BGP security in practice

Mon Nov 4 18:59:18 UTC 2002

Yes, but...  A protocol in which principal A's misconfiguration can
seriously harm principle B is more broken than one in which it
cannot.   That's why the protocol for crossing a busy street includes
"In addition to the light status, look for actual moving vehicles."
That way, you don't get run over by someone else's misconfiguration.  

Time for a new metaphor, methinks.

-
Eric Anderson

Thus spake alex at yuriev.com (alex at yuriev.com):

> 
> Every protocol is vulnerable if the principals are mis-configured (i.e. do not
> follow the protocol).
> 
> The protocol for crossing a busy street at the light involves checking for
> the green light before crossing the street. A mis-configured principal checks
> the light, ignores red or yellow, and immediately crosses. Does it mean that
> the protocol is broken or does it mean that a principal is broken?

> P.S. In this specific case I am strictly looking at "misconfiguration causes
> problems" implies brokenness of the protocol.