The dhc working group (DHC WG) has developed DHCP for automated allocation, configuration and management of IP addresses and TCP/IP protocol stack parameters. DHCPv4 is currently a "Draft Standard" and is documented in RFC 2131 and RFC 2132. DHCPv6 is currently a "Proposed Standard" and is documented in RFC 3315. Subsequent RFCs document additional options and other enhancements to the specifications. The DHC WG is responsible for reviewing (and sometimes developing) DHCP options or other extensions (for both IPv4 and IPv6). The DHC WG is expected to review all proposed extensions to DHCP to ensure that they are consistent with the DHCP specification and other option formats, that they do not duplicate existing mechanisms, etc. The DHC WG will not (generally) be responsible for evaluating the semantic content of proposed options. The DHC WG will not adopt new proposals for extensions to DHCP as working group documents without first coordinating with other relevant working groups and determining who has the responsibility for reviewing the semantic content of an option. The DHC WG has the following main objectives: * Address security in DHCP o Develop and document security requirements for DHCP. RFC 3118 defines current security mechanisms for DHCPv4. Unfortunately, RFC 3118 has neither been implemented nor deployed to date. Specific issues to be considered include: - Improved key management and scalability - Security for messages passed between relay agents and servers - Threats of DoS attacks through DHCPFORCERENEW - The increased usage of DHC on unsecured (e.g., wireless) and public LANs - The need for clients to be able to authenticate servers, without simultaneously requiring client authentication by the server. o Develop and document a roadmap of any new documents or protocols needed to meet the security requirements for DHCP * Write an analysis of the DHCP specification, including RFC 2131, RFC 2132 and other RFCs defining additional options, which identifies ambiguities, contradictory specifications and other obstacles to development of interoperable implementations. Recommend a process for resolving identified problems and incorporating the resolutions into the DHCP specification. * Assess the requirements for a dual-stack host to use DHCP to obtain configuration settings for both IPv4 and IPv6. Hosts that include implementations of both IPv4 and IPv6 ("dual-stack hosts") may use DHCP to obtain configuration settings (including assigned addresses) for both IPv4 and IPv6. The DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 specifications (RFC 2131, RFC 2132, RFC 3315 and subsequent RFCs) do not explicitly explain how a dual-stack host uses DHCP to obtain configuration settings for both IP stacks. The DHC WG will evaluate solutions for configuration of dual-stack hosts through DHCP and select a solution that will be developed and published by the WG. * Assess the requirements for informing DHCPv6 clients of changes in configuration information. The DHCPv6 specification in RFC 3315 includes a mechanism through which clients can obtain other configuration information without obtaining an address or addresses. This mechanisms is sometimes called "stateless DHCPv6" and is specified in RFC 3736. RFC 3315 includes no provision for notifying DHCPv6 clients using stateless DHCPv6 of changes in the configuration information supplied to the client or any recommendations as to when a client should obtain possibly updated information. The DHC WG will evaluate solutions for informing DHCPv6 clients of changes in configuration information and select a solution that will be developed and published by the WG.