Subject: [smime] [Technical Errata Reported] RFC5652 (3867)

From: RFC Errata System <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 00:49:13 -0800 (PST)

The following errata report has been submitted for RFC5652,
"Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS)".

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You may review the report below and at:
http://www.rfc-editor.org/errata_search.php?rfc=5652&eid=3867

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Type: Technical
Reported by: Jos Breek <[email-masked]>

Section: 5.3

Original Text
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digestAlgorithm identifies the message digest algorithm, and any
associated parameters, used by the signer.

Corrected Text
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digestAlgorithm identifies the message digest algorithm, and any
associated parameters, used by the signer in the signature Generation 
Process. The message digest algorithm shall be equal to the message 
digest algorithm used in the signatureAlgorithm field.

Notes
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The text stated that the message digest algorithm is "used by the signer". It is unclear for what purpose the message digest algorithm is used. 

There are implementations that use the message digest algorithm specified in the messageDigest field instead of the message digest algorithm specified in the signatureAlgorithm.

Is the purpose of the messageDigest field to nest the hashing algorithm used in the signing process? If so, please use the corrected text to clarify the goal of the field.

Instructions:
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RFC5652 (draft-ietf-smime-rfc3852bis-00)
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Title               : Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS)
Publication Date    : September 2009
Author(s)           : R. Housley
Category            : DRAFT STANDARD
Source              : S/MIME Mail Security
Area                : Security
Stream              : IETF
Verifying Party     : IESG