RFC 2857 (rfc2857) - Page 1 of 7

The Use of HMAC-RIPEMD-160-96 within ESP and AH

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Network Working Group                                        A. Keromytis
Request for Comments: 2857                     University of Pennsylvania
Category: Standards Track                                       N. Provos
                            Center for Information Technology Integration
                                                                June 2000


            The Use of HMAC-RIPEMD-160-96 within ESP and AH

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This memo describes the use of the HMAC algorithm [RFC 2104] in
   conjunction with the RIPEMD-160 algorithm [RIPEMD-160] as an
   authentication mechanism within the revised IPSEC Encapsulating
   Security Payload [ESP] and the revised IPSEC Authentication Header
   [AH].  HMAC with RIPEMD-160 provides data origin authentication and
   integrity protection.

   Further information on the other components necessary for ESP and AH
   implementations is provided by [Thayer97a].

1.  Introduction

   This memo specifies the use of RIPEMD-160 [RIPEMD-160] combined with
   HMAC [RFC 2104] as a keyed authentication mechanism within the
   context of the Encapsulating Security Payload and the Authentication
   Header.  The goal of HMAC-RIPEMD-160-96 is to ensure that the packet
   is authentic and cannot be modified in transit.

   HMAC is a secret key authentication algorithm.  Data integrity and
   data origin authentication as provided by HMAC are dependent upon the
   scope of the distribution of the secret key.  If only the source and
   destination know the HMAC key, this provides both data origin
   authentication and data integrity for packets sent between the two
   parties; if the HMAC is correct, this proves that it must have been
   added by the source.



Keromytis & Provos          Standards Track
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