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eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) XML Media Type
draft-sinnema-xacml-media-type-06

The information below is for an old version of the document that is already published as an RFC.
Document Type
This is an older version of an Internet-Draft that was ultimately published as RFC 7061.
Authors Remon Sinnema, Erik Wilde
Last updated 2013-11-19 (Latest revision 2013-09-12)
RFC stream Independent Submission
Intended RFC status Informational
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IESG IESG state Became RFC 7061 (Informational)
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draft-sinnema-xacml-media-type-06
Network Working Group                                         R. Sinnema
Internet-Draft                                                  E. Wilde
Intended status: Informational                           EMC Corporation
Expires: March 16, 2014                               September 12, 2013

    eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) XML Media Type
                   draft-sinnema-xacml-media-type-06

Abstract

   This specification registers an XML-based media type for the
   eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML).

Note to Readers

   This draft should be discussed on the apps-discuss mailing list [1].

   Online access to all versions and files is available on github [2].

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 http://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 March 16, 2014.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2013 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
   (http://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
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must

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   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  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
   2.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
     2.1.  XACML Media Type application/xacml+xml  . . . . . . . . . . 3
   3.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
   4.  Change Log  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
     4.1.  From -05 to -06 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
     4.2.  From -04 to -05 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
     4.3.  From -03 to -04 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
     4.4.  From -02 to -03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
     4.5.  From -01 to -02 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
     4.6.  From -00 to -01 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
     4.7.  Versions prior to I-D -00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
   5.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
   Appendix A.  Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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1.  Introduction

   The eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) [XACML-3]
   defines an architecture and a language for access control
   (authorization).  The language consists of requests, responses, and
   policies.  Clients sends a request to a server to query whether a
   given action should be allowed.  The server evaluates the request
   against the available policies and returns a reponse.  The policies
   implement the organization's access control requirements.

2.  IANA Considerations

   This specification registers an XML-based media type for the
   eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) that will be
   registered with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
   following the "Media Type Specifications and Registration Procedures"
   [RFC6838].  The XACML media type represents an XACML request,
   response, or policy in the XML-based format defined by the core XACML
   specification [XACML-3].

2.1.  XACML Media Type application/xacml+xml

   This specification requests the registration of an XML-based media
   type for the eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML).

2.1.1.  Media Type Name

   application

2.1.2.  Subtype Name

   xacml+xml

2.1.3.  Required Parameters

   none

2.1.4.  Optional Parameters

   charset: The charset parameter is the same as the charset parameter
   of application/xml [RFC3023], including the same default (see section
   3.2).

   version: The version parameter indicates the version of the XACML
   specification.  It can be used for content negotiation when dealing
   with clients and servers that support multiple XACML versions.  Its
   range is the range of published XACML versions.  As of this writing

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   that is: 1.0 [XACML-1], 1.1 [XACML-1.1], 2.0 [XACML-2], and 3.0
   [XACML-3].  These and future version identifiers must follow the
   OASIS patterns for versions [OASIS-Version].  If this parameter is
   not specified by the client, the server is free to return any version
   it deems fit.  If a client cannot or does not want to deal with that,
   it should explicitly specify a version.

2.1.5.  Encoding Considerations

   Same as for application/xml [RFC3023].

2.1.6.  Security Considerations

   Per their specification, application/xacml+xml typed objects do not
   contain executable content.  However, these objects are XML-based,
   and thus they have all of the general security considerations
   presented in section 10 of RFC 3023 [RFC3023].

   XACML [XACML-3] contains information whose integrity and authenticity
   is important - identity provider and service provider public keys and
   endpoint addresses, for example.  Sections "9.2.1 Authentication" and
   "9.2.4 Policy Integrity" in XACML [XACML-3] describe requirements and
   considerations for such authentication and integrity protection.

   To counter potential issues, the publisher may sign application/
   xacml+xml typed objects.  Any such signature should be verified by
   the recipient of the data - both as a valid signature, and as being
   the signature of the publisher.  The XACML v3.0 XML Digital Signature
   Profile [XACML-3-DSig] describes how to use XML-based digital
   signatures with XACML.

   Additionally, various of the possible publication protocols, for
   example HTTPS, offer means for ensuring the authenticity of the
   publishing party and for protecting the policy in transit.

2.1.7.  Interoperability Considerations

   Different versions of XACML use different XML namespace URIS:

   o  1.0 & 1.1 use the urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:1.0:policy XML
      namespace URI for policies, and the
      urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:1.0:context XML namespace URI for
      requests and responses

   o  2.0 uses the urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:2.0:policy XML namespace URI
      for policies, and the urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:2.0:context XML
      namespace URI for requests and responses

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   o  3.0 uses the urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:3.0:core:schema:wd-17 XML
      namespace URI for policies, requests, and responses

   Signed XACML has a wrapping SAML 2.0 assertion [SAML-2], which uses
   the urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:assertion namespace URI.
   Interoperability with SAML is defined by the SAML 2.0 Profile of
   XACML [XACML-3-SAML] for all versions of XACML.

2.1.8.  Applications which use this media type

   Potentially any application implementing or using XACML, as well as
   those applications implementing or using specifications based on
   XACML.  In particular, applications using the REST Profile
   [XACML-REST] can benefit from this media type.

2.1.9.  Magic number(s)

   In general, the same as for application/xml [RFC3023].  In
   particular, the XML document element of the returned object will be
   one of xacml:Policy, xacml:PolicySet, context:Request, or context:
   Response.  The xacml and context namespace prefixes bind to the
   respective namespaces URIs for the various versions of XACML as
   follows:

   o  1.0 & 1.1: The xacml prefix maps to
      urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:1.0:policy, the context prefix maps to
      urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:1.0:context

   o  2.0: The xacml prefix maps to urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:2.0:policy,
      the context prefix maps to urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:2.0:context

   o  3.0: Both the xacml and context prefixes map to the namespace URI
      urn:oasis:names:tc:xacml:3.0:core:schema:wd-17

   For signed XACML [XACML-3-DSig], the XML document element is saml:
   Assertion, where the saml prefix maps to the SAML 2.0 namespace URI
   urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:assertion [SAML-2]

2.1.10.  File extension(s)

   none

2.1.11.  Macintosh File Type Code(s)

   none

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2.1.12.  Person & email address to contact for further information

   This registration is made on behalf of the OASIS eXtensible Access
   Control Markup Language Technical Committee (XACMLTC).  Please refer
   to the XACMLTC website for current information on committee
   chairperson(s) and their contact addresses:
   http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/xacml/.  Committee members
   should submit comments and potential errata to the
   xacml@lists.oasis-open.org list.  Others should submit them by
   filling out the web form located at http://www.oasis-open.org/
   committees/comments/form.php?wg_abbrev=xacml.

   Additionally, the XACML developer community email distribution list,
   xacml-dev@lists.oasis-open.org, may be employed to discuss usage of
   the application/xacml+xml MIME media type.  The xacml-dev mailing
   list is publicly archived here:
   http://www.oasis-open.org/archives/xacml-dev/.  To post to the xacml-
   dev mailing list, one must subscribe to it.  To subscribe, visit the
   OASIS mailing list page at http://www.oasis-open.org/mlmanage/.

2.1.13.  Intended Usage

   Common

2.1.14.  Author/Change Controller

   The XACML specification sets are a work product of the OASIS
   eXtensible Access Control Markup Language Technical Committee
   (XACMLTC).  OASIS and the XACMLTC have change control over the XACML
   specification sets.

3.  Security Considerations

   The security considerations for this specifications are described in
   Section 2.1.6 of the media type registration.

4.  Change Log

   Note to RFC Editor: Please remove this section before publication.

4.1.  From -05 to -06

   o  Minor changes in wording.

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4.2.  From -04 to -05

   o  Incorporating feedback from Oscar Koeroo (ISE review report).

4.3.  From -03 to -04

   o  Creating a proper "IANA Considerations" section.

   o  Creating a proper "Security Considerations" section.

4.4.  From -02 to -03

   o  Switched category from "std" to "info".

4.5.  From -01 to -02

   o  Added new introduction text.

   o  Improved definition of version numbers and their handling.

4.6.  From -00 to -01

   o  Added new introduction text.

   o  Changed reference from RFC 4288 to RFC 6838 (updated RFC for media
      type registrations).

4.7.  Versions prior to I-D -00

   Prior to being published as a I-D document, this document was
   published and revised as an OASIS document with the following
   versions:

   o  2012-02-29 (WD01): Initial revision with one media type.

   o  2012-04-23 (WD02): Added JSON media type.

   o  2012-04-24 (WD03): Fixed layout, typos, and references.  Better
      defined the allowable range of values for the version parameter.

5.  Normative References

   [OASIS-Version]
              Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "OASIS Naming Directives 1.3", December 2012, <
              http://docs.oasis-open.org/specGuidelines/ndr/
              namingDirectives.html#Version>.

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   [RFC3023]  Murata, M., St. Laurent, S., and D. Kohn, "XML Media
              Types", RFC 3023, January 2001.

   [RFC6838]  Freed, N., Klensin, J., and T. Hansen, "Media Type
              Specifications and Registration Procedures", BCP 13,
              RFC 6838, January 2013.

   [SAML-2]   Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)
              Version 2.0. OASIS Standard", March 2005, <http://
              docs.oasis-open.org/security/saml/v2.0/
              saml-core-2.0-os.pdf>.

   [XACML-1]  Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "eXtensible Access Control Markup Language
              (XACML) Version 1.0. OASIS Standard", February 2003, <http
              ://www.oasis-open.org/committees/download.php/2406/
              oasis-xacml-1.0.pdf>.

   [XACML-1.1]
              Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "eXtensible Access Control Markup Language
              (XACML) Version 1.1. OASIS Committee Specification",
              August 2003, <http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/xacml/
              repository/cs-xacml-specification-1.1.pdf>.

   [XACML-2]  Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "eXtensible Access Control Markup Language
              (XACML) Version 2.0. OASIS Standard", February 2005, <http
              ://docs.oasis-open.org/xacml/2.0/
              access_control-xacml-2.0-core-spec-os.pdf>.

   [XACML-3]  Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "eXtensible Access Control Markup Language
              (XACML) Version 3.0. OASIS Standard", January 2013, <http:
              //docs.oasis-open.org/xacml/3.0/
              xacml-3.0-core-spec-os-en.pdf>.

   [XACML-3-DSig]
              Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "XACML v3.0 XML Digital Signature Profile
              Version 1.0. OASIS Committee Specification 01",
              August 2010, <http://docs.oasis-open.org/xacml/3.0/
              xacml-3.0-dsig-v1-spec-cs-01-en.pdf>.

   [XACML-3-SAML]
              Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "SAML 2.0 Profile of XACML, Version 2.0. OASIS

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              Committee Specification 01", August 2010, <http://
              docs.oasis-open.org/xacml/3.0/
              xacml-profile-saml2.0-v2-spec-cs-01-en.pdf>.

   [XACML-REST]
              Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information
              Standards, "REST Profile of XACML v3.0 Version 1.0. OASIS
              Committee Specification Draft 01", November 2012, <http://
              docs.oasis-open.org/xacml/xacml-rest/v1.0/
              xacml-rest-v1.0.pdf>.

   [1]  <https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/apps-discuss>

   [2]  <https://github.com/dret/I-D/tree/master/xacml-media-type>

Appendix A.  Acknowledgements

   The following individuals have participated in the creation of this
   specification and are gratefully acknowledged: Oscar Koeroo (Nikhef),
   Erik Rissanen (Axiomatics), and Jonathan Robie (EMC).

Authors' Addresses

   Remon Sinnema
   EMC Corporation

   Email: remon.sinnema@emc.com
   URI:   http://securesoftwaredev.com/

   Erik Wilde
   EMC Corporation
   6801 Koll Center Parkway
   Pleasanton, CA 94566
   U.S.A.

   Phone: +1-925-6006244
   Email: erik.wilde@emc.com
   URI:   http://dret.net/netdret/

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