Session Date/Time: 08 Nov 2022 16:30

iabopen

Summary

This iabopen session provided updates on IAB activities, including document publications, ongoing technical programs, liaison coordination, and upcoming workshops. A detailed update was given on the IETF's relationship with IEEE 802, followed by a report on the recent "Managing Encrypted Networks" workshop. A new IAB document discussing "Partitioning for Privacy" as an architectural pattern was introduced. The session concluded with two invited talks offering technical and human rights perspectives on internet censorship in Iran, stimulating a discussion on the IETF's potential role in anti-censorship efforts.

Key Discussion Points

IAB Activity Updates:
- Document Publication: The IAB published two workshop reports: "8-workshop" and "Measuring Network Quality for End Users."
- Documents Nearing Publication: The "Past English collaboration" document is ready for RFC publication after community feedback. The "Protocol Maintenance" document is in good shape and will soon have a final round of community feedback.
- Documents for IAB Adoption: The IAB is considering adopting a "Minimization document" (previously discussed, clarifying its relation to BCP 72 privacy considerations) and a new document on "Partitioning for Privacy."
- Technical Programs: The Model-T Working Group was recently closed, with future related work encouraged to use the architecture-discuss list. The EDM program is active, focusing on the "Protocol Maintenance" document.
- Liaison Coordination: Alison Menken stepped down as a Liaison Manager, and Warren was thanked for taking on this role.
- Workshops: An online workshop on the "Environmental Impact of the Internet" is scheduled for early December.
IETF-IEEE 802 Liaison Update:
- Russ presented on the cooperation between IETF and IEEE 802, guided by RFC 7241.
- Regular coordination calls (3 times/year) facilitate awareness of new work (802 Project Approval Requests, IETF BoFs) and identify areas of mutual interest, particularly near the Layer 2/3 boundary.
- Individual participation in both organizations (e.g., DetNet and Time-Sensitive Networking) is crucial for information flow.
- Specific liaison managers were identified: Russ (IETF to IEEE SA), Dorothy Stanley (IEEE 802 to IETF), and Peter Yee (Wi-Fi). Formal liaison guidance is available in IETF BCP 103 and similar IEEE 802 policy.
- Protocol parameter allocation is managed by IANA for IETF and the IEEE Registration Authority (RAC) for IEEE 802, with joint registries for some code points.
- Discussion highlighted ongoing coordination examples, such as resolving incoherences between IANA and IEEE 802 numbering, and collaboration on Yang modules.
- A concern was raised about IEEE 802's responsiveness to user-facing issues (e.g., Wi-Fi security), suggesting the IETF should consider "doing it ourselves" if a group is not delivering. The presenter acknowledged this but emphasized the importance of coordination to avoid negative surprises.
Workshop Report: Managing Encrypted Networks:
- Mallory reported on a recent three-day online workshop with ~35 participants, aimed at discussing how to improve network management as internet encryption increases, which poses challenges for traffic prioritization and other management techniques.
- The workshop covered the current state, requirements, desired future, collaboration principles, and future thinking. Key topics included managing encrypted traffic in data centers and mechanisms for end-users to safely communicate their needs to ISPs while maintaining encryption.
- Recordings of the workshop sessions are available on YouTube.
Partitioning for Privacy - An Emerging Architecture Pattern:
- Tommy presented a new, early-stage IAB document observing "partitioning" as a pattern in recent IETF privacy-enhancing protocols (e.g., OHAI, MASQUE, PPM, Privacy Pass).
- This pattern involves separating data between different entities to enhance privacy (e.g., decoupling client IP from user data, user authorization from content access).
- The document aims to provide language and a framework to discuss, analyze, and evaluate common architectural aspects of these protocols. It introduces "privacy contexts" as groups of entities sharing a common data view, with partitioning achieved through encryption or separate connections.
- Observations include that partitioning is a tool, not a panacea, heavily relies on non-collusion assumptions, and requires careful selection of context boundaries. It also impacts manageability and performance and remains susceptible to traffic analysis.
- Discussion included a concern that, depending on deployment and economic incentives, partitioning could paradoxically lead to centralization and reduced privacy if only a few large players can provide the necessary intermediate services.
Internet Censorship in Iran - Invited Talks:
- Technical Perspective (Simona, OONI): OONI detailed its methodology for measuring internet censorship globally using user-installed tools. Their report on Iran showed a significant worsening of an already severe censorship situation during the Mahsa Amini protests.
  - Measurements indicated a surge in blocking of DNS over HTTPS (DoH) services (e.g., Quad9), instant messaging apps (WhatsApp), social networks (Instagram, LinkedIn), and major app stores (Apple, Google Play) starting around September 21-22.
  - Censorship was identified through specific signatures ("confirmed") and unexpected network errors (TLS handshake timeouts, TCP connection failures). Blocking of app stores prevented users from installing circumvention tools like Tor, Psiphon, or Lantern.
- Human Rights/Activist Perspective (Masa, Article 19): Masa provided context from the November 2019 full internet shutdown in Iran, where digital repression facilitated severe offline brutality and made documentation difficult.
  - Lessons from 2019 led authorities to seek more "efficient, less costly" digital repression, culminating in the "User Protection Bill" (Tadhesionnet), which aims to criminalize VPNs, disable them technically, and introduce government-controlled "legal VPNs."
  - Evidence of sophisticated deep packet inspection and VPN protocol tampering was seen as early as October 2021.
  - Current censorship methods include mobile curfews during peak protest hours, selective regional internet shutdowns in protest hotspots (often preceding massacres), and widespread blocking of foreign internet services (Instagram, WhatsApp).
  - Attacks on circumvention technology are severe, with increased blocking of encrypted DNS and complete blocking of HTTP/3 and QUIC traffic. Blocking app stores creates a significant hurdle for obtaining secure VPNs, pushing users towards insecure national alternatives.
  - Discussion on Solutions:
    - Starlink was mentioned as a potential, but logistically and securely challenging, solution.
    - Focus on developing sophisticated circumvention tools to counter advanced state-level attacks (potentially leveraging technology imports from China).
    - The loosening of US tech sanctions offers an opportunity for cloud providers (Google, Amazon, Microsoft) to make their platforms (e.g., GCP) available for circumvention tech. Historical issues like domain fronting being disabled by these providers were also noted.
    - The IETF's role was discussed, not necessarily in standardizing rapidly evolving anti-censorship tools (an "arms race"), but in providing cryptographic building blocks, acting as a forum for discussing evasion techniques, leveraging protocol understanding, and addressing the new trend of blocking entire protocols (like HTTP/3 and QUIC). The need to involve the civil society anti-censorship community more directly in IETF discussions was emphasized.

Decisions and Action Items

The IAB has closed the Model-T Working Group. Related future work is encouraged to use the architecture-discuss mailing list.
Warren has been adopted as a Liaison Manager.
The "Protocol Maintenance" document will undergo a final round of community feedback.
The community is encouraged to provide input on the "Partitioning for Privacy" document, particularly on the architecture-discuss list.

Next Steps

The "Past English collaboration" document is expected to be published as an RFC soon.
The "Environmental Impact of the Internet" workshop will proceed as an online event in early December.
The IAB will continue consideration for adoption of the "Minimization document" and the "Partitioning for Privacy" document.
Ongoing coordination calls and engagement with IEEE 802 will continue to identify areas of collaboration and friction.
Further discussion and input on the "Partitioning for Privacy" document on the architecture-discuss list is anticipated.
The IETF community is encouraged to consider its role in addressing internet censorship, including providing technical building blocks, facilitating discussion on circumvention techniques, and mitigating new censorship trends such as the blocking of entire protocols like HTTP/3 and QUIC. Engagement with the civil society anti-censorship community is seen as vital.