RFC 2093 (rfc2093) - Page 1 of 23
Group Key Management Protocol (GKMP) Specification
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group H. Harney
Request for Comments: 2093 C. Muckenhirn
Category: Experimental SPARTA, Inc.
July 1997
Group Key Management Protocol (GKMP) Specification
Status of this Memo
This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
community. This memo does not specify an Internet standard of any
kind. Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested.
Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Table of Contents
1. Background..................................................... 1
2. Overview: GKMP Roles.......................................... 3
3. Data Item primitives........................................... 4
4. Message definitions............................................ 6
5. State definitions.............................................. 9
6. Functional Definitions--Group Key Management Protocol.......... 13
7. Security Considerations........................................ 23
8. Author's Address............................................... 23
Abstract
This specification proposes a protocol to create grouped symmetric
keys and distribute them amongst communicating peers. This protocol
has the following advantages: 1) virtually invisible to operator, 2)
no central key distribution site is needed, 3) only group members
have the key, 4) sender or receiver oriented operation, 5) can make
use of multicast communications protocols.
1 Background
Traditional key management distribution has mimicked the military
paper based key accounting system. Key was distributed, ordered, and
accounted physically leading to large lead times and expensive
operations.
Cooperative key management algorithms exist that allow pairwise keys
to be generated between two equipment's. This gives the a quicker
more reliable key management structure capable of supporting large
numbers of secure communications. Unfortunately, only pairwise keys
are supported using these methods today.
Harney & Muckenhirn Experimental