Worth Reading: Misconceptions about Route Origin Validation

Use the email sent by Randy Bush to RIPE routing WG mailing list every time a security researcher claims a technology with no built-in security mechanism is insecure (slightly reworded to make it more generic).


Lately, I am getting flak about $SomeTechnology not providing protection from this or that malicious attack. Indeed it does not.

In the $SomeTechnology design, we DELIBERATELY did NOT try to cover malicious attacks. We also did not try to solve world hunger.

Repeat 20 times: “$SomeTechnology is not a security mechanism. It is only meant to reach $SomeOtherGoal.”

Yes, a screwdriver sucks as a hammer.

We do seem to see that $SomeOtherGoal is being reached, and presume this is due to $SomeTechnology. This is good.

And once more for good luck: “$SomeTechnology is not a security mechanism. It is only meant to reach $SomeOtherGoal.”


Bonus points if the description of $SomeTechnology clearly describes its security shortcomings that are then “discovered” by a publicity-hungry security researcher.

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