones:

Done		First draft of security label usage specification.
Done		First draft of CMS RecipientInfo extension.
Done		Last call on KEA and SKIPJACK algorithm specification.
Done		Last call on small subgroup attack avoidance
Done		First draft of CAST algorithm specification.
Done		Last call on certificate distribution specification.
Done		First draft of mail list key distribution.
Done		Submit KEA and SKIPJACK algorithm specification as Informational RFC.
Done		Submit small subgroup attack avoidance as Informational RFC
Done		Last call on CAST algorithm specification.
Done		Updated draft of domain security services document.
Done		Last call on security label usage specification.
Done		Last call on IDEA algorithm specification.
Done		Last call on CMS RecipientInfo extension.
Done		Last call on mail list key distribution.
Done		Submit CAST algorithm specification as Informational RFC.
Done		Submit security label usage specification as Informational RFC.
Done		Submit IDEA algorithm specification as Informational RFC.
Done		Submit CMS RecipientInfo extension to IESG for consideration as a Proposed Standard.
Done		Last call on domain security services document.
Done		Submit domain security services as Experimental RFC.
Done		Submit mail list key distribution as a Proposed Standard
Done		Submit X.400 CMS wrapper specification as a Proposed Standard
Done		Submit HMAC key wrap description as Proposed Standard
Done		Submit RSA OAEP algorithm specification as Proposed Standard
Done		Sumbit AES algorithm specification as Proposed Standard
Done		Submit X.400 transport as a Proposed Standard
Done		Last call on CMS and ESS examples document
Done		First draft of RSA KEM algorithm specification
Done		Submit update to MSG as Proposed Standard
Done		Submit update to CERT as Proposed Standard
Done		Last call on RSA PSS algorithm specification
Done		Submit RSA PSS algorithm specification as Proposed Standard
Done		First draft of S/MIME Capabilities Certificate Extension
Done		Working Group Last Call for S/MIME Capabilities Certificate Extension
Done		Submit S/MIME Capabilities Certificate Extension as Informational RFC
Feb 2005		Request advancement of CMS Algorithms to Draft Standard
Feb 2005		Request advancement of CMS to Draft Standard
Feb 2005		Request advancement of ESS to Draft Standard
Feb 2005		Request advancement of CERT to Draft Standard
Feb 2005		Request advancement of MSG to Draft Standard
Nov 2005		Last call on RSA KEM algorithm specification
Jan 2006		Submit RSA KEM algorithm specification as Proposed Standard

Internet-Drafts:

CMS Symmetric Key Management and Distribution (212424 bytes)
Use of the RSA-KEM Key Transport Algorithm in CMS (49816 bytes)
CMS Advanced Electronic Signatures (CAdES) (297390 bytes)
ESS Update: Adding CertID Algorithm Agility (27283 bytes)
Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) Multiple Signer Clarification (10623 bytes)
Identity-based Encryption Architecture (19284 bytes)
Identity-Based Cryptography Standard (IBCS) #1: Supersingular Curve Implementations of the BF and BB1 Cryptosystems (110980 bytes)
Identity-based Encryption Parameter and Policy Lookup (21499 bytes)
Identity-based Encryption Private Key Request Protocol (21647 bytes)
Using the Boneh-Franklin identity-based encryption algorithm with the Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) (19967 bytes)

Request For Comments:

IETF Secretariat - Please send questions, comments, and/or suggestions to ietf-web@ietf.org.

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