Use of the Hash-based Merkle Tree Signature (MTS) Algorithm in the Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS)
draft-housley-cms-mts-hash-sig-09

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INTERNET-DRAFT                                                R. Housley
Intended Status: Proposed Standard                        Vigil Security
Expires: 11 December 2018                                   11 June 2018

      Use of the Hash-based Merkle Tree Signature (MTS) Algorithm
               in the Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS)
                  <draft-housley-cms-mts-hash-sig-09>

Abstract

   This document specifies the conventions for using the Merkle Tree
   Signatures (MTS) digital signature algorithm with the Cryptographic
   Message Syntax (CMS).  The MTS algorithm is one form of hash-based
   digital signature.

Status of this Memo

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Housley                                                         [Page 1]
INTERNET-DRAFT                                                 June 2018

Copyright and License Notice

   Copyright (c) 2018 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors. All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
     1.1.  ASN.1  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
     1.2.  Terminology  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
   2.  MTS Digital Signature Algorithm Overview . . . . . . . . . . .  3
     2.1.  Hierarchical Signature System (HSS)  . . . . . . . . . . .  3
     2.2.  Leighton-Micali Signature (LMS)  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
     2.3.  Leighton-Micali One-time Signature Algorithm (LM-OTS)  . .  5
   3.  Algorithm Identifiers and Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
   4.  Signed-data Conventions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
   5.  Security Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
     5.1.  Implementation Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . .  7
     5.2.  Algorithm Security Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
   6.  IANA Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
   7.  Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
   8.  Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
   Appendix: ASN.1 Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
   Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Housley                                                         [Page 2]
INTERNET-DRAFT                                                 June 2018

1.  Introduction

   This document specifies the conventions for using the Merkle Tree
   Signatures (MTS) digital signature algorithm with the Cryptographic
   Message Syntax (CMS) [CMS] signed-data content type.  The MTS
   algorithm is one form of hash-based digital signature that can only
   be used for a fixed number of signatures.  The MTS algorithm is
   described in [HASHSIG].  The MTS algorithm uses small private and
   public keys, and it has low computational cost; however, the
   signatures are quite large.

1.1.  ASN.1

   CMS values are generated using ASN.1 [ASN1-B], using the Basic
   Encoding Rules (BER) and the Distinguished Encoding Rules (DER)
   [ASN1-E].

1.2.  Terminology

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
   "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in
   BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all
   capitals, as shown here.

2.  MTS Digital Signature Algorithm Overview

   Merkle Tree Signatures (MTS) are a method for signing a large but
   fixed number of messages.  An MTS system depends on a one-time
   signature method and a collision-resistant hash function.