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The IETF standards process and OpenPGP

This document provides a comprehensive overview of the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) standards process and its implementation through the OpenPGP working group. It delves into the structure of the IETF, including working groups, area directors, and the role of the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) and the Internet Architecture Board (IAB). Key concepts such as RFCs, pseudo-standards, and the unique nature of contributions from individuals rather than corporations are discussed. Additionally, it highlights the goals of the OpenPGP working group, including message and certificate formats.

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The IETF standards process and OpenPGP

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  1. The IETF standards process and OpenPGP Jon Callas 8 October 1998

  2. The IETF • Internet Engineering Task Force • An International community of people concerned with the evolution of Internet Standards • Made of Working Groups • Each WG has a chartered scope • Official work done on mailing lists • Three meetings per year

  3. The IETF • Working groups in Areas • General, Internet, Applications, Operations and Management, Security, Routing, Transport, User Services • Each Area has an Area Director • ADs form the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG)

  4. The IETF • Areas are overseen by the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) • IAB and IESG are chartered by The Internet Society (ISOC) • ISOC is a non-profit professional society • Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) assigns constants, parameters, etc. • Internet Research Task Force (IRTF)

  5. The Tao of the IETF • The IETF is a controlled anarchy • There is no membership • If you are on a WG mailing list, or attend a meeting, or contribute in any way, you’re as close to a member as there is. • IETF contributions come from people, not corporations

  6. BOFs • Birds of a Feather Sessions • Essentially proto-working groups • Can meet only twice, and then never again • Closely related concept -- The Bar BOF

  7. RFC • Request For Comments • Essentially IETF standards • Many are pseudo-standards • Pseudo-standards are nonetheless important • Drafts of RFCs are called Internet Drafts • Have a life of 6 months • RFC 2223, Instructions to Authors, tells how to write an RFC

  8. RFC • Informational • Anyone can create one, no review required • IETF pseudo-standards • Many are reprints of other documents • Tradition of April Fools RFCs • Many of these are only half jokes

  9. RFC • Standards Track • Created by Working Groups • Detailed Process for Approval • Proposed Standard, Draft Standard, Standard • Standards get an STD number, which is a handle

  10. RFC • FYI • Have their own FYI numbers, like STDs • Best Practices • Experimental

  11. Other considerations • Intellectual Property Considerations • Patented technologies are forbidden from being MUSTs unless there is an alternative • Munich doctrine as applied to crypto • Patents have caused much havoc in the Security area

  12. Writing an RFC • Read RFC2223, 2119, STD1 • Arcane format • I use Tim Dierk’s Perl program to format • Find a working group to support you, or go informational • Or start your own WG

  13. OpenPGP • Standards Track Working Group • Has two main goals • OpenPGP formats -- PGP message and certificate formats • OpenPGP/MIME -- MIME security encoding of multipart messages

  14. OpenPGP • OpenPGP formats • Replaces informational RFC1991 • In IETF last call for Proposed Standard • OpenPGP/MIME • Finishing up replacement for RFC2015

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