>-----Original Message-----
>From: Stephen Farrell [mailto:[email protected]]
...
>Sorry to keep on on the same thing, but it doesn't seem
>to be resonating much;-)
>
>The charter says: "Robust privacy and security mechanisms
>are needed..."
>
>I'm guessing its possible an analysis starting from your
>suggestions below should produce a good result wrt security
>but maybe less so for privacy (which is less well
>understood by us all).
>
>How about adding "Prevent unnecessary exposure of
>personally identifying information (PII)" ?

Excellent idea.  As you state it, this works for both database and user 
devices.  

>
>Note that the above could me met via encryption of
>PII, (with possibly high-cost key management) or by
>just not sending PII when you don't need to which is
>fairly cheap if you're not forced by regulation to
>send it. (Since some devices presumably are not
>personally identifying but others are, then maybe
>there's a simple enough answer in the end...)

Seems like a encrypted tunnel (TLS, IPsec, etc) would prevent MiTM viewing of 
PII.
 - don't send PII
 - encrypt/mask PII
 - encrypt message end-to-end between ... hum, is a master a potential 
adversary?
   maybe I see where you were going with the field encryption
   Master-to-DB TLS/IPSec whatever is adequate
   Client-through-Master-to-DB is a little more difficult to ensure PII privacy

Database use and of PII is a difficult topic.  Not sure if we should facilitate 
users authorization or controlled release of their information.  The PAWS 
protocol could perhaps have bits that express a requested policy (disclose or 
not).  Enforcement would be left to trusting the DB to do the right thing with 
the request.

Paul


>
>S
>
>On 01/30/2012 10:29 PM, Paul Lambert wrote:
>>
>> Hi Raj,
>>
>>> Do you have any proposals or text w.r.t the threat model writeup?
>Also
>>>from an IETF perspective regarding threat models, please see Peter's
>>> email: http://www.ietf.org/mail-
>archive/web/paws/current/msg00592.html
>>>
>>> -Raj
>>
>> I'll spend a little time formalizing the ideas I submitted below.
>However, "threats" are part of a complete set of requirements and
>looking at the current proposal, I feel we need to clarify the service
>that we offer before we can say what are real threats.  Specifically,
>the threat:
>>
>>>>>        device which can be used maliciously. The effect of such an
>>>>>        attack being successful would result in a malicious client
>>>>>        replaying the stolen authentication/authorization secrets to
>a
>>>>>        white space database.
>>
>> This is not a threat as worded... but why?
>>
>> We need to define what we offer, and then things that prevent or break
>these offered services are potential risks that can be mapped to
>threats.  As a start, I propose (which I hope is mostly in line with the
>use cases) two main services with some subtopics:
>>
>> 1)  Prevent Interference of License-exempt Use with Licensed Operation
>
>>      - Support changes in channel, time Period and region for licensed
>operation
>>      - Support predictable availability of licensed channels
>>      - Support the ability to disable specific vendor/model-types from
>operation when
>>          they are determined to be causing interference
>> 2)  Enable Authorized Channel Utilization for License-exempt Operation
>
>>      - Facilitate fixed use of channels
>>      - Facilitate mobile use of channels
>>      - Facilitate indoor use of channels
>>      - Support predictable availability of license-exempt channels
>>      - Support changing of authorized channels to prevent interference
>with licensed usage
>>
>> So, threat event is something that has a result of preventing the
>promised services.  The threat event either causes unapproved
>interference with licensed operation, or it prevents White Space
>"license-exempt" operation.
>>
>> The "Support Predictable Availability" is something new I'd like to
>introduce for discussion.  There needs to be a expectation that once you
>are using a channel that your use will not be terminated abruptly in an
>unanticipated manner.  Right now - we are creating mechanism to quickly
>cutoff a device for any reason at all (for the use case of mobile
>microphones). This is actually supposed to be a predictable event with
>some type of scheduling.  An license-exempt devices needs to be able to
>determine how long it might operate under the regulations in a
>particular channel/region.  Building a system where you never know when
>your communications might get cut off seems like a bad idea.
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul
>>
>>
>>>
>>> On 1/27/12 5:24 PM, "ext Paul Lambert"<[email protected]>  wrote:
>>>
>>>> It's good to have requirements based on such an analysis.  This is
>an
>>>> interesting start, but we may be mixing threats, vulnerabilities and
>>>> mechanisms.
>>>>
>>>> Threats are typically tied to an actor ... human or not.  I'm not
>sure
>>>> it's worth going hard over to something like the NIST 800-30
>>> definitions
>>>> of threats, but within this framework the threats are Governments,
>>>> disgruntled insiders, tsunamis etc. Being the IETF we can jump more
>>>> quickly to the threat event and specifics of an attack, but should
>at
>>>> least expand threats to include natural events and connectivity
>>> problems.
>>>> Robustness or emergency modes might be interesting to consider.
>>>>
>>>> We also have a problem in this analysis of perspective - are we
>>>> considering threats as viewed from regulatory agency or the end
>device
>>>> owner or both.  We should consider both - but they are contradictory
>>>> perspectives.  Users want continuity of service.  Governments (the
>>>> regulators) want control of the airwaves.
>>>>
>>>> Most of the real threats that we have are nearly impossible to
>prevent
>>> at
>>>> the protocol level.  It's still worth examining the threats to see
>>> where
>>>> we stand.
>>>>
>>>> On the current document threats:
>>>>
>>>>> o It is assumed that the master device or the white space database
>>>>>   have NOT been compromised from a security standpoint.
>>>>>
>>>>> Threat 1: Obtain master device authentication/authorization secrets
>>>>>        The master device needs to authenticate itself with the
>white
>>>>>        space database prior to requesting channel information. The
>>>>>        attacker may try to get access to the secrets of the master
>>>>>        device which can be used maliciously. The effect of such an
>>>>>        attack being successful would result in a malicious client
>>>>>        replaying the stolen authentication/authorization secrets to
>a
>>>>>        white space database.
>>>> This does not seem consistent with the prior statement of "not
>>>> compromised".
>>>> Restatement
>>>>
>>>> Threat: User modifies a device to masquerade as another valid
>certified
>>>> device.
>>>>
>>>> This is an interesting case where threat/vulnerability/risk play
>>>> together.  The FCC or other regulatory agencies want traceability of
>>>> devices.  If a user wants to run a rogue radio, there is no reason
>to
>>>> access the database (low risk - no payoff).  The only reason this
>would
>>>> be an interesting attack might be to avoid tracking and have some
>>>> anonymity.
>>>>
>>>>> Threat 2: Spoofed white space database
>>>>>        A master device discovers a white space database(s) thru
>which
>>>>>        it can query for channel information. The master device
>needs
>>>>>        to ensure that the white space database with which it
>>>>>        communicates with is an authentic entity. The white space
>>>>>        database needs to provide its identity to the master device
>>>>>        which can confirm the validity/authenticty of the database.
>An
>>>>>        attacker may attempt to spoof a white space database and
>>>>>        provide responses to a master device which are malicious and
>>>>>        result in the master device causing interference to the
>primary
>>>>>        user of the spectrum.
>>>>
>>>> I think this is two types of threat events:
>>>> - malicious denial of service or intentional interference with
>>> incumbents
>>>> - impersonation of white space database to enable operation of a
>>> device
>>>> that may
>>>>    not otherwise be possible (blocked device, unallocated channels).
>>>> This may or may not
>>>>    interfere with incumbent devices
>>>>
>>>>> Threat 3: Modifying a query request
>>>> ...
>>>>
>>>>> Threat 4: Modifying a query response
>>>> Seems like these two could be lumped together ...MiTM modifies
>protocol
>>>> messages to:
>>>> - deny service
>>>> - interfere with incumbents
>>>> - provide unauthorized channel usage (most likely risk IMHO)
>>>>
>>>>> Threat 5: Using query response information
>>>>>        An attacker may be a master device which is not certified
>for
>>>>>        use by the relevant regulatory body. The attacker may listen
>to
>>>>>        the communication between a valid master device and white
>space
>>>>>        database and utilize the information about available
>channels
>>>>>        in the response message by utilizing those channels. The
>result
>>>>>        of such an attack is unauthorized use of channels by a
>master
>>>>>        device which is not certified to operate.
>>>> As stated this is a mechanism - a clearer statement might be.
>>>>
>>>> Threat: Unauthorized use of channels by an uncertified device.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone can already go to a database and find available channels.  If
>a
>>>> device can operate without going to the database there is nothing
>that
>>>> paws can do to stop it operating in available or non-available
>>> channels.
>>>>
>>>> Just to get some discussion going -here's a couple more possible
>>> threats..
>>>>
>>>> Threat: Third party tracking of white space device location
>>>>    Likely a valuable commodity to sell for advertizing with no
>>> technical
>>>> design or policy for privacy
>>>> Threat: Database owner termination of device service for reasons
>other
>>>> than incumbent protection
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Paul
>>>>
>>>>
>>
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