Re: Show support for HTTP Signatures at IETF

On 1/20/20 2:56 PM, Daniel Hardman wrote:
> I don't think this work is relevant to the DIDComm binding for HTTP. 
> DIDComm is transport-independent; its security can't depend on 
> mechanisms that are unique to one transport.

Yes, but DIDComm *can* use features of a particular transport that
enhances security, right?

For example, given two bindings for DIDComm, an HTTP one where there is
no security (no use of TLS) and HTTPS where there is security (use of
TLS), my expectation is that people would view the HTTPS one that uses
TLS as more secure because there are two layers of security there (the
DIDComm layer and the TLS layer). Since TLS is easy enough to use these
days, it doesn't cost you much for that higher level of security.

The argument for why DIDComm might want to use HTTP Signatures is the
same. Security is about layering... you never just depend on one
security mechanism, like DIDComm, to protect you, mainly because stuff
like this happens way more often than we'd like:

https://threatpost.com/exploit-fully-breaks-sha-1/151697/

My expectation is that if we were to use DIDComm, we'd want this as an
option (especially because it provides an alternative to using TLS and
the CA system to the DID ecosystem). Perhaps I'm missing something that
makes this not possible using DIDComm?

-- manu

-- 
Manu Sporny (skype: msporny, twitter: manusporny)
Founder/CEO - Digital Bazaar, Inc.
blog: Veres One Decentralized Identifier Blockchain Launches
https://tinyurl.com/veres-one-launches

Received on Monday, 20 January 2020 20:18:57 UTC