Potential key substitution risk due to missing session-key commitment ?
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Description
I would like to ask for clarification upon a potential gap between the authorization session and the final holder key. Currently, there is no cryptographic term linking the End-User's authentication at the AS to the holder key presented later at the Credential Endpoint. This gap persists even when sender-constraining mechanisms like DPoP are strictly utilized. DPoP ensures the token presenter holds the DPoP key (K_{DPoP}), but it does not prove that the End-User authorized the specific credential binding key (K_H). For example, in a split-architecture wallet scenario (Section 13.4), a compromised backend holding a valid DPoP-bound token could unilaterally substitute its own holder key into the proofs parameter. The Issuer would then issue a valid credential bound to the attacker's key, completely unable to verify if this K_H belongs to the original authorized session. A way to prevent this substitution risk may be anchoring the intended holder key to the initial Authorization Request, similar to how the dpop_jkt parameter works in RFC 9449, creating an end-to-end commitment. Or do I miss some other details within the spec? Thank you in advance.
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Research direction
Start with Section 13.4 and trace the Authorization Request, the authorization session, the proofs parameter, and the later Credential Endpoint exchange. Compare the proposed holder-key commitment with DPoP’s dpop_jkt mechanism in RFC 9449. Done should be a decided specification resolution explaining whether the substitution risk exists and, if so, how the end-to-end binding is defined.
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Assessment
- Domain
- authentication, authorization, cryptography, security
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100