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Subject: Re: [mqtt] Connect with existing ID


Paul

A secure system should always check at Connect time that a would-be user is authorised to use the client ID that's in the Connect packet, as the client ID is the key to any MQTT state held by the server on behalf of the client.

Consider the case where the genuine user of the client ID is not connected. If an imposter were able to connect with that client ID then he/she would receive any queued up messages belonging to the genuine user's subscriptions.

Incidentally, the resolution to issue MQTT-82 now lets an MQTT server accept zero-length client IDs. A client is only allowed to set a zero-length client ID if it has set cleanSession = true (so there is never any pre-existing state, and once the client disconnects all its state is lost). If it accepts a zero-length client ID, the server treats each such client as independent, so there's no forcible disconnection of any other client.


Peter Niblett
IBM Senior Technical Staff Member
Member of the IBM Academy of Technology




From:        Raphael Cohn <raphael.cohn@stormmq.com>
To:        Paul Fremantle <paul@wso2.com>,
Cc:        "mqtt@lists.oasis-open.org" <mqtt@lists.oasis-open.org>
Date:        11/15/2013 04:58 PM
Subject:        Re: [mqtt] Connect with existing ID
Sent by:        <mqtt@lists.oasis-open.org>




Paul,

This is essential for stuck clients, clients that don't realise they've got a dead connection and reconnect, clients taking over when a node's unresponsive, etc. The same functionality exists in AMQP, where it features at the link level - there it's called link stealing. Think of it as STONITH for mq clients.

It shouldn't be a security hole if you're authenticating and authorising your clients. It may not be clear that's needed - if you like, you might want to add a JIRA.

It's a pain in the neck to implement, too, as a server, as it's the only time one connection 'needs to know' about another.


Raphael Cohn
Chief Architect, stormmq

Co-Chair, OASIS MQTT Standard
Secretary, OASIS AMQP Standard
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On 15 November 2013 15:36, Paul Fremantle <paul@wso2.com> wrote:
I never before noticed this line in the input spec:

If a client with the same Client ID is already connected to the server, the "older" client must be disconnected by the server before completing the CONNECT flow of the new client.

It corresponds to this in the WD:

If the ClientId represents a client already connected to the server then the server MUST disconnect the existing client.

Isn't this a bit of a security hole? If I can guess a ClientID I can disconnect it. If there is anyone using the clientId as a topic for replies and relying on clientId for security (e.g. in Mosquitto's ACL %c to match the client id of the client), then this is also a security hole. 

Can anyone comment?


Paul


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Paul Fremantle
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