Actually it's server side that's the problem. Many servers limit the size of the HTTP request headers they will accept. Apache 2.2, for example, uses the LimitRequestFieldSize Directive (http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/core.html). Its default size is 8190 bytes. IIS, I Believe, defaults to around 16K. But SAML assertions can easily clock in at 30 or 40k without even trying.
So as a practical matter we need a way to allow clients to assert their right to a token using the request body so as to not need to artificially limit the size of the token that is being submitted. Yaron > -----Original Message----- > From: Torsten Lodderstedt [mailto:tors...@lodderstedt.net] > Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 10:47 PM > To: Yaron Goland > Cc: Eran Hammer-Lahav; OAuth WG (oauth@ietf.org) > Subject: Re: [OAUTH-WG] Open Issues: Group Survey (respond by 5/13) > > Am 11.05.2010 01:43, schrieb Yaron Goland: > > > >> --- > >> > >> 2. Client Authentication (in flows) > >> > >> How should the client authenticate when making token requests? The > >> current draft defines special request parameters for sending client > >> credentials. Some have argued that this is not the correct way, and > >> that the client should be using existing HTTP authentication schemes > >> to accomplish that such as Basic. > >> > >> A. Client authenticates by sending its credentials using special > >> parameters (current draft) B. Client authenticated by using HTTP > >> Basic (or other schemes supported by the server such as Digest) > >> > >> > > [Yaron Goland] A is needed at a minimum because there are physical > limitations to how many bytes can go into an authorization header. > > > > As far as I know, 4KB is the minimum size for headers that must be supported > by user agents, which should suffice from my point of view. > Moreover, other HTTP authentication mechanisms need much more than > 4KB, For example, SPNEGO authentication headers can be up to 12392 bytes. > > regards, > Torsten. > > >> _______________________________________________ > >> OAuth mailing list > >> OAuth@ietf.org > >> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/oauth > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > OAuth mailing list > > OAuth@ietf.org > > https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/oauth > > > > _______________________________________________ OAuth mailing list OAuth@ietf.org https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/oauth