15/WAKU-BRIDGE: Import

content/docs/rfcs/15/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+---
+title: Waku Bridge
+version: 2.0.0-alpha1
+status: Raw
+authors: Kim De Mey <kim@status.im>
+---
+# Table of Contents
+
+TODO
+
+# Abstract
+
+A bridge between Waku v1 and Waku v2.
+
+# Bridge
+
+A bridge requires supporting both Waku versions:
+
+* Waku v1 - using devp2p RLPx protocol
+* Waku v2 - using libp2p protocols
+
+Packets received on the Waku v1 network SHOULD be published just once on the
+Waku v2 network. More specifically, the bridge SHOULD publish
+this through the Waku Relay (PubSub domain).
+
+Publishing such packet will require the creation of a new `Message` with a
+new `WakuMessage` as data field. The `data` and `topic` field from the Waku v1
+`Envelope` MUST be copied to the `payload` and `contentTopic` fields of the
+`WakuMessage`. Other fields such as nonce, expiry and ttl will be dropped as
+they become obsolete in Waku v2.
+
+Before this is done, the usual envelope verification still applies:
+
+* Expiry & future time verification
+* PoW verification
+* Size verification
+
+Bridging SHOULD occur through the `WakuRelay`, but it MAY also be done on other Waku
+v2 protocols (e.g. `WakuFilter`). The latter is however not advised as it will
+increase the complexity of the bridge and because of the
+[Security Considerations](#security-considerations) explained further below.
+
+Packets received on the Waku v2 network SHOULD be posted just once on the Waku
+v1 network. The Waku v2 `WakuMessage` contains only the `payload` and
+`contentTopic` fields. The bridge MUST create a new Waku v1 `Envelope` and
+copy over the `payload` and `contentFilter` fields to the `data` and `topic`
+fields. Next, before posting on the network, the bridge MUST set a new expiry
+and ttl and do the PoW nonce calculation.
+
+### Security Considerations
+As mentioned above, a bridge will be posting new Waku v1 envelopes, which
+requires doing the PoW nonce calculation.
+
+This could be a DoS attack vector, as the PoW calculation will make it more
+expensive to post the message compared to the original publishing on the Waku v2
+network. Low PoW setting will lower this problem, but it is likely that it is
+still more expensive.
+
+For this reason, bridges SHOULD probably be run independently of other nodes, so
+that a bridge that gets overwhelmed does not disrupt regular Waku v2 to v2
+traffic.
+
+Bridging functionality SHOULD also be carefully implemented so that messages do
+not bounce back and forth between the two networks. The bridge SHOULD properly
+track messages with a seen filter so that no amplification can be achieved here.
+
+# Copyright
+
+Copyright and related rights waived via
+[CC0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/).