Persistent Symmetric Keys in OpenPGP
draft-huigens-openpgp-persistent-symmetric-keys-02
| Document | Type | Active Internet-Draft (individual) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Daniel Huigens | ||
| Last updated | 2024-01-03 | ||
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| Intended RFC status | (None) | ||
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| Stream | Stream state | (No stream defined) | |
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draft-huigens-openpgp-persistent-symmetric-keys-02
Network Working Group D. Huigens, Ed.
Internet-Draft Proton AG
Updates: 4880 (if approved) 3 January 2024
Intended status: Standards Track
Expires: 6 July 2024
Persistent Symmetric Keys in OpenPGP
draft-huigens-openpgp-persistent-symmetric-keys-02
Abstract
This document defines new algorithms for the OpenPGP standard
(RFC4880) to support persistent symmetric keys, for message
encryption using authenticated encryption with additional data (AEAD)
and for authentication with hash-based message authentication codes
(HMAC). This enables the use of symmetric cryptography for data
storage (and other contexts that do not require asymmetric
cryptography), for improved performance, smaller keys, and improved
resistance to quantum computing.
About This Document
This note is to be removed before publishing as an RFC.
The latest revision of this draft can be found at
https://twisstle.gitlab.io/openpgp-persistent-symmetric-keys/.
Status information for this document may be found at
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-huigens-openpgp-persistent-
symmetric-keys/.
Discussion of this document takes place on the OpenPGP Working Group
mailing list (mailto:openpgp@ietf.org), which is archived at
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https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/openpgp/.
Source for this draft and an issue tracker can be found at
https://gitlab.com/twisstle/openpgp-persistent-symmetric-keys.
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This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.
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This Internet-Draft will expire on 6 July 2024.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Conventions Used in This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4. Reusing and Renaming Packets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5. Persistent Symmetric Key Algorithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.1. Algorithm-Specific Fields for AEAD keys . . . . . . . . . 5
5.2. Algorithm-Specific Fields for HMAC keys . . . . . . . . . 6
5.3. Algorithm-Specific Fields for AEAD encryption . . . . . . 6
5.4. Algorithm-Specific Fields for HMAC signatures . . . . . . 6
6. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
7. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
7.1. Updates to Public Key Algorithms . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
7.2. Updates to Packet Type Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . 7
8. Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
9. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
9.1. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
9.2. Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
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1. Introduction
The OpenPGP standard [RFC4880] has supported symmetric encryption for
data packets using session keys since its inception, as well as
symmetric encryption using password-derived keys. This document
extends the use of symmetric cryptography by adding support for
persistent symmetric keys which can be stored in a transferable
private key, and used to symmetrically encrypt session keys, for
long-term storage and archival of messages. This document uses
authenticated encryption with associated data (AEAD) as proposed by
the OpenPGP crypto refresh [crypto-refresh].
The OpenPGP standard also supports the use of digital signatures for
authentication and integrity but no similar symmetric mechanism
exists in the standard. This document introduces hash-based message
authentication codes (HMAC) as a symmetric counterpart to digital
signatures, for long-term storage and archival of attestations of
authenticity and certification.
2. Conventions Used in This Document
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]. Any
implementation that adheres to the format and methods specified in
this document is called a compliant application. Compliant
applications are a subset of the broader set of OpenPGP applications
described in [RFC4880] and the OpenPGP crypto refresh
[crypto-refresh]. Any [RFC2119] keyword within this document applies
to compliant applications only.
3. Motivation
When compared to asymmetric cryptography, symmetric cryptography can
provide improved performance and equivalent security with smaller
keys. In contexts that do not require asymmetric cryptography, such
as secure data storage where the same user encrypts and decrypts
data, symmetric cryptography can be used to take advantage of these
benefits.
Additionally, asymmetric algorithms included in OpenPGP are
vulnerable to attacks that might become possible on quantum computers
[Shor]. Symmetric cryptography is also affected by quantum computing
but to a lesser extent, which can be countered by using larger keys
[Grover]. While the standardization of quantum-secure asymmetric
cryptography in OpenPGP is ongoing [PQCinOpenPGP], and will be
required to secure communications, there is a large body of existing
messages encrypted with classical algorithms. Once persistent
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symmetric keys are available, these messages can be protected against
future compromises efficiently by symmetrically re-encrypting the
session key, and storing the message symmetrically encrypted for
long-term storage and archival.
4. Reusing and Renaming Packets
Rather than introducing new packets for storing persistent symmetric
keys, the existing Secret-Key packets are reused for this purpose.
To indicate the type of keys, two algorithms (AEAD and HMAC) are
registered, whose IDs can be used in the place of public-key
algorithm IDs. To accommodate these additions, we propose renaming
the Public Key Algorithms registry to Persistent Key Algorithms.
Similarly, we reuse the Signature packet for "symmetric signatures".
For session keys encrypted with persistent symmetric keys, while a
Symmetric-Key Encrypted Session Key packet exists, its semantics
don't match our requirements, as it's intended to encrypt the session
key with a user-provided password, and doesn't offer a way to store a
reference to a persistent key. Therefore, we reuse the Public-Key
Encrypted Session Key packet instead, which does offer the desired
semantics. Nevertheless, given this usage, the naming of these
packets may be confusing, so we propose to rename them to "String-to-
Key Encrypted Session Key packet" and "Persistent Key Encrypted
Session Key packet", instead.
5. Persistent Symmetric Key Algorithms
This document defines two new algorithms for use with OpenPGP,
extending the table in section 9.1 of [crypto-refresh].
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+==+===========+===========+==========+================+============+
|ID| Algorithm | Public | Secret | Signature | PKESK |
| | | Key | Key | Format | Format |
| | | Format | Format | | |
+==+===========+===========+==========+================+============+
|64| AEAD | sym. | hash | N/A | AEAD algo, |
| | | algo, | seed, | | IV, |
| | | seed | key | | length, |
| | | hash | material | | ciphertext |
| | | [Section | | | [Section |
| | | 5.1] | | | 5.3] |
+--+-----------+-----------+----------+----------------+------------+
|65| HMAC | hash | hash | authentication | N/A |
| | [RFC2104] | algo, | seed, | tag | |
| | | seed | key | [Section 5.4] | |
| | | hash | material | | |
| | | [Section | | | |
| | | 5.2] | | | |
+--+-----------+-----------+----------+----------------+------------+
Table 1: Persistent Symmetric Key Algorithm registrations
These algorithm IDs can be used to store symmetric key material in
Secret-Key Packets and Secret-Subkey packets (see section 5.5.3 of
[crypto-refresh]). The AEAD algorithm ID can be used to store
session keys encrypted using AEAD in PKESK packets (see section 5.1
of [crypto-refresh]). The HMAC algorithm ID can be used to store
HMAC-based signatures in Signature packets (see section 5.2 of
[crypto-refresh]).
As the secret key material is required for all cryptographic
operations with symmetric keys, implementations SHOULD NOT use these
algorithm IDs in Public-Key Packets or Public-Subkey Packets, and
SHOULD NOT export Public-Key Packets from Secret-Key Packets holding
symmetric key material.
5.1. Algorithm-Specific Fields for AEAD keys
The public key is this series of values:
* A one-octet symmetric algorithm identifier (see section 9.3 of
[crypto-refresh])
* A 32-octet SHA-256 hash of the seed in the private key material
The private key is this series of values:
* A 32-octet seed value to be hashed for the public key material
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* Symmetric key material of appropriate length for the chosen
symmetric algorithm
5.2. Algorithm-Specific Fields for HMAC keys
The public key is this series of values:
* A one-octet hash algorithm identifier (see section 9.5 of
[crypto-refresh])
* A 32-octet SHA-256 hash of the seed in the private key material
The private key is this series of values:
* A 32-octet seed value to be hashed for the public key material
* Symmetric key material of the length of the hash output size of
the chosen hash algorithm
5.3. Algorithm-Specific Fields for AEAD encryption
* A one-octet AEAD algorithm (see section 9.6 of [crypto-refresh])
* A starting initialization vector of size specified by AEAD mode
* A one-octet length of the following field
* A symmetric key encryption of the plaintext value described in
section 5.1 of [crypto-refresh], performed using the selected
symmetric-key cipher operating in the given AEAD mode, including
the authentication tag.
5.4. Algorithm-Specific Fields for HMAC signatures
* An authentication tag of appropriate length for the hash algorithm
Although not required by HMAC, to maintain compatibility with
existing signature implementations, HMAC tags are produced from
appropriately hashed data, as per section 5.2.4 of [crypto-refresh].
6. Security Considerations
Security considerations are discussed throughout the document where
appropriate.
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7. IANA Considerations
7.1. Updates to Public Key Algorithms
IANA is requested to rename the "Public Key Algorithms" registry to
"Persistent Key Algorithms", and add the entries in Table 1 to the
registry.
7.2. Updates to Packet Type Descriptions
IANA is requested to modify the "PGP Packet Types/Tags" registry as
follows:
* For Packet Tag 1 ("Public-Key Encrypted Session Key Packet"),
change the Packet Type to "Persistent Key Encrypted Session Key
Packet".
* For Packet Tag 3 ("Symmetric-Key Encrypted Session Key Packet"),
change the Packet Type to "String-to-Key Encrypted Session Key
Packet".
8. Acknowledgements
An initial version of this draft was written by Dan Ristea (Proton
AG), with guidance from Dr Philipp Jovanovic (University College
London).
9. References
9.1. Normative References
[crypto-refresh]
Wouters, P., Huigens, D., Winter, J., and N. Yutaka,
"OpenPGP", October 2023,
<https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-ietf-openpgp-
crypto-refresh-12>.
[RFC2104] Krawczyk, H., Bellare, M., and R. Canetti, "HMAC: Keyed-
Hashing for Message Authentication", RFC 2104,
DOI 10.17487/RFC2104, February 1997,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2104>.
[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>.
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[RFC4880] Callas, J., Donnerhacke, L., Finney, H., Shaw, D., and R.
Thayer, "OpenPGP Message Format", RFC 4880,
DOI 10.17487/RFC4880, November 2007,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4880>.
9.2. Informative References
[Grover] Grover, L., "Quantum mechanics helps in searching for a
needle in a haystack", 1997,
<https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9706033>.
[PQCinOpenPGP]
Kousidis, S., Strenzke, F., and A. Wussler, "Post-Quantum
Cryptography in OpenPGP", October 2023,
<https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-wussler-
openpgp-pqc-03>.
[Shor] Shor, P., "Polynomial-Time Algorithms for Prime
Factorization and Discrete Logarithms on a Quantum
Computer", October 1997,
<http://dx.doi.org/10.1137/S0097539795293172>.
Author's Address
Daniel Huigens (editor)
Proton AG
Route de la Galaise 32
CH-1228 Plan-les-Ouates
Switzerland
Email: d.huigens@protonmail.com
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