7 Network Working Group J. Myers
8 Request for Comments: 2222 Netscape Communications
9 Category: Standards Track October 1997
12 Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL)
16 This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
17 Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
18 improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
19 Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
20 and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
24 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1997). All Rights Reserved.
28 1. Abstract .............................................. 2
29 2. Organization of this Document ......................... 2
30 2.1. How to Read This Document ............................. 2
31 2.2. Conventions Used in this Document ..................... 2
32 2.3. Examples .............................................. 3
33 3. Introduction and Overview ............................. 3
34 4. Profiling requirements ................................ 4
35 5. Specific issues ....................................... 5
36 5.1. Client sends data first ............................... 5
37 5.2. Server returns success with additional data ........... 5
38 5.3. Multiple authentications .............................. 5
39 6. Registration procedures ............................... 6
40 6.1. Comments on SASL mechanism registrations .............. 6
41 6.2. Location of Registered SASL Mechanism List ............ 6
42 6.3. Change Control ........................................ 7
43 6.4. Registration Template ................................. 7
44 7. Mechanism definitions ................................. 8
45 7.1. Kerberos version 4 mechanism .......................... 8
46 7.2. GSSAPI mechanism ...................................... 9
47 7.2.1 Client side of authentication protocol exchange ....... 9
48 7.2.2 Server side of authentication protocol exchange ....... 10
49 7.2.3 Security layer ........................................ 11
50 7.3. S/Key mechanism ....................................... 11
51 7.4. External mechanism .................................... 12
52 8. References ............................................ 13
53 9. Security Considerations ............................... 13
54 10. Author's Address ...................................... 14
58 Myers Standards Track [Page 1]
60 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
63 Appendix A. Relation of SASL to Transport Security .......... 15
64 Full Copyright Statement .................................... 16
68 This document describes a method for adding authentication support to
69 connection-based protocols. To use this specification, a protocol
70 includes a command for identifying and authenticating a user to a
71 server and for optionally negotiating protection of subsequent
72 protocol interactions. If its use is negotiated, a security layer is
73 inserted between the protocol and the connection. This document
74 describes how a protocol specifies such a command, defines several
75 mechanisms for use by the command, and defines the protocol used for
76 carrying a negotiated security layer over the connection.
78 2. Organization of this Document
80 2.1. How to Read This Document
82 This document is written to serve two different audiences, protocol
83 designers using this specification to support authentication in their
84 protocol, and implementors of clients or servers for those protocols
85 using this specification.
87 The sections "Introduction and Overview", "Profiling requirements",
88 and "Security Considerations" cover issues that protocol designers
89 need to understand and address in profiling this specification for
90 use in a specific protocol.
92 Implementors of a protocol using this specification need the
93 protocol-specific profiling information in addition to the
94 information in this document.
96 2.2. Conventions Used in this Document
98 In examples, "C:" and "S:" indicate lines sent by the client and
101 The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", and "MAY"
102 in this document are to be interpreted as defined in "Key words for
103 use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels" [RFC 2119].
114 Myers Standards Track [Page 2]
116 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
121 Examples in this document are for the IMAP profile [RFC 2060] of this
122 specification. The base64 encoding of challenges and responses, as
123 well as the "+ " preceding the responses are part of the IMAP4
124 profile, not part of the SASL specification itself.
126 3. Introduction and Overview
128 The Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) is a method for
129 adding authentication support to connection-based protocols. To use
130 this specification, a protocol includes a command for identifying and
131 authenticating a user to a server and for optionally negotiating a
132 security layer for subsequent protocol interactions.
134 The command has a required argument identifying a SASL mechanism.
135 SASL mechanisms are named by strings, from 1 to 20 characters in
136 length, consisting of upper-case letters, digits, hyphens, and/or
137 underscores. SASL mechanism names must be registered with the IANA.
138 Procedures for registering new SASL mechanisms are given in the
139 section "Registration procedures"
141 If a server supports the requested mechanism, it initiates an
142 authentication protocol exchange. This consists of a series of
143 server challenges and client responses that are specific to the
144 requested mechanism. The challenges and responses are defined by the
145 mechanisms as binary tokens of arbitrary length. The protocol's
146 profile then specifies how these binary tokens are then encoded for
147 transfer over the connection.
149 After receiving the authentication command or any client response, a
150 server may issue a challenge, indicate failure, or indicate
151 completion. The protocol's profile specifies how the server
152 indicates which of the above it is doing.
154 After receiving a challenge, a client may issue a response or abort
155 the exchange. The protocol's profile specifies how the client
156 indicates which of the above it is doing.
158 During the authentication protocol exchange, the mechanism performs
159 authentication, transmits an authorization identity (frequently known
160 as a userid) from the client to server, and negotiates the use of a
161 mechanism-specific security layer. If the use of a security layer is
162 agreed upon, then the mechanism must also define or negotiate the
163 maximum cipher-text buffer size that each side is able to receive.
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172 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
175 The transmitted authorization identity may be different than the
176 identity in the client's authentication credentials. This permits
177 agents such as proxy servers to authenticate using their own
178 credentials, yet request the access privileges of the identity for
179 which they are proxying. With any mechanism, transmitting an
180 authorization identity of the empty string directs the server to
181 derive an authorization identity from the client's authentication
184 If use of a security layer is negotiated, it is applied to all
185 subsequent data sent over the connection. The security layer takes
186 effect immediately following the last response of the authentication
187 exchange for data sent by the client and the completion indication
188 for data sent by the server. Once the security layer is in effect,
189 the protocol stream is processed by the security layer into buffers
190 of cipher-text. Each buffer is transferred over the connection as a
191 stream of octets prepended with a four octet field in network byte
192 order that represents the length of the following buffer. The length
193 of the cipher-text buffer must be no larger than the maximum size
194 that was defined or negotiated by the other side.
196 4. Profiling requirements
198 In order to use this specification, a protocol definition must supply
199 the following information:
201 1. A service name, to be selected from the IANA registry of "service"
202 elements for the GSSAPI host-based service name form [RFC 2078].
204 2. A definition of the command to initiate the authentication
205 protocol exchange. This command must have as a parameter the
206 mechanism name being selected by the client.
208 The command SHOULD have an optional parameter giving an initial
209 response. This optional parameter allows the client to avoid a
210 round trip when using a mechanism which is defined to have the
211 client send data first. When this initial response is sent by the
212 client and the selected mechanism is defined to have the server
213 start with an initial challenge, the command fails. See section
214 5.1 of this document for further information.
216 3. A definition of the method by which the authentication protocol
217 exchange is carried out, including how the challenges and
218 responses are encoded, how the server indicates completion or
219 failure of the exchange, how the client aborts an exchange, and
220 how the exchange method interacts with any line length limits in
226 Myers Standards Track [Page 4]
228 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
231 4. Identification of the octet where any negotiated security layer
232 starts to take effect, in both directions.
234 5. A specification of how the authorization identity passed from the
235 client to the server is to be interpreted.
239 5.1. Client sends data first
241 Some mechanisms specify that the first data sent in the
242 authentication protocol exchange is from the client to the server.
244 If a protocol's profile permits the command which initiates an
245 authentication protocol exchange to contain an initial client
246 response, this parameter SHOULD be used with such mechanisms.
248 If the initial client response parameter is not given, or if a
249 protocol's profile does not permit the command which initiates an
250 authentication protocol exchange to contain an initial client
251 response, then the server issues a challenge with no data. The
252 client's response to this challenge is then used as the initial
253 client response. (The server then proceeds to send the next
254 challenge, indicates completion, or indicates failure.)
256 5.2. Server returns success with additional data
258 Some mechanisms may specify that server challenge data be sent to the
259 client along with an indication of successful completion of the
260 exchange. This data would, for example, authenticate the server to
263 If a protocol's profile does not permit this server challenge to be
264 returned with a success indication, then the server issues the server
265 challenge without an indication of successful completion. The client
266 then responds with no data. After receiving this empty response, the
267 server then indicates successful completion.
269 5.3. Multiple authentications
271 Unless otherwise stated by the protocol's profile, only one
272 successful SASL negotiation may occur in a protocol session. In this
273 case, once an authentication protocol exchange has successfully
274 completed, further attempts to initiate an authentication protocol
282 Myers Standards Track [Page 5]
284 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
287 In the case that a profile explicitly permits multiple successful
288 SASL negotiations to occur, then in no case may multiple security
289 layers be simultaneously in effect. If a security layer is in effect
290 and a subsequent SASL negotiation selects no security layer, the
291 original security layer remains in effect. If a security layer is in
292 effect and a subsequent SASL negotiation selects a second security
293 layer, then the second security layer replaces the first.
295 6. Registration procedures
297 Registration of a SASL mechanism is done by filling in the template
298 in section 6.4 and sending it in to iana@isi.edu. IANA has the right
299 to reject obviously bogus registrations, but will perform no review
300 of clams made in the registration form.
302 There is no naming convention for SASL mechanisms; any name that
303 conforms to the syntax of a SASL mechanism name can be registered.
305 While the registration procedures do not require it, authors of SASL
306 mechanisms are encouraged to seek community review and comment
307 whenever that is feasible. Authors may seek community review by
308 posting a specification of their proposed mechanism as an internet-
309 draft. SASL mechanisms intended for widespread use should be
310 standardized through the normal IETF process, when appropriate.
312 6.1. Comments on SASL mechanism registrations
314 Comments on registered SASL mechanisms should first be sent to the
315 "owner" of the mechanism. Submitters of comments may, after a
316 reasonable attempt to contact the owner, request IANA to attach their
317 comment to the SASL mechanism registration itself. If IANA approves
318 of this the comment will be made accessible in conjunction with the
319 SASL mechanism registration itself.
321 6.2. Location of Registered SASL Mechanism List
323 SASL mechanism registrations will be posted in the anonymous FTP
324 directory "ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/iana/assignments/sasl-
325 mechanisms/" and all registered SASL mechanisms will be listed in the
326 periodically issued "Assigned Numbers" RFC [currently STD 2, RFC
327 1700]. The SASL mechanism description and other supporting material
328 may also be published as an Informational RFC by sending it to "rfc-
329 editor@isi.edu" (please follow the instructions to RFC authors [RFC
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340 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
345 Once a SASL mechanism registration has been published by IANA, the
346 author may request a change to its definition. The change request
347 follows the same procedure as the registration request.
349 The owner of a SASL mechanism may pass responsibility for the SASL
350 mechanism to another person or agency by informing IANA; this can be
351 done without discussion or review.
353 The IESG may reassign responsibility for a SASL mechanism. The most
354 common case of this will be to enable changes to be made to
355 mechanisms where the author of the registration has died, moved out
356 of contact or is otherwise unable to make changes that are important
359 SASL mechanism registrations may not be deleted; mechanisms which are
360 no longer believed appropriate for use can be declared OBSOLETE by a
361 change to their "intended use" field; such SASL mechanisms will be
362 clearly marked in the lists published by IANA.
364 The IESG is considered to be the owner of all SASL mechanisms which
365 are on the IETF standards track.
367 6.4. Registration Template
370 Subject: Registration of SASL mechanism X
374 Security considerations:
376 Published specification (optional, recommended):
378 Person & email address to contact for further information:
382 (One of COMMON, LIMITED USE or OBSOLETE)
384 Author/Change controller:
386 (Any other information that the author deems interesting may be
387 added below this line.)
394 Myers Standards Track [Page 7]
396 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
399 7. Mechanism definitions
401 The following mechanisms are hereby defined.
403 7.1. Kerberos version 4 mechanism
405 The mechanism name associated with Kerberos version 4 is
408 The first challenge consists of a random 32-bit number in network
409 byte order. The client responds with a Kerberos ticket and an
410 authenticator for the principal "service.hostname@realm", where
411 "service" is the service name specified in the protocol's profile,
412 "hostname" is the first component of the host name of the server with
413 all letters in lower case, and where "realm" is the Kerberos realm of
414 the server. The encrypted checksum field included within the
415 Kerberos authenticator contains the server provided challenge in
418 Upon decrypting and verifying the ticket and authenticator, the
419 server verifies that the contained checksum field equals the original
420 server provided random 32-bit number. Should the verification be
421 successful, the server must add one to the checksum and construct 8
422 octets of data, with the first four octets containing the incremented
423 checksum in network byte order, the fifth octet containing a bit-mask
424 specifying the security layers supported by the server, and the sixth
425 through eighth octets containing, in network byte order, the maximum
426 cipher-text buffer size the server is able to receive. The server
427 must encrypt using DES ECB mode the 8 octets of data in the session
428 key and issue that encrypted data in a second challenge. The client
429 considers the server authenticated if the first four octets of the
430 un-encrypted data is equal to one plus the checksum it previously
433 The client must construct data with the first four octets containing
434 the original server-issued checksum in network byte order, the fifth
435 octet containing the bit-mask specifying the selected security layer,
436 the sixth through eighth octets containing in network byte order the
437 maximum cipher-text buffer size the client is able to receive, and
438 the following octets containing the authorization identity. The
439 client must then append from one to eight zero-valued octets so that
440 the length of the data is a multiple of eight octets. The client must
441 then encrypt using DES PCBC mode the data with the session key and
442 respond with the encrypted data. The server decrypts the data and
443 verifies the contained checksum. The server must verify that the
444 principal identified in the Kerberos ticket is authorized to connect
445 as that authorization identity. After this verification, the
446 authentication process is complete.
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452 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
455 The security layers and their corresponding bit-masks are as follows:
458 2 Integrity (krb_mk_safe) protection
459 4 Privacy (krb_mk_priv) protection
461 Other bit-masks may be defined in the future; bits which are not
462 understood must be negotiated off.
464 EXAMPLE: The following are two Kerberos version 4 login scenarios to
465 the IMAP4 protocol (note that the line breaks in the sample
466 authenticators are for editorial clarity and are not in real
470 C: A001 AUTHENTICATE KERBEROS_V4
472 C: BAcAQU5EUkVXLkNNVS5FRFUAOCAsho84kLN3/IJmrMG+25a4DT
473 +nZImJjnTNHJUtxAA+o0KPKfHEcAFs9a3CL5Oebe/ydHJUwYFd
474 WwuQ1MWiy6IesKvjL5rL9WjXUb9MwT9bpObYLGOKi1Qh
476 C: DiAF5A4gA+oOIALuBkAAmw==
477 S: A001 OK Kerberos V4 authentication successful
481 C: A001 AUTHENTICATE KERBEROS_V4
483 C: BAcAQU5EUkVXLkNNVS5FRFUAOCAsho84kLN3/IJmrMG+25a4DT
484 +nZImJjnTNHJUtxAA+o0KPKfHEcAFs9a3CL5Oebe/ydHJUwYFd
485 WwuQ1MWiy6IesKvjL5rL9WjXUb9MwT9bpObYLGOKi1Qh
486 S: A001 NO Kerberos V4 authentication failed
488 7.2. GSSAPI mechanism
490 The mechanism name associated with all mechanisms employing the
491 GSSAPI [RFC 2078] is "GSSAPI".
493 7.2.1 Client side of authentication protocol exchange
495 The client calls GSS_Init_sec_context, passing in 0 for
496 input_context_handle (initially) and a targ_name equal to output_name
497 from GSS_Import_Name called with input_name_type of
498 GSS_C_NT_HOSTBASED_SERVICE and input_name_string of
499 "service@hostname" where "service" is the service name specified in
500 the protocol's profile, and "hostname" is the fully qualified host
501 name of the server. The client then responds with the resulting
502 output_token. If GSS_Init_sec_context returns GSS_S_CONTINUE_NEEDED,
506 Myers Standards Track [Page 9]
508 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
511 then the client should expect the server to issue a token in a
512 subsequent challenge. The client must pass the token to another call
513 to GSS_Init_sec_context, repeating the actions in this paragraph.
515 When GSS_Init_sec_context returns GSS_S_COMPLETE, the client takes
516 the following actions: If the last call to GSS_Init_sec_context
517 returned an output_token, then the client responds with the
518 output_token, otherwise the client responds with no data. The client
519 should then expect the server to issue a token in a subsequent
520 challenge. The client passes this token to GSS_Unwrap and interprets
521 the first octet of resulting cleartext as a bit-mask specifying the
522 security layers supported by the server and the second through fourth
523 octets as the maximum size output_message to send to the server. The
524 client then constructs data, with the first octet containing the
525 bit-mask specifying the selected security layer, the second through
526 fourth octets containing in network byte order the maximum size
527 output_message the client is able to receive, and the remaining
528 octets containing the authorization identity. The client passes the
529 data to GSS_Wrap with conf_flag set to FALSE, and responds with the
530 generated output_message. The client can then consider the server
533 7.2.2 Server side of authentication protocol exchange
535 The server passes the initial client response to
536 GSS_Accept_sec_context as input_token, setting input_context_handle
537 to 0 (initially). If GSS_Accept_sec_context returns
538 GSS_S_CONTINUE_NEEDED, the server returns the generated output_token
539 to the client in challenge and passes the resulting response to
540 another call to GSS_Accept_sec_context, repeating the actions in this
543 When GSS_Accept_sec_context returns GSS_S_COMPLETE, the client takes
544 the following actions: If the last call to GSS_Accept_sec_context
545 returned an output_token, the server returns it to the client in a
546 challenge and expects a reply from the client with no data. Whether
547 or not an output_token was returned (and after receipt of any
548 response from the client to such an output_token), the server then
549 constructs 4 octets of data, with the first octet containing a bit-
550 mask specifying the security layers supported by the server and the
551 second through fourth octets containing in network byte order the
552 maximum size output_token the server is able to receive. The server
553 must then pass the plaintext to GSS_Wrap with conf_flag set to FALSE
554 and issue the generated output_message to the client in a challenge.
555 The server must then pass the resulting response to GSS_Unwrap and
556 interpret the first octet of resulting cleartext as the bit-mask for
557 the selected security layer, the second through fourth octets as the
558 maximum size output_message to send to the client, and the remaining
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564 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
567 octets as the authorization identity. The server must verify that
568 the src_name is authorized to authenticate as the authorization
569 identity. After these verifications, the authentication process is
574 The security layers and their corresponding bit-masks are as follows:
577 2 Integrity protection.
578 Sender calls GSS_Wrap with conf_flag set to FALSE
579 4 Privacy protection.
580 Sender calls GSS_Wrap with conf_flag set to TRUE
582 Other bit-masks may be defined in the future; bits which are not
583 understood must be negotiated off.
587 The mechanism name associated with S/Key [RFC 1760] using the MD4
588 digest algorithm is "SKEY".
590 The client sends an initial response with the authorization identity.
592 The server then issues a challenge which contains the decimal
593 sequence number followed by a single space and the seed string for
594 the indicated authorization identity. The client responds with the
595 one-time-password, as either a 64-bit value in network byte order or
596 encoded in the "six English words" format.
598 The server must verify the one-time-password. After this
599 verification, the authentication process is complete.
601 S/Key authentication does not provide for any security layers.
603 EXAMPLE: The following are two S/Key login scenarios in the IMAP4
607 C: A001 AUTHENTICATE SKEY
610 S: + OTUgUWE1ODMwOA==
611 C: Rk9VUiBNQU5OIFNPT04gRklSIFZBUlkgTUFTSA==
612 S: A001 OK S/Key authentication successful
618 Myers Standards Track [Page 11]
620 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
624 C: A001 AUTHENTICATE SKEY
627 S: + OTUgUWE1ODMwOA==
629 S: A001 NO S/Key authentication failed
631 The following is an S/Key login scenario in an IMAP4-like protocol
632 which has an optional "initial response" argument to the AUTHENTICATE
635 S: * OK IMAP4-Like Server
636 C: A001 AUTHENTICATE SKEY bW9yZ2Fu
637 S: + OTUgUWE1ODMwOA==
638 C: Rk9VUiBNQU5OIFNPT04gRklSIFZBUlkgTUFTSA==
639 S: A001 OK S/Key authentication successful
641 7.4. External mechanism
643 The mechanism name associated with external authentication is
646 The client sends an initial response with the authorization identity.
648 The server uses information, external to SASL, to determine whether
649 the client is authorized to authenticate as the authorization
650 identity. If the client is so authorized, the server indicates
651 successful completion of the authentication exchange; otherwise the
652 server indicates failure.
654 The system providing this external information may be, for example,
657 If the client sends the empty string as the authorization identity
658 (thus requesting the authorization identity be derived from the
659 client's authentication credentials), the authorization identity is
660 to be derived from authentication credentials which exist in the
661 system which is providing the external authentication.
674 Myers Standards Track [Page 12]
676 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
681 [RFC 2060] Crispin, M., "Internet Message Access Protocol - Version
682 4rev1", RFC 2060, December 1996.
684 [RFC 2078] Linn, J., "Generic Security Service Application Program
685 Interface, Version 2", RFC 2078, January 1997.
687 [RFC 2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
688 Requirement Levels", RFC 2119, March 1997.
690 [RFC 2223] Postel, J., and J. Reynolds, "Instructions to RFC
691 Authors", RFC 2223, October 1997.
693 [RFC 1760] Haller, N., "The S/Key One-Time Password System", RFC
696 [RFC 1700] Reynolds, J., and J. Postel, "Assigned Numbers", STD 2,
697 RFC 1700, October 1994.
699 9. Security Considerations
701 Security issues are discussed throughout this memo.
703 The mechanisms that support integrity protection are designed such
704 that the negotiation of the security layer and authorization identity
705 is integrity protected. When the client selects a security layer
706 with at least integrity protection, this protects against an active
707 attacker hijacking the connection and modifying the authentication
708 exchange to negotiate a plaintext connection.
710 When a server or client supports multiple authentication mechanisms,
711 each of which has a different security strength, it is possible for
712 an active attacker to cause a party to use the least secure mechanism
713 supported. To protect against this sort of attack, a client or
714 server which supports mechanisms of different strengths should have a
715 configurable minimum strength that it will use. It is not sufficient
716 for this minimum strength check to only be on the server, since an
717 active attacker can change which mechanisms the client sees as being
718 supported, causing the client to send authentication credentials for
719 its weakest supported mechanism.
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732 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
735 The client's selection of a SASL mechanism is done in the clear and
736 may be modified by an active attacker. It is important for any new
737 SASL mechanisms to be designed such that an active attacker cannot
738 obtain an authentication with weaker security properties by modifying
739 the SASL mechanism name and/or the challenges and responses.
741 Any protocol interactions prior to authentication are performed in
742 the clear and may be modified by an active attacker. In the case
743 where a client selects integrity protection, it is important that any
744 security-sensitive protocol negotiations be performed after
745 authentication is complete. Protocols should be designed such that
746 negotiations performed prior to authentication should be either
747 ignored or revalidated once authentication is complete.
752 Netscape Communications
753 501 E. Middlefield Road
755 Mountain View, CA 94043-4042
757 EMail: jgmyers@netscape.com
786 Myers Standards Track [Page 14]
788 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
791 Appendix A. Relation of SASL to Transport Security
793 Questions have been raised about the relationship between SASL and
794 various services (such as IPsec and TLS) which provide a secured
797 Two of the key features of SASL are:
799 1. The separation of the authorization identity from the identity in
800 the client's credentials. This permits agents such as proxy
801 servers to authenticate using their own credentials, yet request
802 the access privileges of the identity for which they are proxying.
804 2. Upon successful completion of an authentication exchange, the
805 server knows the authorization identity the client wishes to use.
806 This allows servers to move to a "user is authenticated" state in
809 These features are extremely important to some application protocols,
810 yet Transport Security services do not always provide them. To
811 define SASL mechanisms based on these services would be a very messy
812 task, as the framing of these services would be redundant with the
813 framing of SASL and some method of providing these important SASL
814 features would have to be devised.
816 Sometimes it is desired to enable within an existing connection the
817 use of a security service which does not fit the SASL model. (TLS is
818 an example of such a service.) This can be done by adding a command,
819 for example "STARTTLS", to the protocol. Such a command is outside
820 the scope of SASL, and should be different from the command which
821 starts a SASL authentication protocol exchange.
823 In certain situations, it is reasonable to use SASL underneath one of
824 these Transport Security services. The transport service would
825 secure the connection, either service would authenticate the client,
826 and SASL would negotiate the authorization identity. The SASL
827 negotiation would be what moves the protocol from "unauthenticated"
828 to "authenticated" state. The "EXTERNAL" SASL mechanism is
829 explicitly intended to handle the case where the transport service
830 secures the connection and authenticates the client and SASL
831 negotiates the authorization identity.
833 When using SASL underneath a sufficiently strong Transport Security
834 service, a SASL security layer would most likely be redundant. The
835 client and server would thus probably want to negotiate off the use
836 of a SASL security layer.
842 Myers Standards Track [Page 15]
844 RFC 2222 SASL October 1997
847 Full Copyright Statement
849 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1997). All Rights Reserved.
851 This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
852 others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it
853 or assist in its implmentation may be prepared, copied, published
854 andand distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any
855 kind, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are
856 included on all such copies and derivative works. However, this
857 document itself may not be modified in any way, such as by removing
858 the copyright notice or references to the Internet Society or other
859 Internet organizations, except as needed for the purpose of
860 developing Internet standards in which case the procedures for
861 copyrights defined in the Internet Standards process must be
862 followed, or as required to translate it into languages other than
865 The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
866 revoked by the Internet Society or its successors or assigns.
868 This document and the information contained herein is provided on an
869 "AS IS" basis and THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET ENGINEERING
870 TASK FORCE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
871 BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE INFORMATION
872 HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
873 MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
898 Myers Standards Track [Page 16]