diff -r 000000000000 -r 2b3e5ec03512 doc/identitymgmt.html --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/doc/identitymgmt.html Thu Apr 21 14:57:45 2011 +0100 @@ -0,0 +1,93 @@ +
+Issues in Identity Management for Delay Tolerant Networks + + +Revision History +02.06.04 Initial Revision, mh +02.12.04 Update following DTN group meetings, mh + + +I. Issues + + - How do you secure an identity? + + Identities are + + - How do you verify an identity? + - Within a region how do you validate that a device should have + access to resources, given that it has already obtained the + relevant token? + - Token expiration? Token renewal? Does expiration even make sense in + a disconnected context? Perhaps it should be governed on a region by + region basis. + - Is there a concept of tranference between regions? + - Can we use locality and identity to determine which network a + particular device can use to obtain credentials? (ie, based on + SSID location map, choose number to dial in order to obtain + access to a channel for which you have authority to access) + + +II. Identity Management Solutions + + A. Ensim® Unify and Ensim Server Manager + [from Keshav] + - Use Active Directory to store identities + - Use Unify to manage them + - Mobile users get identity from Unify, and then can assert + rights to resources without having to log in every time + + Questions: + - How will this operate in the context of mobile stations? + - How will this operate in a disconnected context, given that + mobile users may never be directly connected to the datacenter? + + Active Directory and Linux + Since Unify is a Windows based management system, with the option? of + managing Linux servers as well, then the Linux servers would have to + talk to the Windows server - and authenticate against it. + + http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1563 + + Major Issues + - Non-supported by MS + - Possibly not multi-platform friendly + - AD vs LDAP + - AD4Unix needs to be installed on datacenter and seems to + be potentially very finicky. + + General Assessment + No clear relationship between Unify and DTN, platform issues, + however, some ideas/problems solved may be relevant to DTN. + Basic utility is the idea of using Active Directory/LDAP for + authentication and authorization. + + B. Authd (Brent) + - software package for obtaining and verifying user credentials + based on RSA + - cluster-wide RSA public/private key pair allows clients + to verify user identity from anywhere + + C. LDAP + - supports SSL, Kerberos, cleartext passwords, and SASL + - OpenLDAP (SleepyCat backend) http://www.openldap.org + - client/server interaction + - client establishes session (BIND) + - client performs ldap operation (supported list) + - client ends session (UNBIND) + - session can be ABANDONed + - supports ACLs to control access rights + + http://quark.humbug.org.au/publications/system_auth/sage-au/system_auth.html + + Actualization Items + - write an LDAP/PAM/NSS DTN proxy for authentication + - encapsulate bind and operation(s) into single request + - each query/update must be authenticated + - asynchronize communication + - supports whatever DTN security infrastructure we come up with + - determine how acls are communicated + - determine token issuing + +