diff --git a/i2p2www/spec/proposals/144-ecies-x25519-aead-ratchet.rst b/i2p2www/spec/proposals/144-ecies-x25519-aead-ratchet.rst index adaae896..bb195282 100644 --- a/i2p2www/spec/proposals/144-ecies-x25519-aead-ratchet.rst +++ b/i2p2www/spec/proposals/144-ecies-x25519-aead-ratchet.rst @@ -3207,6 +3207,30 @@ non-mod-16 padding, things will need to be done differently. +Protocol-layer Responses +------------------------- + +Initial implementations rely on bidirectional traffic at the higher layers. +That is, the implementations assume that traffic in the opposite direction +will soon be transmitted, which will force any required response at the ECIES layer. + +However, certain traffic may be unidirectional or very low bandwidth, +such that there is no higher-layer traffic to generate a timely response. + +Receipt of NS and NSR messages require a response; +receipt of ACK Request and Next Key blocks also require a response. + +A sophisticated implementation may start a timer when one of these +messages is received which requires a response, +and generate an "empty" (no Garlic Clove block) response +at the ECIES layer +if no reverse traffic is sent in a short period of time (e.g. 1 second). + +It may also be appropriate for an even shorter timeout for +responses to NS and NSR messages, to shift the traffic to +the efficient ES messages as soon as possible. + + Analysis ========