RFC 6755

An IETF URN Sub-Namespace for OAuth 🦋

Okay bestie, the title block is giving main character energy 💅. This is RFC 6755, written by Brian Campbell (Ping Identity Corp.) and Hannes Tschofenig (Nokia Siemens Networks). It's in the Informational category, not Standards Track, and it was published in October 2012 with ISSN 2070-1721 🌸. The title block doesn't list anything it obsoletes or updates, so there's no drama there ✨.

Abstract

Okay so the whole point is literally one sentence 🎀: this document sets up an IETF URN Sub-namespace for use with OAuth-related specs.

Status of This Memo

Not an Internet Standards Track spec, just published for info 📚. It's still an IETF product with IETF community consensus, public review, and IESG approval, but not every IESG-approved doc is a candidate for any level of Internet Standard. See Section 2 of RFC 5741 for that 💅. For status, errata, and feedback, check http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6755 🔍.

Copyright Notice

Copyright (c) 2012 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the document authors. All rights reserved 🌈.

This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the publication date. Read those carefully, bestie, because they explain your rights and restrictions 📜. Code Components pulled out of this document must include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions, and they come with no warranty as described in the Simplified BSD License ⚠️.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ....................................................2
2. Registration Template ...........................................2
   2.1. Example Registration Request ...............................3
3. Security Considerations .........................................3
4. IANA Considerations .............................................3
   4.1. IETF URN Sub-Namespace Registration urn:ietf:params:oauth ..4
5. References ......................................................4
   5.1. Normative References .......................................4
   5.2. Informative Reference ......................................4
Appendix A.  Acknowledgements ......................................5

1. Introduction 🧚

Okay so a bunch of OAuth 2.0 extensions and companion specs use URIs to identify the extension in use or other relevant context 🔥. This doc creates and registers an IETF URN Sub-namespace, as documented in RFC 3553 [RFC3553], for exactly that purpose. The new oauth Sub-namespace is urn:ietf:params:oauth, and OAuth-relevant parameters will live underneath it 💜.

Reference: [OAUTH-V2] is "The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework" by D. Hardt.

2. Registration Template 🍓

If someone wants an OAuth URI registered, they request a URN of the form urn:ietf:params:oauth:<value>, where <value> is a suitable representation of the functionality or concept being registered ✨.

The registration procedure for new entries is "Specification Required" per RFC 5226 [RFC5226], and it needs a request using this template 📝:

• URN: The URI that identifies the registered functionality.
• Common Name: The name by which the functionality is generally known.
• Change Controller: For Standards Track RFCs, state "IETF". For others, give the name of the responsible party. Other details (e.g., postal address, email address, and home page URI) may also be included 💌.
• Specification Document(s): A reference to the document that specifies the URI, preferably including a URI that can be used to retrieve a copy. An indication of the relevant sections may also be included but is not required 📄.

The registration request for the urn:ietf:params:oauth URN Sub-namespace is in the IANA Considerations section of this document (Section 4) 🎀.

2.1. Example Registration Request 💖

Here's an example registration request for a URI underneath the urn:ietf:params:oauth Sub-namespace. The requested URI represents a new OAuth 2.0 grant type 🫶.

This is a request to IANA to please register the value grant-type:example in the registry urn:ietf:params:oauth established in an IETF URN Sub-namespace for OAuth 🙈:

• URN: urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:example
• Common Name: An Example Grant Type for OAuth 2.0
• Change controller: IETF
• Specification Document: [the document URI]

3. Security Considerations 🔐

Okay so this one's short and sweet 💅. There are no additional security considerations beyond those already inherent to using URNs. For URN security in general, see RFC 2141 [RFC2141].

Any work related to OAuth would benefit from familiarity with the security considerations of the OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework [OAUTH-V2]. Don't skip that, bestie 😭.

4. IANA Considerations 👑

IANA has created the following:

• The registration of a new IANA URN Sub-namespace, urn:ietf:params:oauth:, per RFC 3553 [RFC3553]. The registration request can be found in Section 4.1 below.
• A new registry called the "OAuth URI" registry for URNs subordinate to urn:ietf:params:oauth. The "OAuth URI" registry has been added to a new top-level registry called "OAuth Parameters" as defined by [OAUTH-V2]. Instructions for requesting registration of such a URN are in Section 2 ✨.

4.1. IETF URN Sub-Namespace Registration urn:ietf:params:oauth 🌈

Per RFC 3553 [RFC3553], IANA has registered a new URN Sub-namespace, urn:ietf:params:oauth.

• Registry name: oauth
• Specification: [this document]
• Repository: [The registry created in Section 2.]
• Index value: Values subordinate to urn:ietf:params:oauth are of the form urn:ietf:params:oauth:<value>, with <value> as the index value. It is suggested that <value> include both a "class" and an "identifier-within-class" component, with the two components separated by a colon (":"). Other compositions of <value> may also be used 🧁.

5. References 📚

5.1. Normative References

[RFC2141]   Moats, R., "URN Syntax", RFC 2141, May 1997.

[RFC3553]   Mealling, M., Masinter, L., Hardie, T., and G. Klyne, "An
            IETF URN Sub-namespace for Registered Protocol
            Parameters", BCP 73, RFC 3553, June 2003.

[RFC5226]   Narten, T. and H. Alvestrand, "Guidelines for Writing an
            IANA Considerations Section in RFCs", BCP 26, RFC 5226,
            May 2008.

5.2. Informative Reference

[OAUTH-V2]  Hardt, D., "The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework", Work
            in Progress, July 2012.

Appendix A. Acknowledgements 🫶

The authors thank these lovelies for their helpful contributions: Stephen Farrell, Barry Leiba, Peter Saint-Andre, Eran Hammer, John Bradley, Ben Campbell, and Michael B. Jones 💜.

Authors' Addresses 💌

Brian Campbell
Ping Identity Corp.

EMail: brian.d.campbell@gmail.com


Hannes Tschofenig
Nokia Siemens Networks

EMail: hannes.tschofenig@gmx.net