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A Uniform Resource Name Namespace for the Device Identity and the Mobile Equipment Identity (MEID)
draft-atarius-dispatch-meid-urn-16

The information below is for an old version of the document.
Document Type
This is an older version of an Internet-Draft that was ultimately published as RFC 8464.
Author Roozbeh Atarius
Last updated 2018-03-17
RFC stream Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
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Stream WG state (None)
Document shepherd Andrew Allen
Shepherd write-up Show Last changed 2015-11-02
IESG IESG state Became RFC 8464 (Informational)
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Responsible AD Ben Campbell
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IANA IANA review state IANA - Not OK
draft-atarius-dispatch-meid-urn-16
Network Working Group                                         R. Atarius
Internet-Draft                                            March 17, 2018
Intended status: Informational
Expires: September 18, 2018

A Uniform Resource Name Namespace for the Device Identity and the Mobile
                       Equipment Identity (MEID)
                   draft-atarius-dispatch-meid-urn-16

Abstract

   This document defines a Uniform Resource Name (URN) namespace for the
   Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP2) and a Namespace Specific
   String (NSS) for the Mobile Equipment Identity (MEID).  The structure
   of an MEID is 15 hexadecimal digits long and is defined in the Third
   Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) (see [S.R0048-A]) to
   uniquely identify each individual mobile equipment (e.g., a handset
   or mobile phone).  The 3GPP2 has a requirement to be able to use an
   MEID as a URN.  This document fulfills that requirement.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
   Task Force (IETF).  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.  The list of current Internet-
   Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

   This Internet-Draft will expire on September 18, 2018.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2018 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
   (https://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

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   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.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   3.  Namespace Registration Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   4.  Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     4.1.  MEID Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     4.2.  MEID Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
       4.2.1.  Manufacturer Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
       4.2.2.  Serial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
       4.2.3.  Check Digit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
       4.2.4.  Hexadecimal Encoding  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   5.  Community considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   6.  Namespace considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   7.  IANA considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   8.  Security and privacy considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   9.  Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   10. References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
     10.1.  Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
     10.2.  Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11

1.  Introduction

   A single mode 3GPP mobile equipment which uses only 3GPP technology
   to transmit and receive voice or data, or a dual mode 3GPP/3GPP2
   mobile equipment which uses either 3GPP or 3GPP2 technology to
   transmit and receive voice or data has an International Mobile
   station Equipment Identity (IMEI) to identify the mobile equipment.
   A URN Namespace and an NSS for the IMEI are defined in [RFC7254].
   For cases where the mobile equipment uses IMEI as an identity for
   dual mode 3GPP/3GPP2 access the IMEI urn as defined in [RFC7254] can
   be used to identify the mobile equipment.

   However, single mode 3GPP2 mobile equipment which supports only 3GPP2
   access technology to transmit and receive voice or data has a
   hexadecimal MEID.  Since there are fundamental differences between
   MEID and IMEI, i.e. in encoding, format and the ownership, [RFC7254]
   cannot be employed to represent the hexadecimal MEID.

   This document specifies a URN namespace for 3GPP2 and an NSS for the
   MEID as per the namespace registration requirement in [RFC8141].  The
   structure of an MEID is 15 hexadecimal encoded digits long and is

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   defined by 3GPP2 (see [S.R0048-A]) to uniquely identify each
   individual mobile equipment (e.g., a handset or mobile phone).  The
   3GPP2 has a requirement to be able to use an MEID as a URN.  This
   document fulfills that requirement.  The Namespace Identifier (NID)
   '3gpp2' is for identities used in 3GPP2 networks.  The MEID is
   managed by the 3GPP2, so this NID is managed by the 3GPP2.  This
   specification defines only NSSs constructed from MEIDs under the
   '3gpp2' NID.  These NSSs start with "meid:" in order to identify them
   as such.  Additional types of NSS under the '3gpp2' NID may be
   specified in the future by the 3GPP2 via additional specifications.

   The MEID is 15 hexadecimal digits long and includes a manufacturer
   code of 8 hexadecimal digits and the serial number of 6 hexadecimal
   digits plus a hexadecimal digit as a check digit.

   The manufacturer code identifies the mobile equipment manufacturer.
   A manufacturer can be assigned more than one manufacturer code.  The
   serial number uniquely identifies each mobile equipment within the
   manufacturer code.  The check digit is used as assurance of integrity
   in error-prone operations, e.g. when used with certain types of
   readers during inventory management operations.  The check digit is
   not transmitted.  Therefore the first 14 of the 15 dexadecimal digits
   are used for defining the MEID as a URN.

   The information here is meant to be a concise guide for those wishing
   to use the hexadecimal MEID as a URN.  Nothing in this document
   should be construed to override [S.R0048-A] that defines the MEID.

2.  Terminology

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
   document are to be interpreted as described in [RFC2119].

3.  Namespace Registration Template

   Namespace ID: '3gpp2' requested

   Registration Information:

   Registration version number: 1

   Registration date: 2018-03-19

   Declared registrant of the namespace:

   Registration organization:

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   Name: 3GPP2

   Address:

   John Derr, MEID Global Hexadecimal Administrator, JDerr@tiaonline.org
   Gary Pellegrino, TIA TR-45 EUMAG Chair, gary@commflowresources.com
   c/o Telecommunications Industry Association
   1320 N. Courthouse Rd. Suite 200,
   Arlington, Virginia 22201 USA

   Declaration of syntactic structure:

   The identifier is expressed in American Standard Code for Information
   Interchange (ASCII) characters and has a hierarchical expression
   using the Augmented Backus-Naur Form (ABNF) defined in [RFC5234], as
   follows:

   pp2-urn              = "urn:" pp2-NID ":" pp2-NSS
   pp2-NID              = "3gpp2"
   pp2-NSS              = meid-specifier / future-pp2-specifier
   meid-specifier       = "meid:" meidval
   future-pp2-specifier = future-specifier *( ":" 1*( pchar / "/" ))
   future-specifier     = 1*pp2-char
   pp2-char             = ALPHA / DIGIT / "-" / "." / "_" / pct-encoded

   An NSS for the MEID is defined under the '3gpp2' NID.

   An MEID is an identifier under the '3gpp2' NID that uniquely
   identifies mobile equipment used in 3GPP2 defined networks.

   The representation of the MEID is a specific number of hexadecimal
   digits, as described in [S.R0048-A].

   The formal definition of a URN with 'meid' NSS contains one meidval
   with the formal definition according to the following ABNF [RFC5234]:

   meidval           = Manufacturer-Code "-" Serial-Number
   Manufacturer-Code = 8HEX
   Serial-Number     = 6HEX
   HEX               = DIGIT / "A" / "B" / "C" / "D" / "E" / "F"

   <future-pp2-specifier> can comprise any ASCII characters compliant
   with URN syntax in [RFC8141].

   The 3GPP2 will take responsibility for the '3gpp2' namespace,
   including the 'meid' NSS.

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   Relevant ancillary documentation:

   See 3G Mobile Equipment Identifier [S.R0048-A] and GHA (Global
   Hexadecimal Administrator) Assignment Guidelines and Procedures for
   Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID) and Short Form Expanded UIM
   Identifier (SF_EUIMID) [SC.R4002-0].

   Identifier uniqueness considerations:

   Identifiers in the '3gpp2' NID are defined and assigned by the 3GPP2
   or an agency appointed by 3GPP2 after ensuring that the URNs to be
   assigned are unique.

   Procedures are in place to ensure that each MEID is uniquely assigned
   by the mobile equipment manufacturer so that it is guaranteed to
   uniquely identify that particular mobile equipment.

   Identifier persistence considerations:

   The 3GPP2 is committed to maintaining uniqueness and persistence of
   all resources identified by assigned URNs.

   The NID sought is '3gpp2', and the URN should persist indefinitely
   (at least as long as there is a need for its use).  The standards
   organization 3GPP2 ensures assignments within the NID are unique and
   persistent.  The IANA procedures assure that the connection between
   the 3GPP2 and the NID '3gpp2' is permanent.

   The Manufacturer Code and Serial Number portions of the MEID are
   permanently stored in the mobile equipment so they remain persistent
   as long as the mobile equipment exists.  The process for Manufacturer
   Code and Serial Number assignment is documented in [SC.R4002-0] and
   the Manufacturer Code and Serial Number values once assigned are not
   re-assigned to other mobile equipments.

   Process of identifier assignment:

   The 3GPP2 or its approved agency will manage the <NSS> (including
   'meid') and <future-pp2-specifier> identifier resources to maintain
   uniqueness.  The process for MEID assignment is documented in
   [SC.R4002-0].

   Process for identifier resolution:

   Since the '3gpp2' NSS is not currently globally resolvable, this is
   not applicable.

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   Rules for Lexical Equivalence:

   Two 3GPP2 MEID URNs are equivalent if they have the same 'meidval' in
   the same sequential order.  Two future 3GPP2 MEID URNs are equivalent
   if they have the same 'meidval'and 'future-pp2-specifier' in the same
   sequential order.

   Conformance with URN Syntax:

   The string representation of the '3gpp2' NID and of the MEID NSS is
   fully compatible with the URN syntax (see [RFC8141]).

   Validation Mechanism:

   The MEID can be validated using the mechanism defined in [S.R0048-A].

   Scope:

   3GPP2 URN is global in scope.

4.  Specification

4.1.  MEID Parameters

   Any future change to the format of the 'meid' NSS requires the use of
   the procedure for URN NSS changes (currently through the publication
   of a future Informational RFCs approved by IETF consensus).

   [draft-atarius-dispatch-meid-urn-as-instanceid] specifies how the
   MEID URN can be used as an instance ID as specified in [RFC5626].
   Any change to the instance ID, will require an update to
   [draft-atarius-dispatch-meid-urn-as-instanceid].  An example of 3GPP2
   MEID URN is:

   urn:3gpp2:meid:A04B0D56-02A7E3

4.2.  MEID Format

4.2.1.  Manufacturer Code

   The manufacturer code is an 8 hexadecimal digit value.  The
   manufacturer code identifies the mobile equipment manufacturer.  The
   manufacturer code is chosen from a range of values allocated to the
   mobile equipment manufacturer in order to uniquely identify the
   mobile equipment.

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4.2.2.  Serial Number

   The serial number is a 6 hexadecimal digit value.  The serial number
   identifies equipment within the manufacturer code.

4.2.3.  Check Digit

   This is a single hexadecimal digit (bits 1-4 of octet 8) and is used
   as assurance of integrity in error-prone operations, e.g. when used
   with certain types of readers during inventory management operations.
   The check digit is not transmitted by the mobile equipment and are
   not used in the MEID URN.

4.2.4.  Hexadecimal Encoding

   The MEID format is 15 hexadecimal digits encoded in 8 octets as
   defined in [S.R0048-A].  The following figure is an abstract
   representation of a hexadecimal encoded MEID stored in memory (the
   actual storage format in memory is implementation specific).  In this
   figure, the most significant digit of the Manufacturer Code is
   encoded in the bits 1-4 of octet 1.  Bits 5-8 of octet 8 are zero-
   padded, since the bits 1-4 are only needed to encode the Check Digit.
   The most significant digit of the Serial Number is encoded in the
   bits 1-4 of octet 5.  When MEID is included in a cellular signaling
   message, the Check Digit is omitted and the first 7 Octets in the
   following figure are only transmitted, [X.S0008-A].

       14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0  Hexadecimal
      +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+    Digits
      |                       |                 |  |
      |                       |                 |  |
      |   Manufacturer Code   |  Serial Number  |CD|
      |                       |                 |  |
      |                       |                 |  |
      +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
         1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8  Octets

5.  Community considerations

   3GPP2 defined mobile equipment will interoperate with Internet
   devices for a variety of voice and data communication services.  To
   do this, they need to make use of Internet protocols that will
   operate end to end between mobile equipments in 3GPP2 networks and
   devices in the general Internet.  Some of these protocols require the
   use of URNs as identifiers.  Within the 3GPP2 networks, mobile
   equipments are identified by their MEID.  Internet users will need to
   be able to receive and include the 3GPP2 URN in various Internet

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   protocol elements to facilitate communication between pure Internet-
   based devices and 3GPP2 mobile equipments.  Thus the existence and
   syntax of these namespaces needs to be available to the general
   Internet community and the namespace needs to be reserved with IANA
   in order to guarantee uniqueness and prevent potential namespace
   conflicts both within the Internet and within 3GPP2 networks.
   Conversely, Internet implementations will not generally possess MEID
   identifiers.  The identifiers generated by such implementations will
   typically be URNs within namespaces other than '3gpp2', and may,
   depending on context, even be non-URN URIs.  Implementations are
   advised to be ready to process URIs other than '3gpp2' namespaced
   URNs, so as to aid in interoperability.

6.  Namespace considerations

   A URN was considered the most appropriate URI to represent the MEID
   as this identifier may be used and transported similarly to the
   Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) which is defined as a URN in
   [RFC4122].  Since specifications for protocols that are used to
   transport device identifiers often require the device identifier to
   be globally unique and in the URN format, it is necessary that the
   URN formats are defined to represent the MEID.

7.  IANA considerations

   In accordance with BCP 66 [RFC8141], IANA is asked to register the
   Formal URN namespace '3gpp2' in the "Uniform Resource Name (URN)
   Namespaces" registry, using the registration template presented in
   Section 3 of this document.

8.  Security and privacy considerations

   An MEID is usually printed outside of the box, a mobile device ships
   in.  The MEID may also be printed under the battery on a mobile
   device, however very few devices have removable batteries today.  One
   can retrieve the MEID via either settings or by dialing *#06#.
   Anyone with brief physical access to the mobile device or its box can
   therefore easily obtain the MEID.  Therefore MEIDs MUST NOT be used
   as security capabilities (identifiers whose mere possession grants
   access).  Unfortunately there are currently examples of some
   applications which are using the MEID for authorization.  Also some
   service providers' customer service departments have been known to
   use knowledge of the MEID as "proof" that the caller is the
   legitimate owner of the mobile device.  Both of these are
   inappropriate uses of the MEID.

   Since the MEID is permanently assigned to the mobile equipment and is
   not modified when the ownership of the mobile equipment changes,

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   (even upon a complete software reload of the mobile equipment), the
   MEID URN MUST NOT be used as a user identifier or user address by an
   application.  Using the MEID to identify a user or as a user address
   could result in communications destined for a previous owner of a
   device being received by the new device owner or could allow the new
   device owner to access information or services owned by the previous
   device owner.

   Additionally, since the MEID identifies the mobile equipment, it
   potentially could be used to identify and track users for the
   purposes of surveillance and call data mining if sent in the clear.

   Since the MEID is personally identifiable information, uses of the
   MEID URN with IETF protocols require a specification and IETF expert
   review [RFC5226] in order to ensure that the privacy concerns are
   appropriately addressed.  Protocols carrying the MEID URN SHOULD at a
   minimum use strongly hop-by-hop encrypted channels and that it is
   RECOMMENDED that end-to-end encryption is used.

9.  Acknowledgements

   This document draws heavily on the 3GPP2 work on Numbering,
   Addressing and Identification in [S.R0048-A] and also on the style
   and structure used in [RFC7254] and [RFC4122].

   The author thanks for the detailed comments, provided by Ramachandran
   Subramanian, Alex Gogic, and Randall Gellens.

10.  References

10.1.  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

   [RFC4122]  Leach, P., Mealling, M., and R. Salz, "A Universally
              Unique IDentifier (UUID) URN Namespace", RFC 4122,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC4122, July 2005,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4122>.

   [RFC5226]  Narten, T. and H. Alvestrand, "Guidelines for Writing an
              IANA Considerations Section in RFCs", RFC 5226,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC5226, May 2008,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5226>.

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   [RFC5234]  Crocker, D., Ed. and P. Overell, "Augmented BNF for Syntax
              Specifications: ABNF", STD 68, RFC 5234,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC5234, January 2008,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5234>.

   [RFC5626]  Jennings, C., Ed., Mahy, R., Ed., and F. Audet, Ed.,
              "Managing Client-Initiated Connections in the Session
              Initiation Protocol (SIP)", RFC 5626,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC5626, October 2009,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5626>.

   [RFC8141]  Saint-Andre, P. and J. Klensin, "Uniform Resource Names
              (URNs)", RFC 8141, DOI 10.17487/RFC8141, April 2017,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8141>.

   [S.R0048-A]
              3GPP2, "S.R0048-A: 3G Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID) -
              Stage 1, Version 4.0", 3GPP2 TS S.R0048-A 4.0, June 2005,
              <http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/Specs/
              S.R0048-A_v4.0_050630.pdf>.

   [SC.R4002-0]
              3GPP2, "SC.R4002-0: GHA (Global Hexadecimal Administrator)
              Assignment Guidelines and Procedures for Mobile Equipment
              Identifier (MEID) and Short Form Expanded UIM Identifier
              (SF_EUIMID), Version 10.0", 3GPP2 TS SC.R4002-0 10.0,
              December 2013, <http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/Specs/SC.
              R4002-0_v12.0_GHA_%20Guidelines_for_MEID_December_2016.pdf
              >.

   [X.S0008-A]
              3GPP2, "X.S0008-A: MAP Support for the Mobile Equipment
              Identity (MEID), Version 2.0", 3GPP2 TS X.S0008-A 2.0,
              March 2014, <http://www.3gpp2.org/Public_html/Specs/
              X.S0008-A_v2.0_20140321.PDF>.

10.2.  Informative References

   [draft-atarius-dispatch-meid-urn-as-instanceid]
              Atarius, R., "Using the Mobile Equipment Identity (MEID)
              Uniform Resource Name (URN) as an Instance ID", Internet
              Draft draft-atarius-dispatch-meid-urn-as-instanceid, March
              2018.

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   [RFC7254]  Montemurro, M., Allen, A., McDonald, D., Gosden, P., "A
              Uniform Resource Name Namespace for the Global System for
              Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) and the
              International Mobile station Equipment Identity (IMEI)",
              Internet Draft RFC7254, May 2014.

Author's Address

   Roozbeh Atarius

   Email: r_atarius@yahoo.com

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