Edit comment LC-2016 for Mobile Web Best Practices Working Group

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Comment LC-2016

Comment Shortname:

Commenter: Luca Passani <passani@eunet.no>

Message-id:

Section of the document concerned:

[Free text description]Document as a wholeContent Transformation Guidelines 1.0 Abstract Status of this Document Table of Contents Appendices 1 Introduction (Non-Normative) 1.1 Purpose 1.2 Audience 1.3 Scope 1.4 Summary of Requirements 2 Terminology (Normative) 2.1 Types of Proxy "A transparent proxy is a proxy that does not modify the req... A non-transparent proxy is a proxy that modifies the request... 2.2 Types of Transformation Restructuring content is a process whereby the original layo... Recoding content is a process whereby the layout of the cont... Optimizing content includes removing redundant white space,... 3 Conformance (Normative) 3.1 Classes of Product 3.2 Normative and Informative Parts 3.3 Normative Language for Conformance Requirements 3.4 Content Deployment Conformance 3.5 Transformation Deployment Conformance 4 Behavior of Components (Normative) 4.1 Proxy Forwarding of Request 4.1.1 Applicable HTTP Methods 4.1.2 no-transform directive in Request 4.1.3 Treatment of Requesters that are not Web browsers 4.1.4 Serving Cached Responses 4.1.5 Alteration of HTTP Header Values In this section, the concept of "Web site" is used (rather t... 4.1.5.1 Content Tasting 4.1.5.2 Avoiding "Request Unacceptable" Responses 4.1.5.3 User Selection of Restructured Experience 4.1.5.4 Sequence of Requests 4.1.5.5 Original Headers 4.1.6 Additional HTTP Headers 4.1.6.1 Proxy Treatment of Via Header 4.2 Server Response to Proxy 4.2.1 Use of HTTP 406 Status 4.2.2 Server Origination of Cache-Control: no-transform Including a Cache-Control: no-transform directive can disrup... 4.2.3 Varying Representations 4.2.3.1 Use of Vary HTTP Header 4.2.3.2 Indication of Intended Presentation Media Type of Representation 4.3 Proxy Forwarding of Response to User Agent 4.3.1 Receipt of Cache-Control: no-transform 4.3.2 Receipt of Warning: 214 Transformation Applied 4.3.3 Server Rejection of HTTP Request 4.3.4 Receipt of Vary HTTP Header 4.3.5 Link to "handheld" Representation 4.3.6 Proxy Decision to Transform 4.3.6.1 Alteration of Response 4.3.6.2 HTTPS Link Re-writing 5 Testing (Normative) A References B Example Transformation Interactions (Non-Normative) B.1 Basic Content Tasting by Proxy B.2 Optimization based on Previous Server Interaction B.3 Optimization based on Previous Server Interaction, Server has Changed its Operation B.4 Server Response Indicating that this Representation is Intended for the Target Device B.5 Server Response Indicating that another Representation is Intended for the Target Device C Applicability to Transforming Solutions which are Out of Scope (Non-Normative) D Scope for Future Work (Non-Normative) D.1 POWDER D.2 link HTTP Header D.3 Sources of Device Information D.4 Inter Proxy Communication D.5 Amendment to and Refinement of HTTP E Administrative Arrangements (Non-Normative) F Acknowledgments (Non-Normative)
or

Refinement of the section concerned:

Status:

open proposal pending resolved_yes resolved_no resolved_partial other assigned to Nobody

Type: substantive editorial typo question general comment undefined

Resolution status:

Response drafted Resolution implemented Reply sent to commenter

Response status:

No response from Commenter yet Commenter approved disposition Commenter objected to disposition
Commenter's response (URI):

Comment:

Having look at the conversation you are having here, I think there are
conflicting information about how HTTPS is handled by transcoding
servers. I understand that not all transcoders work the same, but some
do perform a man-in-the-middle-attack, and IMO this should not be
endorsed by the W3C guidelines.

The way many transcoders work is that they run instances of real web
browsers (talking about tens or hundreds of Internet Explorer instances
running in the memory of the server here). This means that there is no
way for content owners to protect against transcoders simply because the
server is talking to a legitimate web browser, exchanging real
certificates, logging-in with real passwords, establishing secure SSL
connetions and all the rest.

The point of the Content Transformation Guidelines seems to be "some users may want to continue using the service at the cost of degrading
security". Well, this is not up to the user to decide, I am afraid.
HTTPS is also about non-repudiation and the fact that users must not be able to say "I did not do it" at a later stage. The fact that
transcoders have found a technical way to by-pass HTTPS security does not mean that they have the right to do it. Nor does it mean that
end-users can take advantage of it.

Luca

Related issues: (space separated ids)

WG Notes: [Needs to be checked after editorial re-writing] See: http://www.w3.org/2008/10/07-bpwg-minutes.html#item02 Final resolution: - Accept the thrust of Tom's submission on HTTPS, and editor to make sure that the wording is beefed up (e.g. by saying that if a proxy rewrites HTTPS ... rather than saying a proxy MAY) to make it clear that if you _must_ do it the user MUST know and MUST have a choice

Resolution: We agree and have added text to this section that goes some way to addressing your concern.

(Please make sure the resolution is adapted for public consumption)