Internet Protocol Security Protocol (IPSEC)

Charter 

Chair(s)

      James Zmuda:  zmuda@spyrus.com
      Paul Lambert:  paul_lambert@email.mot.com

Mailing Lists

      General Discussion:  ipsec@ans.net
      To Subscribe:  ipsec-request@ans.net
      Archive:  ftp.ans.net:~/pub/archive/ipsec

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 1993   Post as an Internet-Draft the IP Security Protocol.

Jul 1993   Post as an Interenet-Draft the specification for Internet key
           management.

Nov 1993   Report on pilot implementation of the IP Security Protocol.
           Update Protocol as needed.

Mar 1994   Report on pilot implementation of the Internet Key Management
           Protocol.  Update Internet-Draft as needed.

Jul 1994   Submit the IP Security Protocol to the IESG for consideration
           as a Proposed Standard.

Jul 1994   Submit the Internet Key Management Protocol to the IESG for
           consideration as a Proposed Standard.