SIST-TS TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1:2004

• Abstract:

  Detailed test specification (including evaluation of intermediate results) for the calculation of the security-token and insertion into the security field in the Call Control Flow using H.235 Annex D and H.235 Annex F.

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Mar-2004
• ICS: 33.020 - Telecommunications in general
• Technical Committee: SPN - Services and Protocols for Networks
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 01-Apr-2004
• Due Date: 01-Apr-2004
• Completion Date: 01-Apr-2004
• Ref Project: ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05) - Telecommunications and Internet Protocol Harmonization Over Networks (TIPHON) Release 4; Security Test Specifications; Part 2: H.323 Environment

Overview

SIST-TS TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1:2004 specifies security test procedures for telecommunications and Internet protocol harmonization over networks (TIPHON) in H.323 environments. Developed by SIST, this standard details the evaluation of security-token calculation and their insertion in call control flows, referencing key international recommendations such as ITU-T H.235 Annex D and Annex F. The goal is to ensure robust security in IP-based network communications while maintaining interoperability across multimedia systems.

Key Topics

• Security Token Evaluation: Defines methods for calculating and verifying security tokens to protect the integrity and authenticity of H.323 protocol messages.
• H.235 Annex D and F Usage: Outlines procedures for embedding cryptographic tokens in call signalling as prescribed by ITU-T Recommendation H.235, focusing on the use of its Annexes D and F.
• H.323 Environments: Identifies practical test settings for the interaction between network entities such as Gatekeeper, Terminal, and Gateway in IP-based multimedia systems.
• Security Test Strategies: Describes a stepwise approach for message authentication, involving processes for both message originators and receivers.
• Signalling and Media Path Security: Addresses the security of both the signalling and media paths in telecommunications systems deploying H.323 protocols.

Applications

This standard provides practical value for:

• Equipment Vendors and Developers: Ensures the compliance of VoIP and multimedia products with international security expectations for H.323 environments, enabling interoperability.
• Network Operators: Supports robust security validation for IP telephony infrastructures, reducing vulnerability to attacks or unauthorized message manipulation.
• Testing and Certification Bodies: Offers a structured methodology for security conformance testing as part of broader telecommunications product certification.
• Telecommunication Integrators: Facilitates secure deployment of integrated voice, video, and data services over converged networks by verifying trustworthiness of call control flows.

Typical use cases addressed include:

• Validation of the calculation and insertion of security-tokens in H.323 call signalling messages.
• Security assessments for Gatekeeper-to-Terminal, Gatekeeper-to-Gateway, and Gatekeeper-to-Gatekeeper communications.
• Evaluation of cryptographic integrity mechanisms according to ITU-T H.235 Annex D, focusing on message hash calculation and verification.
• Enhancements in end-to-end trust by ensuring message authentication in IP-based multimedia communications.

Related Standards

For comprehensive security and interoperability, consider these related standards:

• ETSI TR 101 888-1: Framework for security test specifications in TIPHON systems.
• ETSI TS 101 883: Explores technology mapping and TIPHON architecture implementation using H.323.
• ITU-T Recommendation H.323: The primary standard for packet-based multimedia communication systems.
• ITU-T Recommendation H.235: Specifies security and encryption mechanisms for H.323 and H.245-based multimedia terminals.

These references underline the importance of adhering to a harmonized set of security and protocol conformance guidelines to achieve safe, trustworthy, and seamless global telecommunications.

---

Keywords: H.323, VoIP security, TIPHON, security test specification, IP telephony, H.235, security-token evaluation, multimedia communications, call control flow, protocol testing.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-april-2004
Harmonizacija telekomunikacij in internetnega protokola prek omrežij (TIPHON), 4.
izdaja - Specifikacija varnostnega preskusa - 2. del: Okolje H.323
Telecommunications and Internet Protocol Harmonization Over Networks (TIPHON)
Release 4; Security Test Specifications; Part 2: H.323 Environment
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: TS 101 888-2 Version 4.1.1
ICS:
33.020 Telekomunikacije na splošno Telecommunications in
general
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

Technical Specification
Telecommunications and Internet Protocol
Harmonization Over Networks (TIPHON) Release 4;
Security Test Specifications;
Part 2: H.323 Environment
2 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
Reference
DTS/TIPHON-06014-2R4
Keywords
H.323, IP, protocol, testing, security, VoIP
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© European Telecommunications Standards Institute 2002.
All rights reserved.
ETSI
3 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
Contents
Intellectual Property Rights.4
Foreword.4
1 Scope .5
2 References .5
3 Definitions and abbreviations.5
3.1 Definitions.5
3.2 Abbreviations .5
4 Security Test Strategy .6
5 H.235 annex D.7
5.1 Overview .7
5.2 Received message.10
5.3 Separate Steps .11
5.4 Test configurations.12
5.4.1 Gatekeeper and Terminal.12
5.4.2 Gatekeeper and Gateway .12
5.4.3 Gatekeeper and Gatekeeper .12
6 H.235 annex F .13
7 Global Service Providers.13
Annex A (informative): Bibliography.14
History .15
ETSI
4 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
Intellectual Property Rights
IPRs essential or potentially essential to the present document may have been declared to ETSI. The information
pertaining to these essential IPRs, if any, is publicly available for ETSI members and non-members, and can be found
in ETSI SR 000 314: "Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs); Essential, or potentially Essential, IPRs notified to ETSI in
respect of ETSI standards", which is available from the ETSI Secretariat. Latest updates are available on the ETSI Web
server (http://webapp.etsi.org/IPR/home.asp).
Pursuant to the ETSI IPR Policy, no investigation, including IPR searches, has been carried out by ETSI. No guarantee
can be given as to the existence of other IPRs not referenced in SR 000 314 (or the updates on the ETSI Web server)
which are, or may be, or may become, essential to the present document.
Foreword
This Technical Specification (TS) has been produced by ETSI Project Telecommunications and Internet Protocol
Harmonization Over Networks (TIPHON).
The present document is part 2 of a multi-part deliverable covering Security Test Specifications, as identified below:
Part 1: "Framework";
Part 2: "H.323 Environment".
ETSI
5 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
1 Scope
The present document is one part of the security testing standards for which a framework is available in TR 101 888-1.
The scope of the present document is to define the security test specifications for TIPHON Release 4 for the H.323
environment.
The security methods considered in the present document are related only to IP based networks. The signalling path and
the media path in the SCN is considered to be secure ("Trust by wire").
2 References
The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the present
document.
• References are either specific (identified by date of publication and/or edition number or version number) or
non-specific.
• For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
• For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies.
[1] ITU-T Recommendation H.225.0: "Call signalling protocols and media stream packetization for
packet-based multimedia communication systems".
[2] ITU-T Recommendation H.235: "Security and encryption for H.Series (H.323 and other
H.245-based) multimedia terminals".
[3] ITU-T Recommendation H.245: "Control protocol for multimedia communication".
[4] ITU-T Recommendation H.323: "Packet-based multimedia communications systems".
3 Definitions and abbreviations
3.1 Definitions
For the purpose of the present document, the terms and definitions given in the IUT-T Recommendations H.225.0 [1],
H.235 [2], H.245 [3] and H.323 [4] apply.
3.2 Abbreviations
For the purposes of the present document, the following abbreviations apply:
AAudio
DData
IP Internet Protocol
SCN Switched Circuit Networks
ETSI
6 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
4 Security Test Strategy
Security testing should be performed after a vendor has completed product and system testing with the ETSI testing
standards.
The basic idea for security testing is to show the generation and insertion of the security bits into the specific parameters
of the H.323 messages. Because this mechanism is exactly the same on the senders and the receiver's side, no
distinction is necessary.
To test entities for their implementation of security two entities (that are already interworking) need to be connected. In
the case of an incorrect security information it is necessary to go into the detail of the generation of the security bits. In
order to be able to determine the reason for this failure the security tests strategy is just to look at the different steps of
the generation and insertion of the security bits into the protocol elements. This is the only way to determine the failure.
The Security testing shall be performed for the following configurations:
• Signalling path:
- Gatekeeper and Terminal;
- Gatekeeper and Gateway;
- Gatekeeper and Gatekeeper.
• Media path:
- Terminal and Terminal;
- Terminal and Gateway;
- Gateway and Gateway.
• Global Service Providers:
- BES and TRC;
-BESandCH;
-BESandCA.
The security testing shall be performed in three different parts where the first part deals with the security testing for the
signalling path (Terminal, Gatekeeper, Gateway) using ITU-T Recommendation H.235 [2] annex D. The second part
deals with the security aspects for the signalling path equivalent to the first but using ITU-T Recommendation H.235 [2]
annex F and the media path using H.235. The third part handles the security testing from the BES to the global service
providers.
ETSI
7 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
5 H.235 annex D
5.1 Overview
Figure 1 shows the basic steps to be taken at the originating entity.
H.225.0 Q.931 message
CryptoH323Token
nestedCryptoToken
CryptoHashedToken token
Default
pattern
general params
Timestamp random hash
OIDs sendersID DH algOID
ID
value
cryptoHashedToken HASHED
ASN1. Encode message
000.0000
H.225.0 Q.931 message
CryptoH323Token
password
Compuet SHA1 hash
Compute hash HMAC SHA1
H.225.0 Q.931 message
CryptoH323Token
Figure 1: Stepwise approach for sender
ETSI
8 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
Figure 2 shows the basic steps to be taken at the receiving side starting with the entire message, decoding, breaking it
into pieces and extracting the necessary parts and the final computation/verification step.
NOTE 1: The figures just visualize the essential steps as an example and correlate with the print out in clause 5.3;
in any case, the procedures and description of H.235 [2] annex D take precedence.
NOTE 2: The figures and print out reflect H.235v1, i.e. sendersID is not used.
NOTE 3: The figures and print out reflect a scenario endpoint to gatekeeper; other scenarios and examples are not
shown.
ETSI
9 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
H.225.0 Q.931 message
CryptoH323Token
ASN1. Decode message
H.225.0 Q.931 message
CryptoH323Token
nestedCryptoToken
CryptoHashedToken token
RV
general params
Timestamp random hash
OIDs sendersID DH algOID
ID value
3 5 6
8 11
cryptoHashedToken HASHED
000.000
11a
H.225.0 Q.931 message
CryptoH323Token
password
11b
Compute SHA1 hash
Compute hash HMAC SHA1
RV
Compare/Verify hash values
Figure 2: Stepwise approach for receiver
The example shown uses the RRQ that has been sent by a terminal and received at the gatekeeper.
• The received RRQ message in binary and with all fields shown.
• The received binary message part and the separate steps for the verification.
ETSI
10 ETSI TS 101 888-2 V4.1.1 (2002-05)
5.2 Received message
A received RRQ message with embedded Cryptotoken:
*********************************
* RECEIVE RRQ FROM EP AT GK *
*********************************
14:34:12 TPKTCHAN : Address:
14:34:12 TPKTCHAN : 0> <14> TransportAddress = (0) . <1084> CHOICE .
14:34:12 TPKTCHAN : 1> . <289> ipAddress = (0) . <1081> SEQUENCE
14:34:12 TPKTCHAN : 2> . . <290> ip = (4) '.j' =0x8b17ca6a <139.23.202.106> . <1066> OCTET
STRING (4.4)
14:34:12 TPKTCHAN : 2> . . <292> port = (1720) . <115> INTEGER (0.65535)
14:34:21 UDPCHAN : New message (channel 0) recv <-- registrationRequest:
14:34:21 UDPCHAN : Address:
14:34:2
...