Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                      G. Zorn, Ed.
Request for Comments: 6697                                   Network Zen
Category: Informational                                            Q. Wu
ISSN: 2070-1721                                                T. Taylor
                                                                 Huawei
                                                                 Y. Nir
                                                            Check Point
                                                              K. Hoeper
                                               Motorola Solutions, Inc.
                                                             S. Decugis
                                                          INSIDE Secure
                                                              July 2012


             Handover Keying (HOKEY) Architecture Design

Abstract

  The Handover Keying (HOKEY) Working Group seeks to minimize handover
  delay due to authentication when a peer moves from one point of
  attachment to another.  Work has progressed on two different
  approaches to reduce handover delay: early authentication (so that
  authentication does not need to be performed during handover), and
  reuse of cryptographic material generated during an initial
  authentication to save time during re-authentication.  A basic
  assumption is that the mobile host or "peer" is initially
  authenticated using the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP),
  executed between the peer and an EAP server as defined in RFC 3748.

  This document defines the HOKEY architecture.  Specifically, it
  describes design objectives, the functional environment within which
  handover keying operates, the functions to be performed by the HOKEY
  architecture itself, and the assignment of those functions to
  architectural components.  It goes on to illustrate the operation of
  the architecture within various deployment scenarios that are
  described more fully in other documents produced by the HOKEY Working
  Group.














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Status of This Memo

  This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is
  published for informational purposes.

  This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
  (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has
  received public review and has been approved for publication by the
  Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Not all documents
  approved by the IESG are a candidate for any level of Internet
  Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 5741.

  Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
  and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
  http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6697.

Copyright Notice

  Copyright (c) 2012 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
  document authors.  All rights reserved.

  This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
  Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
  (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
  publication of this document.  Please review these documents
  carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
  to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
  include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
  the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
  described in the Simplified BSD License.





















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Table of Contents

  1. Introduction ....................................................3
  2. Terminology .....................................................6
  3. Design Goals ....................................................6
     3.1. Reducing Signaling Overhead ................................7
          3.1.1. Minimized Communications with Home Servers ..........7
          3.1.2. Minimized User Interaction for Authentication .......7
     3.2. Integrated Local Domain Name (LDN) Discovery ...............7
     3.3. Fault-Tolerant Re-Authentication ...........................8
     3.4. Improved Deployment Scalability ............................8
  4. Required Functionality ..........................................8
     4.1. Authentication Subsystem Functional Overview ...............8
     4.2. Pre-Authentication Function (Direct or Indirect) ...........9
     4.3. EAP Re-Authentication Function .............................9
     4.4. EAP Authentication Function ...............................10
     4.5. Authenticated Anticipatory Keying (AAK) Function ..........10
     4.6. Management of EAP-Based Handover Keys .....................10
  5. Components of the HOKEY Architecture ...........................11
     5.1. Functions of the Peer .....................................12
     5.2. Functions of the Serving Authenticator ....................13
     5.3. Functions of the Candidate Authenticator ..................14
     5.4. Functions of the EAP Server ...............................15
     5.5. Functions of the ER Server ................................16
  6. Usage Scenarios ................................................16
     6.1. Simple Re-Authentication ..................................16
     6.2. Intra-Domain Handover .....................................17
     6.3. Inter-Domain Handover .....................................17
     6.4. Inter-Technology Handover .................................17
  7. AAA Considerations .............................................17
     7.1. Authorization .............................................17
     7.2. Transport Aspect ..........................................18
  8. Security Considerations ........................................18
  9. Acknowledgments ................................................18
  10. References ....................................................18
     10.1. Normative References .....................................18
     10.2. Informative References ...................................19

1.  Introduction

  The Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) [RFC3748] is an
  authentication framework that supports different types of
  authentication methods.  Originally designed for dial-up connections,
  EAP is now commonly used for authentication in a variety of access
  networks.






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  When a host (or "peer", the term used from this point onward) changes
  its point of attachment to the network, it must be re-authenticated.
  If a full EAP authentication must be repeated, several message round
  trips between the peer and the home EAP server may be involved.  The
  resulting delay will result in degradation -- or, in the worst case,
  loss of any service session in progress -- if communication is
  suspended while re-authentication is carried out.  The delay is worse
  if the new point of attachment is in a visited network rather than
  the peer's home network because of the extra procedural steps
  involved as well as the probable increase in round-trip time.

  Clancy, et al. [RFC5169] describe this problem more fully and
  establish design goals for solutions to reduce re-authentication
  delay for transfers within a single administrative domain.  They also
  suggest a number of ways to achieve a solution:

  o  specification of a method-independent, efficient re-authentication
     protocol based upon EAP;

  o  reuse of keying material from the initial EAP authentication;

  o  deployment of re-authentication servers local to the peer to
     reduce round-trip delay; and

  o  specification of the additional protocol needed to allow the EAP
     server to pass authentication information to the local
     re-authentication servers.

  Salowey, et al. [RFC5295] tackle the problem of the reuse of keying
  material by specifying how to derive a hierarchy of cryptographically
  independent purpose-specific keys from the results of the original
  EAP authentication, while Cao, et al. [RFC6696] specify a method-
  independent re-authentication protocol (the EAP Re-authentication
  Protocol (ERP)) applicable to two specific deployment scenarios:

  o  where the peer's home EAP server also performs re-authentication;
     and

  o  where a local re-authentication server exists but is co-located
     with an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) proxy
     within the domain.

  Other work provides further pieces of the solution or insight into
  the problem.  For the purpose of this memo, Hoeper, et al. [RFC5749]
  provide an abstract mechanism for distribution of keying material
  from the EAP server to re-authentication servers.  Ohba,
  et al. [RFC5836] contrast the EAP Re-authentication (ER) strategy
  provided by ERP with an alternative strategy called "early



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  authentication".  RFC 5836 defines EAP early authentication as the
  use of EAP by a mobile peer to establish authenticated keying
  material on a target attachment point prior to its arrival.  Hence,
  the goal of EAP early authentication is to complete all EAP-related
  communications, including AAA signaling, in preparation for the
  handover, before the mobile device actually moves.  Early
  authentication includes direct and indirect pre-authentication as
  well as Authenticated Anticipatory Keying (AAK).  All three early
  authentication mechanisms provide means to securely establish
  authenticated keying material on a Candidate Attachment Point (CAP)
  while still being connected to the Serving Attachment Point (SAP) but
  vary in their respective system assumptions and communication paths.
  In particular, direct pre-authentication assumes that clients are
  capable of discovering CAPs and all communications are routed through
  the SAP.  On the other hand, indirect pre-authentication assumes an
  existing relationship between the SAP and CAP, whereas the discovery
  and selection of CAPs is outside the scope of AAK.  Furthermore, both
  direct and indirect pre-authentication require a full EAP execution
  to occur before the handover of the peer takes place, while AAK
  techniques (like ERP [RFC6696]) use keys derived from the initial EAP
  authentication.

  Both EAP re-authentication and early authentication enable faster
  inter-authenticator handovers.  However, it is currently unclear how
  the necessary handover infrastructure can be deployed and integrated
  into existing EAP infrastructures.  In particular, previous work has
  not described how ER servers that act as endpoints in the
  re-authentication process should be integrated into local and home
  domain networks.  Furthermore, how EAP infrastructure can support the
  timely triggering of early authentications and aid with the selection
  of CAPs is currently unspecified.

  This document proposes a general HOKEY architecture and demonstrates
  how it can be adapted to different deployment scenarios.  To begin
  with, Section 3 recalls the design objectives for the HOKEY
  architecture.  Section 4 reviews the functions that must be supported
  within the architecture.  Section 5 describes the components of the
  HOKEY architecture.  Section 6 describes the different deployment
  scenarios that the HOKEY Working Group has addressed and the
  information flows that must occur within those scenarios, by
  reference to the documents summarized above where possible and
  otherwise within this document itself.  Finally, Section 7 provides
  an analysis of how AAA protocols can be applied in the HOKEY
  architecture.







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2.  Terminology

  This document reuses terms defined in Section 2 of Ohba,
  et al. [RFC5836] and Section 2 of Cao, et al. [RFC6696].  In
  addition, it defines the following:

  DS-rRK
     Domain-Specific re-authentication Root Key.

  pMSK
     pre-established Master Session Key.

  EAP Early Authentication
     The use of EAP by a mobile peer to establish authenticated keying
     material on a target attachment point prior to its arrival; see
     Ohba, et al. [RFC5836].

  ER Key Management
     An instantiation of the mechanism described in Hoeper,
     et al. [RFC5749] for creating and delivering root keys from an EAP
     server to an ER server.

  EAP Re-authentication (ER)
     The use of keying material derived from an initial EAP
     authentication to enable single-round-trip re-authentication of a
     mobile peer.  For a detailed description of the keying material,
     see Section 4 of Cao, et al. [RFC6696].

  ER Server
     A component of the HOKEY architecture that terminates the EAP
     re-authentication exchange with the peer.

3.  Design Goals

  This section investigates the design goals for the HOKEY
  architecture.  These include reducing the signaling overhead for
  re-authentication and early authentication, integrating local domain
  name discovery, enabling fault-tolerant re-authentication, and
  improving deployment scalability.  These goals supplement those
  discussed in Section 4 of RFC 5169.  Note that the identification and
  selection of CAPs is not a goal of the architecture, since those
  operations are generally specific to the lower layer in use.









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3.1.  Reducing Signaling Overhead

3.1.1.  Minimized Communications with Home Servers

  ERP [RFC6696] requires only one round trip; however, this round trip
  may require communication between a peer and its home ER and/or home
  AAA server in explicit bootstrapping and communication between local
  servers and the home server in implicit bootstrapping even if the
  peer is currently attached to a visited (local) network.  As a
  result, even this one round trip may introduce long delays because
  the home ER and home AAA servers may be distant from the peer and the
  network to which it is attached.  To lower signaling overhead,
  communication with the home ER server and home AAA server should be
  minimized.  Ideally, a peer should only need to communicate with
  local servers and other local entities.

3.1.2.  Minimized User Interaction for Authentication

  When the peer is initially attached to the network or moves between
  heterogeneous networks, full EAP authentication between the peer and
  EAP server occurs and user interaction may be needed, e.g., a dialog
  to prompt the user for credentials.  To reduce latency, user
  interaction for authentication at each handover should be minimized.
  Ideally, user involvement should take place only during initial
  authentication and subsequent re-authentication should occur
  transparently.

3.2.  Integrated Local Domain Name (LDN) Discovery

  ERP bootstrapping must occur before (implicit) or during (explicit) a
  handover to transport the necessary keys to the local ER server
  involved.  Implicit bootstrapping is preferable because it does not
  require communication with the home ER server during handover, but it
  requires that the peer know the domain name of the ER server before
  the subsequent local ERP exchange happens in order to derive the
  necessary re-authentication keying material.  ERP [RFC6696] does not
  specify such a domain name discovery mechanism and suggests that the
  peer may learn the domain name through the EAP-Initiate/Re-auth-Start
  message or via lower-layer announcements.  However, domain name
  discovery happens after the implicit bootstrapping completes, which
  may introduce extra latency.  To allow more efficient handovers, a
  HOKEY architecture should support an efficient domain name discovery
  mechanism (for example, see Zorn, Wu & Wang [RFC6440]) and allow its
  integration with ERP implicit bootstrapping.  Even in the case of
  explicit bootstrapping, LDN discovery should be optimized such that
  it does not require contacting the home AAA server, as is currently
  the case.




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3.3.  Fault-Tolerant Re-Authentication

  If all authentication services depend upon a remote server, a network
  partition can result in the denial of service to valid users.
  However, if for example an ER server exists in the local network,
  previously authenticated users can re-authenticate even though a link
  to the home or main authentication server doesn't exist.

3.4.  Improved Deployment Scalability

  To provide better deployment scalability, there should be no
  requirement for the co-location of entities providing handover keying
  services (e.g., ER servers) and AAA servers or proxies.  Separation
  of these entities may cause problems with routing but allows greater
  flexibility in deployment and implementation.

4.  Required Functionality

4.1.  Authentication Subsystem Functional Overview

  The operation of the authentication subsystem provided by HOKEY also
  depends on the availability of a number of discovery functions:

  o  discovery of CAPs by the peer, by the SAP, or by some other
     entity;

  o  discovery of the authentication services supported at a given CAP;

  o  discovery of the required server in the home domain when a CAP is
     not in the same domain as the SAP, or no local server is
     available;

  o  peer discovery of the LDN when EAP re-authentication is used with
     a local server.

  It is assumed that these functions are provided by the environment
  within which the authentication subsystem operates and are outside
  the scope of the authentication subsystem itself.  LDN discovery is a
  possible exception.

  The major functions comprising the authentication subsystem and their
  interdependencies are discussed in greater detail below.

  o  When AAA is invoked to authorize network access, it uses one of
     two services offered by the authentication subsystem: full EAP
     authentication or EAP re-authentication.  Note that although AAA
     may perform authentication directly in some cases, when EAP is




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     utilized AAA functions only as a transport for EAP messages and
     the encryption keys (if any) resulting from successful EAP
     authentication.

  o  Pre-authentication triggers AAA network access authorization at
     each CAP, which in turn causes full EAP authentication to be
     invoked.

  o  EAP re-authentication invokes ER key management at the time of
     authentication to create and distribute keying material to ER
     servers.

  o  AAK relies on ER key management to establish keying material on
     ER/AAK servers but uses an extension to ER key management to
     derive and establish keying material on candidate authenticators.
     AAK uses an extension to EAP re-authentication to communicate with
     ER/AAK servers.

  EAP authentication, EAP re-authentication, and handover key
  distribution depend on the routing and secure transport service
  provided by AAA.  Discovery functions and the function of
  authentication and authorization of network entities (access points,
  ER servers) are not shown.  As stated above, these are external to
  the authentication subsystem.

4.2.  Pre-Authentication Function (Direct or Indirect)

  The pre-authentication function is responsible for discovery of CAPs
  and completion of network access authentication and authorization at
  each CAP in advance of handover.  The operation of this function is
  described in general terms in Ohba, et al. [RFC5836].  No document is
  yet available to describe the implementation of pre-authentication in
  terms of specific protocols; pre-authentication support for the
  Protocol for Carrying Authentication for Network Access (PANA)
  [RFC5873] could be part of the solution.

4.3.  EAP Re-Authentication Function

  The EAP re-authentication function is responsible for authenticating
  the peer at a specific access point using keying material derived
  from a prior full EAP authentication.  RFC 5169 [RFC5169] provides
  the design objectives for an implementation of this function.  ERP
  [RFC6696] describes a protocol to implement EAP re-authentication.








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4.4.  EAP Authentication Function

  The EAP authentication function is responsible for authenticating the
  peer at a specific access point using a full EAP exchange.  Aboba,
  et al. [RFC3748] define the associated protocol, while Ohba,
  et al. [RFC5836] describe the use of EAP as part of
  pre-authentication.  Note that the HOKEY Working Group has not
  specified the non-AAA protocol required to transport EAP frames over
  IP that is shown in Figures 3 and 5 of Ohba, et al. [RFC5836],
  although PANA [RFC5873] is a candidate.

4.5.  Authenticated Anticipatory Keying (AAK) Function

  The AAK function is responsible for pre-placing keying material
  derived from an initial full EAP authentication on CAPs.  The
  operation is carried out in two steps: ER key management (with
  trigger not currently specified) places root keys derived from
  initial EAP authentication onto an ER/AAK server associated with the
  peer.  When requested by the peer, the ER/AAK server derives and
  pushes predefined master session keys to one or more CAPs.  The
  operation of the AAK function is described in very general terms in
  Ohba, et al. [RFC5836].  A protocol specification exists (see Cao,
  et al. [RFC6630]).

4.6.  Management of EAP-Based Handover Keys

  Handover key management consists of EAP method-independent key
  derivation and distribution and comprises the following specific
  functions:

  o  handover key derivation

  o  handover key distribution

  The derivation of handover keys is specified in Salowey,
  et al. [RFC5295], and AAA-based key distribution is specified in
  Hoeper, Nakhjiri & Ohba [RFC5749].














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5.  Components of the HOKEY Architecture

  This section describes the components of the HOKEY architecture in
  terms of the functions they perform.  The components cooperate as
  described in this section to carry out the functions described in the
  previous section.  Section 6 describes the different deployment
  scenarios that are possible using these functions.

  The components of the HOKEY architecture are as follows:

  o  the peer;

  o  the authenticator, which is a part of the SAP and CAPs;

  o  the EAP server;

  o  the ER server; and

  o  the ER/AAK server [RFC6630], either in the home domain or local to
     the authenticator.































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5.1.  Functions of the Peer

  The peer participates in the functions described in Section 4, as
  shown in Table 1.

  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | Function           | Peer Role                                    |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | EAP authentication | Determines that full EAP authentication is   |
  |                    | needed based on context (e.g., initial       |
  |                    | authentication), prompting from the          |
  |                    | authenticator, or discovery that only EAP    |
  |                    | authentication is supported.  Participates   |
  |                    | in the EAP exchange with the EAP server.     |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Direct             | Discovers CAPs.  Initiates                   |
  | pre-authentication | pre-authentication with each, followed by    |
  |                    | EAP authentication as above, but using IP    |
  |                    | rather than L2 transport for the EAP frames. |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Indirect           | Enters into a full EAP exchange when         |
  | pre-authentication | triggered, using either L2 or L3 transport   |
  |                    | for the frames.                              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | EAP                | Determines that EAP re-authentication is     |
  | re-authentication  | possible based on discovery or authenticator |
  |                    | prompting.  Participates in ERP exchange     |
  |                    | with the ER server.                          |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | AAK                | Determines that AAK is possible based on     |
  |                    | discovery or serving authenticator           |
  |                    | prompting.  Discovers CAPs.  Participates in |
  |                    | ERP/AAK exchange, requesting distribution of |
  |                    | keying material to the CAPs.                 |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | ER key management  | No role.                                     |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+

                     Table 1: Functions of the Peer












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5.2.  Functions of the Serving Authenticator

  The serving authenticator participates in the functions described in
  Section 4, as shown in Table 2.

  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | Function           | Serving Authenticator Role                   |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | EAP authentication | No role.                                     |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Direct             | No role.                                     |
  | pre-authentication |                                              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Indirect           | Discovers CAPs.  Initiates an EAP exchange   |
  | pre-authentication | between the peer and the EAP server through  |
  |                    | each candidate authenticator.  Mediates      |
  |                    | between L2 transport of EAP frames on the    |
  |                    | peer side and a non-AAA protocol over IP     |
  |                    | toward the CAP.                              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | EAP                | No role.                                     |
  | re-authentication  |                                              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | AAK                | Mediates between L2 transport of AAK frames  |
  |                    | on the peer side and AAA transport toward    |
  |                    | the ER/AAK server.                           |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | ER key management  | No role.                                     |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+

             Table 2: Functions of the Serving Authenticator




















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5.3.  Functions of the Candidate Authenticator

  The candidate authenticator participates in the functions described
  in Section 4, as shown in Table 3.

  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | Function           | Candidate Authenticator Role                 |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | EAP authentication | Invokes AAA network access authentication    |
  |                    | and authorization upon handover/initial      |
  |                    | attachment.  Mediates between L2 transport   |
  |                    | of EAP frames on the peer link and AAA       |
  |                    | transport toward the EAP server.             |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Direct             | Invokes AAA network access authentication    |
  | pre-authentication | and authorization when the peer initiates    |
  |                    | authentication.  Mediates between non-AAA L3 |
  |                    | transport of EAP frames on the peer side and |
  |                    | AAA transport toward the EAP server.         |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Indirect           | Same as direct pre-authentication, except    |
  | pre-authentication | that it communicates with the serving        |
  |                    | authenticator rather than the peer.          |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | EAP                | Invokes AAA network access authentication    |
  | re-authentication  | and authorization upon handover.  Discovers  |
  |                    | or is configured with the address of the ER  |
  |                    | server.  Mediates between L2 transport of    |
  |                    | ERP frames on the peer side and AAA          |
  |                    | transport toward the ER server.              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | AAK                | Receives and saves the pMSK.                 |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | ER key management  | No role.                                     |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+

            Table 3: Functions of the Candidate Authenticator














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5.4.  Functions of the EAP Server

  The EAP server participates in the functions described in Section 4,
  as shown in Table 4.

  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | Function           | EAP Server Role                              |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | EAP authentication | Terminates EAP signaling between it and the  |
  |                    | peer via the candidate authenticator.        |
  |                    | Determines whether network access            |
  |                    | authentication succeeds or fails.  Provides  |
  |                    | the MSK to the authenticator (via AAA).      |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Direct             | Same as for EAP authentication.              |
  | pre-authentication |                                              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Indirect           | Same as for EAP authentication.              |
  | pre-authentication |                                              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | EAP                | Provides an rRK or DS-rRK to the ER server   |
  | re-authentication  | (via AAA).                                   |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | AAK                | Same as for EAP re-authentication.           |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | ER key management  | Creates an rRK or DS-rRK and distributes it  |
  |                    | to the ER server requesting the information. |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+

                  Table 4: Functions of the EAP Server





















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5.5.  Functions of the ER Server

  The ER server participates in the functions described in Section 4,
  as shown in Table 5.

  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | Function           | ER Server Role                               |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+
  | EAP authentication | No role.                                     |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Direct             | No role.                                     |
  | pre-authentication |                                              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | Indirect           | No role.                                     |
  | pre-authentication |                                              |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | EAP                | Acquires an rRK or DS-rRK as applicable when |
  | re-authentication  | necessary.  Terminates ERP signaling between |
  |                    | it and the peer via the candidate            |
  |                    | authenticator.  Determines whether network   |
  |                    | access authentication succeeds or fails.     |
  |                    | Provides an MSK to the authenticator.        |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | AAK                | Acquires an rRK or DS-rRK as applicable when |
  |                    | necessary.  Derives pMSKs and passes them to |
  |                    | the CAPs.                                    |
  | -                  | -                                            |
  | ER key management  | Receives and saves an rRK or DS-rRK as       |
  |                    | applicable.                                  |
  +--------------------+----------------------------------------------+

                   Table 5: Functions of the ER Server

6.  Usage Scenarios

  Depending upon whether a change in a domain or access technology is
  involved, we have the following usage scenarios.

6.1.  Simple Re-Authentication

  The peer remains stationary and re-authenticates to the original
  access point.  Note that in this case, the SAP takes the role of the
  CAP in the discussion above.








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6.2.  Intra-Domain Handover

  The peer moves between two authenticators in the same domain.  In
  this scenario, the peer communicates with the ER server via the ER
  authenticator within the same network.

6.3.  Inter-Domain Handover

  The peer moves between two different domains.  In this scenario, the
  peer communicates with more than one ER server via one or two
  different ER authenticators.  One ER server is located in the current
  network as the peer, and one is located in the previous network from
  which the peer moves.  Another ER server is located in the home
  network to which the peer belongs.

6.4.  Inter-Technology Handover

  The peer moves between two heterogeneous networks.  In this scenario,
  the peer needs to support at least two access technologies.  The
  coverage of two access technologies usually is overlapped during
  handover.  In this case, only authentication corresponding to
  intra-domain handover is required; i.e., the peer can communicate
  with the same local ER server to complete authentication and obtain
  keying material corresponding to the peer.

7.  AAA Considerations

  This section provides an analysis of how the AAA protocol can be
  applied in the HOKEY architecture in accordance with Section 4.1
  ("Authentication Subsystem Functional Overview").

7.1.  Authorization

  Authorization is a major issue in deployments.  Wherever the peer
  moves around, the home AAA server provides authorization for the peer
  during its handover.  However, it is unnecessary to couple
  authorization with authentication at every handover, since
  authorization is only needed when the peer is initially attached to
  the network or moves between two different AAA domains.  The EAP key
  management document [RFC5247] discusses several vulnerabilities that
  are common to handover mechanisms.  One important issue arises from
  the way that the authorization decisions might be handled at the AAA
  server during network access authentication.  For example, if AAA
  proxies are involved, they may also influence authorization
  decisions.  Furthermore, the reasons for choosing a particular
  decision are not communicated to the AAA clients.  In fact, the AAA
  client only knows the final authorization result.  Another issue
  relates to session management.  In some circumstances, when the peer



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  moves from one authenticator to another, the peer may be
  authenticated by the different authenticator during a period of time,
  and the authenticator to which the peer is currently attached needs
  to create a new AAA user session; however, the AAA server should not
  view these handoffs as different sessions.  Otherwise, this may
  affect user experience and also cause accounting or logging issues.
  For example, session ID creation, in most cases, is done by each
  authenticator to which the peer attaches.  In this sense, the new
  authenticator acting as AAA client needs to create a new AAA user
  session from scratch, which forces its corresponding AAA server to
  terminate the existing user session with the previous authenticator
  and set up a new user session with the new authenticator.  This may
  complicate the setup and maintenance of the AAA user session.

7.2.  Transport Aspect

  The existing AAA protocols can be used to carry EAP and ERP messages
  between the AAA server and AAA clients.  AAA transport of ERP
  messages is specified in Hoeper, Nakhjiri & Ohba [RFC5749] and
  Bournelle, et al. [DIAMETER-ERP].  AAA transport of EAP messages is
  specified in [RFC4072].  Key transport also can be performed through
  a AAA protocol.  Zorn, Wu & Cakulev [DIAMETER-AVP] specify a set of
  Attribute-Value Pairs (AVPs) providing native Diameter support of
  cryptographic key delivery.

8.  Security Considerations

  This document does not introduce any new security vulnerabilities.

9.  Acknowledgments

  The authors would like to thank Mark Jones, Zhen Cao, Semyon
  Mizikovsky, Stephen Farrell, Ondrej Sury, Richard Barnes, Jari Arkko,
  and Lionel Morand for their reviews and comments.

10.  References

10.1.  Normative References

  [RFC3748]  Aboba, B., Blunk, L., Vollbrecht, J., Carlson, J., and H.
             Levkowetz, Ed., "Extensible Authentication Protocol
             (EAP)", RFC 3748, June 2004.

  [RFC5169]  Clancy, T., Nakhjiri, M., Narayanan, V., and L. Dondeti,
             "Handover Key Management and Re-Authentication Problem
             Statement", RFC 5169, March 2008.





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  [RFC5836]  Ohba, Y., Ed., Wu, Q., Ed., and G. Zorn, Ed., "Extensible
             Authentication Protocol (EAP) Early Authentication Problem
             Statement", RFC 5836, April 2010.

  [RFC6696]  Cao, Z., He, B., Shi, Y., Wu, Q., Ed., and G. Zorn, Ed.,
             "EAP Extensions for the EAP Re-authentication Protocol
             (ERP)", RFC 6696, July 2012.

10.2.  Informative References

  [DIAMETER-AVP]
             Zorn, G., Wu, Q., and V. Cakulev, "Diameter Attribute-
             Value Pairs for Cryptographic Key Transport", Work
             in Progress, August 2011.

  [DIAMETER-ERP]
             Bournelle, J., Morand, L., Decugis, S., Wu, Q., and G.
             Zorn, "Diameter Support for the EAP Re-authentication
             Protocol (ERP)", Work in Progress, June 2012.

  [RFC4072]  Eronen, P., Ed., Hiller, T., and G. Zorn, "Diameter
             Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) Application",
             RFC 4072, August 2005.

  [RFC5247]  Aboba, B., Simon, D., and P. Eronen, "Extensible
             Authentication Protocol (EAP) Key Management Framework",
             RFC 5247, August 2008.

  [RFC5295]  Salowey, J., Dondeti, L., Narayanan, V., and M. Nakhjiri,
             "Specification for the Derivation of Root Keys from an
             Extended Master Session Key (EMSK)", RFC 5295,
             August 2008.

  [RFC5749]  Hoeper, K., Ed., Nakhjiri, M., and Y. Ohba, Ed.,
             "Distribution of EAP-Based Keys for Handover and
             Re-Authentication", RFC 5749, March 2010.

  [RFC5873]  Ohba, Y. and A. Yegin, "Pre-Authentication Support for the
             Protocol for Carrying Authentication for Network Access
             (PANA)", RFC 5873, May 2010.

  [RFC6440]  Zorn, G., Wu, Q., and Y. Wang, "The EAP Re-authentication
             Protocol (ERP) Local Domain Name DHCPv6 Option", RFC 6440,
             December 2011.

  [RFC6630]  Cao, Z., Deng, H., Wu, Q., and G. Zorn, Ed., "EAP
             Re-authentication Protocol Extensions for Authenticated
             Anticipatory Keying (ERP/AAK)", RFC 6630, June 2012.



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Authors' Addresses

  Glen Zorn (editor)
  Network Zen
  227/358 Thanon Sanphawut
  Bang Na, Bangkok  10260
  Thailand
  Phone: +66 (0) 909 201060
  EMail: [email protected]

  Qin Wu
  Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
  101 Software Avenue, Yuhua District
  Nanjing, JiangSu  210012
  China
  Phone: +86-25-84565892
  EMail: [email protected]

  Tom Taylor
  Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
  Ottawa, Ontario
  Canada
  EMail: [email protected]

  Yoav Nir
  Check Point
  5 Hasolelim St.
  Tel Aviv  67897
  Israel
  EMail: [email protected]

  Katrin Hoeper
  Motorola Solutions, Inc.
  1301 E. Algonquin Road
  Schaumburg, IL  60196
  USA
  EMail: [email protected]>

  Sebastien Decugis
  INSIDE Secure
  41 Parc Club du Golf
  Aix-en-Provence  13856
  France
  Phone: +33 (0)4 42 39 63 00
  EMail: [email protected]






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