Re: SSH in ECC Internet Draft

[Ben Harris <bjh21%bjh21.me.uk@localhost>]

In article <200610052227.SAA09189%Sparkle.Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA@localhost> you write:
>> 6.1.  ssh-ecc
>> 
>>    The "ssh-ecc" method specifies Elliptic Curve digital signature
>>    algorithm (ECDSA) for use in signing communications with ECC host
>>    keys.  When used with ECMQV "ssh-ecc" provides ecmqv with a host key.
>>    This method is discussed in Section 3.
>
>This makes it sound as though ssh-ecc host keys and ecmqv key exchange
>are not independent - that it is not possile to use one without the
>other.  If true, I think this is a bad idea, if only because the
>negotiation framework does not support this kind of tied negotiation.

Actually, in this case, we already have that kind of tied negotiation.  
SSH already supports the notions of signature-capable and 
encryption-capable host keys, and the choice of public-key algorithm 
depends on the selected public-key algorithm.  This effectively adds an 
third key type to that algorithm.  It might be a good idea for this to 
be done more explicitly (perhaps allowing for the possibility of other 
ECC key formats), but I don't see that there's anything inherently wrong 
with it.

-- 
Ben Harris