>> Discuss:
>> I believe this document needs to acknowledge a lying endpoint
>> problem,
> especially with respect to firmware update. Specifically:
>>
>> The firmware update aspects of the CAPWAP protocol specification
>> place
> a great deal of faith in the WTP. Specifically, the AC is trusting
> the WTP to assert the current firmware update, and to indicate whether
> the update has been installed. (This is consistent with efforts in
> NEA where we specifically excluded the lying endpoint problem, but I
> recall that it was somewhat controversial.)
>>
>> However, there is nothing in the CAPWAP protocol specification to
> indicate this level of trust in the WTP. I believe that a discussion
> of the trust model, and its limitations, should appear in this
> document. I would suggest introducing this concept in section 9, and
> expanding it in the security considerations.
>
> OK - we can add such language to cover the concern you raise:
>
> <proposed text>
> 9. Device Management Operations
>
> This section defines CAPWAP operations responsible for debugging,
> gathering statistics, logging, and firmware management. The
> management operations defined in this section are used by the AC to
> either push/pull information to/from the WTP, or request that the
> WTP
> reboot. This section does not deal with the management of the AC
> per
> se, and assumes that the AC is operational and configured.
>
> 12.9. WTP Firmware
>
> The CAPWAP protocol defines a mechanism by which the AC downloads
> new
> firmware to the WTP. During the session establishment process, the
> WTP provides information about its current firmware to the AC. The
> AC then decides whether the WTP's firmware needs to be updated. It
> is important to note that the CAPWAP specification makes the
> explicit
> assumption that the WTP is providing the correct firmware version
> to
> the AC, and is therefore not lying. Further, during the firmware
> download process, the CAPWAP protocol does not provide any
> mechanisms
> to recognize whether the WTP is actually storing the firmware for
> future use.
> </proposed text> |