The fix for BGP’s weaknesses has big, scary, issues of its own, boffins find

The fix for BGP's weaknesses has big, scary, issues of its own, boffins find

October 2, 2024 at 02:40AM

German researchers have identified vulnerabilities and operational challenges in the Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) protocol. RPKI was meant to secure the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and enhance internet routing security. However, the researchers found potential backdoors, supply chain attacks, and difficulties in patching vulnerabilities. They believe RPKI requires significant improvements for reliable deployment.

Based on the meeting notes, the main takeaways are:

1. The Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) protocol is designed to fix security issues with the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and is a part of the White House’s Roadmap to Enhancing Internet Routing Security.

2. German researchers have identified software vulnerabilities, inconsistent specifications, and operational challenges with RPKI, including concerns about Remote Code Execution attacks and supply chain vulnerabilities.

3. The researchers found that many operators struggle with patching RPKI code, making them susceptible to attacks. They also worry about RPKI’s scalability and the potential for misconfigurations due to the lack of automation tools.

4. The authors suggest using their paper as a To-Do list for those working on RPKI to improve its maturity and meet security, reliability, and scalability expectations.

If you need further details or analysis on any specific points, please let me know.

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