Re: [Fwd: [Russ Housley] DISCUSS: draft-ietf-secsh-newmodes-05]

[der Mouse <mouse%Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA@localhost>]

> Note that Russ asked a question; he did not yet ask for a change.  I
> think someone should answer his question.

True enough:

>>>>> All of the encryption modes described in this document are
>>>>> RECOMMENDED or OPTIONAL.  Why isn't one of them REQUIRED?

My own answer to it, then, which anyone is welcome to use if it seems
appropriate, is:

    Because it's not appropriate; newmodes is not so much a thing to
    implement or conform to in its own right as it is a collection of
    individual things to implement or conform to.  Thus, making (say)
    des3-ctr REQUIRED is really just saying "you cannot claim to do
    newmodes if you don't do des3-ctr", but since claiming to implement
    newmodes is not a useful thing (as opposed to claiming
    implementation of particular things defined in newmodes), this is
    not useful.

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