RFC 1825 (rfc1825) - Page 1 of 22

Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol

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Network Working Group                                        R. Atkinson
Request for Comments: 1825                     Naval Research Laboratory
Category: Standards Track                                    August 1995


            Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol

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.

1. INTRODUCTION

   This memo describes the security mechanisms for IP version 4 (IPv4)
   and IP version 6 (IPv6) and the services that they provide.  Each
   security mechanism is specified in a separate document.  This
   document also describes key management requirements for systems
   implementing those security mechanisms.  This document is not an
   overall Security Architecture for the Internet and is instead focused
   on IP-layer security.

1.1 Technical Definitions

   This section provides a few basic definitions that are applicable to
   this document.  Other documents provide more definitions and
   background information [VK83, HA94].

   Authentication
           The property of knowing that the data received is the same as
           the data that was sent and that the claimed sender is in fact
           the actual sender.

   Integrity
           The property of ensuring that data is transmitted from source
           to destination without undetected alteration.

   Confidentiality
           The property of communicating such that the intended
           recipients know what was being sent but unintended
           parties cannot determine what was sent.

   Encryption
           A mechanism commonly used to provide confidentiality.




Atkinson                    Standards Track
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