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Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/keys-request-key.txt')
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diff --git a/Documentation/keys-request-key.txt b/Documentation/keys-request-key.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 22488d79116..00000000000 --- a/Documentation/keys-request-key.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,163 +0,0 @@ - =================== - KEY REQUEST SERVICE - =================== - -The key request service is part of the key retention service (refer to -Documentation/keys.txt). This document explains more fully how that the -requesting algorithm works. - -The process starts by either the kernel requesting a service by calling -request_key(): - - struct key *request_key(const struct key_type *type, - const char *description, - const char *callout_string); - -Or by userspace invoking the request_key system call: - - key_serial_t request_key(const char *type, - const char *description, - const char *callout_info, - key_serial_t dest_keyring); - -The main difference between the two access points is that the in-kernel -interface does not need to link the key to a keyring to prevent it from being -immediately destroyed. The kernel interface returns a pointer directly to the -key, and it's up to the caller to destroy the key. - -The userspace interface links the key to a keyring associated with the process -to prevent the key from going away, and returns the serial number of the key to -the caller. - - -=========== -THE PROCESS -=========== - -A request proceeds in the following manner: - - (1) Process A calls request_key() [the userspace syscall calls the kernel - interface]. - - (2) request_key() searches the process's subscribed keyrings to see if there's - a suitable key there. If there is, it returns the key. If there isn't, and - callout_info is not set, an error is returned. Otherwise the process - proceeds to the next step. - - (3) request_key() sees that A doesn't have the desired key yet, so it creates - two things: - - (a) An uninstantiated key U of requested type and description. - - (b) An authorisation key V that refers to key U and notes that process A - is the context in which key U should be instantiated and secured, and - from which associated key requests may be satisfied. - - (4) request_key() then forks and executes /sbin/request-key with a new session - keyring that contains a link to auth key V. - - (5) /sbin/request-key assumes the authority associated with key U. - - (6) /sbin/request-key execs an appropriate program to perform the actual - instantiation. - - (7) The program may want to access another key from A's context (say a - Kerberos TGT key). It just requests the appropriate key, and the keyring - search notes that the session keyring has auth key V in its bottom level. - - This will permit it to then search the keyrings of process A with the - UID, GID, groups and security info of process A as if it was process A, - and come up with key W. - - (8) The program then does what it must to get the data with which to - instantiate key U, using key W as a reference (perhaps it contacts a - Kerberos server using the TGT) and then instantiates key U. - - (9) Upon instantiating key U, auth key V is automatically revoked so that it - may not be used again. - -(10) The program then exits 0 and request_key() deletes key V and returns key - U to the caller. - -This also extends further. If key W (step 7 above) didn't exist, key W would be -created uninstantiated, another auth key (X) would be created (as per step 3) -and another copy of /sbin/request-key spawned (as per step 4); but the context -specified by auth key X will still be process A, as it was in auth key V. - -This is because process A's keyrings can't simply be attached to -/sbin/request-key at the appropriate places because (a) execve will discard two -of them, and (b) it requires the same UID/GID/Groups all the way through. - - -====================== -NEGATIVE INSTANTIATION -====================== - -Rather than instantiating a key, it is possible for the possessor of an -authorisation key to negatively instantiate a key that's under construction. -This is a short duration placeholder that causes any attempt at re-requesting -the key whilst it exists to fail with error ENOKEY. - -This is provided to prevent excessive repeated spawning of /sbin/request-key -processes for a key that will never be obtainable. - -Should the /sbin/request-key process exit anything other than 0 or die on a -signal, the key under construction will be automatically negatively -instantiated for a short amount of time. - - -==================== -THE SEARCH ALGORITHM -==================== - -A search of any particular keyring proceeds in the following fashion: - - (1) When the key management code searches for a key (keyring_search_aux) it - firstly calls key_permission(SEARCH) on the keyring it's starting with, - if this denies permission, it doesn't search further. - - (2) It considers all the non-keyring keys within that keyring and, if any key - matches the criteria specified, calls key_permission(SEARCH) on it to see - if the key is allowed to be found. If it is, that key is returned; if - not, the search continues, and the error code is retained if of higher - priority than the one currently set. - - (3) It then considers all the keyring-type keys in the keyring it's currently - searching. It calls key_permission(SEARCH) on each keyring, and if this - grants permission, it recurses, executing steps (2) and (3) on that - keyring. - -The process stops immediately a valid key is found with permission granted to -use it. Any error from a previous match attempt is discarded and the key is -returned. - -When search_process_keyrings() is invoked, it performs the following searches -until one succeeds: - - (1) If extant, the process's thread keyring is searched. - - (2) If extant, the process's process keyring is searched. - - (3) The process's session keyring is searched. - - (4) If the process has assumed the authority associated with a request_key() - authorisation key then: - - (a) If extant, the calling process's thread keyring is searched. - - (b) If extant, the calling process's process keyring is searched. - - (c) The calling process's session keyring is searched. - -The moment one succeeds, all pending errors are discarded and the found key is -returned. - -Only if all these fail does the whole thing fail with the highest priority -error. Note that several errors may have come from LSM. - -The error priority is: - - EKEYREVOKED > EKEYEXPIRED > ENOKEY - -EACCES/EPERM are only returned on a direct search of a specific keyring where -the basal keyring does not grant Search permission. |