[db-wg] Disallowing MD5 passwords in e-mail updates, was MD5 Hashes in the database

I see. Thank you for this explanation.

Damien

On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 11:15 AM, Shane Kerr <shane at time-travellers.org>wrote:

> Dear unnamed person,
>
> This is not the RIPE NCC's database... they maintain it, and they use
> it, but it is the RIPE Database - for the entire RIPE community.
>
> Still, preventative steps have been taken - if you download the data on
> maintainers then the passwords are not present. Also, the database
> limits the volume of queries that users can make, to prevent harvesting
> that way. These were done with coordination of the RIPE community.
>
> The RIPE Database has always been completely public. The idea is that
> you do not have to trust the RIPE NCC to keep secrets. This protects the
> RIPE NCC, and it also protects us, the users. It also prevents users
> accidentally exposing secret information by confusing which parts are
> public and which are private - it is all public. In my mind there are
> valid reasons to be concerned with hiding *any* of the RIPE Database,
> although at the end I think it is the right thing to do.
>
> Also, this is mostly a registration database we're talking about here.
> If records are altered nobody will have their credit card charged, and
> nobody will lose their allocations; probably the worst case is that
> someone will be unable to get routed properly for a time. The RIPE
> Database keeps an entire history of all transactions, so that if
> authentication was compromised then the invalid changes could be rolled
> back easily once discovered. (At least this used to be how it works;
> perhaps that has changed?)
>
> There are reasons why the Database is the way it is. It is not the RIPE
> NCC avoiding responsibility.
>
> --
> Shane
>
> On Wed, 2011-11-09 at 10:55 +0100, virtu virtualabs wrote:
> > So it is up to the community to move from MD5 authentication to
> > stronger authentication methods ? No preventive steps would be taken
> > to avoid MD5 hashes disclosure on the RIPE website ?
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 10:38 AM, Nigel Titley <nigel at titley.com>
> > wrote:
> >         On Tue, 2011-11-08 at 15:01 +0100, virtu virtualabs wrote:
> >         > That would mean RIPE NCC did not do anything while people
> >         has been
> >         > aware of this fact since 2 years ?
> >
> >
> >         This problem is well known, both by the RIPE DB working group
> >         (which is
> >         what makes the policy, not the RIPE NCC) and also the RIPE NCC
> >         itself.
> >         It's been discussed for many years (not just 2) and the use of
> >         better
> >         authentication methods has been recommended (and have also
> >         been
> >         available for many years).
> >
> >         However, the community seems to wish to continue to use plain
> >         text
> >         passwords in emails, together with MD5 hashing.
> >
> >         Nigel
> >
> >
>
>
>
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