This document deprecates RC4 in Secure Shell (SSH). Therefore, this document formally moves RFC 4345 to Historic status.

This memo documents an Internet Best Current Practice. This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). It represents the consensus of the IETF community. It has received public review and has been approved for publication by the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Further information on BCPs is available in Section 2 of RFC 7841. Information about the current status of this document, any errata, and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8758.

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The usage of RC4 suites (also designated as "arcfour") for SSH is specified in [RFC 4253] and [RFC 4345]. [RFC 4253] specifies the allocation of the "arcfour" cipher for SSH. [RFC 4345] specifies and allocates the "arcfour128" and "arcfour256" ciphers for SSH. RC4 encryption has known weaknesses [RFC 7465] [RFC 8429]; therefore, this document starts the deprecation process for their use in Secure Shell (SSH) [RFC 4253]. Accordingly, [RFC 4253] is updated to note the deprecation of the RC4 ciphers, and [RFC 4345] is moved to Historic status, as all ciphers it specifies MUST NOT be used.

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC 2119] [RFC 8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.

[RFC 4253] is updated to prohibit arcfour's use in SSH. RFC 4253, Section 6.3 allocates the "arcfour" cipher by defining a list of defined ciphers in which the "arcfour" cipher appears as optional, as shown in Table 1. Table 1 This document updates the status of the "arcfour" ciphers in the list found in RFC 4253, Section 6.3 by moving it from OPTIONAL to MUST NOT. Table 2 [RFC 4253] defines the "arcfour" ciphers with the following text:

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This document updates RFC 4253, Section 6.3 by replacing the text above with the following text:

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The IANA has updated the "Encryption Algorithm Names" subregistry in the "Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol Parameters" registry [IANA]. The registration procedure is IETF review, which is achieved by this document. The registry has been updated as follows: Table 3

This document only prohibits the use of RC4 in SSH; it introduces no new security considerations.

[RFC2119]

S. Bradner, "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

[RFC8174]

B. Leiba, "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC 2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174, May 2017,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8174>.

[IANA]

"Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol Parameters",
<https://www.iana.org/assignments/ssh-parameters>.

[RFC4253]

T. Ylonen, and C. Lonvick, "The Secure Shell (SSH) Transport Layer Protocol", RFC 4253, DOI 10.17487/RFC4253, January 2006,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4253>.

[RFC4345]

B. Harris, "Improved Arcfour Modes for the Secure Shell (SSH) Transport Layer Protocol", RFC 4345, DOI 10.17487/RFC4345, January 2006,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4345>.

[RFC7465]

A. Popov, "Prohibiting RC4 Cipher Suites", RFC 7465, DOI 10.17487/RFC7465, February 2015,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7465>.

[RFC8429]

B. Kaduk, and M. Short, "Deprecate Triple-DES (3DES) and RC4 in Kerberos", BCP 218, RFC 8429, DOI 10.17487/RFC8429, October 2018,
<https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8429>.

[SCHNEIER]

B. Schneier, "Applied Cryptography Second Edition: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source in Code in C", John Wiley and Sons New York, NY, 1996.

The author would like to thank Eric Rescorla, Daniel Migault, and Rich Salz.

Loganaden Velvindron