IETF Involved In Row Over Patent Potentially Covering New...

Currently, one of the many projects of IETF is a Draft titled draft-housley-tls-authz-extns-07. This document specifies authorization extensions to the Transport Layer Security (TLS) Handshake Protocol. Extensions carried in the client and server hello messages to confirm that both parties support the desired authorization data types. Then, if supported by both the client and the server, authorization information is exchanged in the supplemental data handshake message.

Meanwhile a formidable dispute is evolving because of a certain company, RedPhone Security, may hold patents potentially interfering with particular implementations of this Draft standard. According to their own website, RedPhone Security builds formally verified reference monitors to control information flows between separated domains. They offer secure-by-design products that allow governments or enterprises to act on the information it sends and receives quickly and decisively.

RedPhone Security reference monitor (far right) within a typical operating context

Free Software Foundation recently has picked up that matter, currently attempting to organise a campaign against the adoption of the proposed standard. They do not think that RedPhone Security's disclosure filing provides sufficient assurance to free software users that they will not be considered in violation of RedPhone's patent application PCT/US2006/001342.

In an e-mail message sent to various mailing lists, Mr Richard Stallman argued:

"A patented standard for software is worse than no standard, because it functions to augment the patent holder's stranglehold over society. What everyone ought to do is resist it.

As long as the IETF allows patented standards for software, anyone can argue about any proposed patented standard that it important enough to excuse the patent. Others can argue that it is not, but since that is a question of judgment, the conclusion is never inevitable. So the risk is always broader than it might appear."

Obviously Mr Stallman and, with him FSF, are launching an attempt to use the particular Draft standard at stake as a vehicle for launching a broader political debate on CII patenting in the wider context of the IETF.