Re: GSS-API SRP mech (was Re: retrying keyex ...)

[Simon Tatham <anakin%pobox.com@localhost>]

> On Thu, Jul 17, 2003 at 12:31:20PM -0700, Tom Wu wrote:
>> With the patched OpenSSH, since it includes a 
>> hash of the public key inside the SRP verification messages, it would 
>> cause authentication to fail, thwarting the MITM attack.

Markus Friedl  <markus%openbsd.org@localhost> wrote:
> I don't see how this is an improvement over pubkey auth, since
> it allows you to detect a MITM attack as well.

It isn't an improvement over pubkey auth. It's an improvement over
_password_ auth - the authentication method you use when you're
logging in from (say) a new computer and don't have your private key
conveniently to hand.

Once you have bootstrapped your authentication of the host using an
SRP login, you can then create a public key on your new system and
set the server up to recognise it.

Cheers,
Simon
-- 
Simon Tatham         "That all men should be brothers is a
<anakin%pobox.com@localhost>    dream of people who have no brothers."