A second look at the SDNS key management protocol

The Secure Data Network System (SDNS) program has developed a security architecture based on the International Standardization Organization (ISO) Reference Model for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI). The SDNS standards include a key management protocol (KMP) designed to provide key material to lower layer security protocols. Unfortunately, although the specification has been publicly available for several years, it is difficult to interpret, and the rationale behind the features of the protocol is obscured. This paper provides an overview of SDNS key management protocol and attempts to fill some of the gaps of the specification. The paper highlights the main features of the protocol, providing an object oriented view of the protocol entities, along with some sample scenarios. The SDNS KMP provides a useful example of the choices required in the design of an OSI key management protocol