forked from Minki/linux
crypto: doc - AEAD / RNG AF_ALG interface
The patch moves the information provided in Documentation/crypto/crypto-API-userspace.txt into a separate chapter in the kernel crypto API DocBook. Some corrections are applied (such as removing a reference to Netlink when the AF_ALG socket is referred to). In addition, the AEAD and RNG interface description is now added. Also, a brief description of the zero-copy interface with an example code snippet is provided. Signed-off-by: Stephan Mueller <smueller@chronox.de> Signed-off-by: Herbert Xu <herbert@gondor.apana.org.au>
This commit is contained in:
parent
cde001e4c3
commit
dbe5fe7e1b
@ -1072,6 +1072,602 @@ kernel crypto API | Caller
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
</chapter>
|
||||
|
||||
<chapter id="User"><title>User Space Interface</title>
|
||||
<sect1><title>Introduction</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The concepts of the kernel crypto API visible to kernel space is fully
|
||||
applicable to the user space interface as well. Therefore, the kernel
|
||||
crypto API high level discussion for the in-kernel use cases applies
|
||||
here as well.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The major difference, however, is that user space can only act as a
|
||||
consumer and never as a provider of a transformation or cipher algorithm.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The following covers the user space interface exported by the kernel
|
||||
crypto API. A working example of this description is libkcapi that
|
||||
can be obtained from [1]. That library can be used by user space
|
||||
applications that require cryptographic services from the kernel.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Some details of the in-kernel kernel crypto API aspects do not
|
||||
apply to user space, however. This includes the difference between
|
||||
synchronous and asynchronous invocations. The user space API call
|
||||
is fully synchronous.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
[1] http://www.chronox.de/libkcapi.html
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>User Space API General Remarks</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The kernel crypto API is accessible from user space. Currently,
|
||||
the following ciphers are accessible:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>Message digest including keyed message digest (HMAC, CMAC)</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>Symmetric ciphers</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>AEAD ciphers</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>Random Number Generators</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The interface is provided via socket type using the type AF_ALG.
|
||||
In addition, the setsockopt option type is SOL_ALG. In case the
|
||||
user space header files do not export these flags yet, use the
|
||||
following macros:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
#ifndef AF_ALG
|
||||
#define AF_ALG 38
|
||||
#endif
|
||||
#ifndef SOL_ALG
|
||||
#define SOL_ALG 279
|
||||
#endif
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
A cipher is accessed with the same name as done for the in-kernel
|
||||
API calls. This includes the generic vs. unique naming schema for
|
||||
ciphers as well as the enforcement of priorities for generic names.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
To interact with the kernel crypto API, a socket must be
|
||||
created by the user space application. User space invokes the cipher
|
||||
operation with the send()/write() system call family. The result of the
|
||||
cipher operation is obtained with the read()/recv() system call family.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The following API calls assume that the socket descriptor
|
||||
is already opened by the user space application and discusses only
|
||||
the kernel crypto API specific invocations.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
To initialize the socket interface, the following sequence has to
|
||||
be performed by the consumer:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<orderedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Create a socket of type AF_ALG with the struct sockaddr_alg
|
||||
parameter specified below for the different cipher types.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Invoke bind with the socket descriptor
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Invoke accept with the socket descriptor. The accept system call
|
||||
returns a new file descriptor that is to be used to interact with
|
||||
the particular cipher instance. When invoking send/write or recv/read
|
||||
system calls to send data to the kernel or obtain data from the
|
||||
kernel, the file descriptor returned by accept must be used.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</orderedlist>
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>In-place Cipher operation</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Just like the in-kernel operation of the kernel crypto API, the user
|
||||
space interface allows the cipher operation in-place. That means that
|
||||
the input buffer used for the send/write system call and the output
|
||||
buffer used by the read/recv system call may be one and the same.
|
||||
This is of particular interest for symmetric cipher operations where a
|
||||
copying of the output data to its final destination can be avoided.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
If a consumer on the other hand wants to maintain the plaintext and
|
||||
the ciphertext in different memory locations, all a consumer needs
|
||||
to do is to provide different memory pointers for the encryption and
|
||||
decryption operation.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>Message Digest API</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The message digest type to be used for the cipher operation is
|
||||
selected when invoking the bind syscall. bind requires the caller
|
||||
to provide a filled struct sockaddr data structure. This data
|
||||
structure must be filled as follows:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
struct sockaddr_alg sa = {
|
||||
.salg_family = AF_ALG,
|
||||
.salg_type = "hash", /* this selects the hash logic in the kernel */
|
||||
.salg_name = "sha1" /* this is the cipher name */
|
||||
};
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The salg_type value "hash" applies to message digests and keyed
|
||||
message digests. Though, a keyed message digest is referenced by
|
||||
the appropriate salg_name. Please see below for the setsockopt
|
||||
interface that explains how the key can be set for a keyed message
|
||||
digest.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Using the send() system call, the application provides the data that
|
||||
should be processed with the message digest. The send system call
|
||||
allows the following flags to be specified:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
MSG_MORE: If this flag is set, the send system call acts like a
|
||||
message digest update function where the final hash is not
|
||||
yet calculated. If the flag is not set, the send system call
|
||||
calculates the final message digest immediately.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
With the recv() system call, the application can read the message
|
||||
digest from the kernel crypto API. If the buffer is too small for the
|
||||
message digest, the flag MSG_TRUNC is set by the kernel.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
In order to set a message digest key, the calling application must use
|
||||
the setsockopt() option of ALG_SET_KEY. If the key is not set the HMAC
|
||||
operation is performed without the initial HMAC state change caused by
|
||||
the key.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>Symmetric Cipher API</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The operation is very similar to the message digest discussion.
|
||||
During initialization, the struct sockaddr data structure must be
|
||||
filled as follows:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
struct sockaddr_alg sa = {
|
||||
.salg_family = AF_ALG,
|
||||
.salg_type = "skcipher", /* this selects the symmetric cipher */
|
||||
.salg_name = "cbc(aes)" /* this is the cipher name */
|
||||
};
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Before data can be sent to the kernel using the write/send system
|
||||
call family, the consumer must set the key. The key setting is
|
||||
described with the setsockopt invocation below.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Using the sendmsg() system call, the application provides the data that should be processed for encryption or decryption. In addition, the IV is
|
||||
specified with the data structure provided by the sendmsg() system call.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The sendmsg system call parameter of struct msghdr is embedded into the
|
||||
struct cmsghdr data structure. See recv(2) and cmsg(3) for more
|
||||
information on how the cmsghdr data structure is used together with the
|
||||
send/recv system call family. That cmsghdr data structure holds the
|
||||
following information specified with a separate header instances:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
specification of the cipher operation type with one of these flags:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>ALG_OP_ENCRYPT - encryption of data</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>ALG_OP_DECRYPT - decryption of data</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
specification of the IV information marked with the flag ALG_SET_IV
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The send system call family allows the following flag to be specified:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
MSG_MORE: If this flag is set, the send system call acts like a
|
||||
cipher update function where more input data is expected
|
||||
with a subsequent invocation of the send system call.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Note: The kernel reports -EINVAL for any unexpected data. The caller
|
||||
must make sure that all data matches the constraints given in
|
||||
/proc/crypto for the selected cipher.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
With the recv() system call, the application can read the result of
|
||||
the cipher operation from the kernel crypto API. The output buffer
|
||||
must be at least as large as to hold all blocks of the encrypted or
|
||||
decrypted data. If the output data size is smaller, only as many
|
||||
blocks are returned that fit into that output buffer size.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>AEAD Cipher API</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The operation is very similar to the symmetric cipher discussion.
|
||||
During initialization, the struct sockaddr data structure must be
|
||||
filled as follows:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
struct sockaddr_alg sa = {
|
||||
.salg_family = AF_ALG,
|
||||
.salg_type = "aead", /* this selects the symmetric cipher */
|
||||
.salg_name = "gcm(aes)" /* this is the cipher name */
|
||||
};
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Before data can be sent to the kernel using the write/send system
|
||||
call family, the consumer must set the key. The key setting is
|
||||
described with the setsockopt invocation below.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
In addition, before data can be sent to the kernel using the
|
||||
write/send system call family, the consumer must set the authentication
|
||||
tag size. To set the authentication tag size, the caller must use the
|
||||
setsockopt invocation described below.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Using the sendmsg() system call, the application provides the data that should be processed for encryption or decryption. In addition, the IV is
|
||||
specified with the data structure provided by the sendmsg() system call.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The sendmsg system call parameter of struct msghdr is embedded into the
|
||||
struct cmsghdr data structure. See recv(2) and cmsg(3) for more
|
||||
information on how the cmsghdr data structure is used together with the
|
||||
send/recv system call family. That cmsghdr data structure holds the
|
||||
following information specified with a separate header instances:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
specification of the cipher operation type with one of these flags:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>ALG_OP_ENCRYPT - encryption of data</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>ALG_OP_DECRYPT - decryption of data</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
specification of the IV information marked with the flag ALG_SET_IV
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
specification of the associated authentication data (AAD) with the
|
||||
flag ALG_SET_AEAD_ASSOCLEN. The AAD is sent to the kernel together
|
||||
with the plaintext / ciphertext. See below for the memory structure.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The send system call family allows the following flag to be specified:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
MSG_MORE: If this flag is set, the send system call acts like a
|
||||
cipher update function where more input data is expected
|
||||
with a subsequent invocation of the send system call.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Note: The kernel reports -EINVAL for any unexpected data. The caller
|
||||
must make sure that all data matches the constraints given in
|
||||
/proc/crypto for the selected cipher.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
With the recv() system call, the application can read the result of
|
||||
the cipher operation from the kernel crypto API. The output buffer
|
||||
must be at least as large as defined with the memory structure below.
|
||||
If the output data size is smaller, the cipher operation is not performed.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The authenticated decryption operation may indicate an integrity error.
|
||||
Such breach in integrity is marked with the -EBADMSG error code.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect2><title>AEAD Memory Structure</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The AEAD cipher operates with the following information that
|
||||
is communicated between user and kernel space as one data stream:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>plaintext or ciphertext</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>associated authentication data (AAD)</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>authentication tag</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The sizes of the AAD and the authentication tag are provided with
|
||||
the sendmsg and setsockopt calls (see there). As the kernel knows
|
||||
the size of the entire data stream, the kernel is now able to
|
||||
calculate the right offsets of the data components in the data
|
||||
stream.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The user space caller must arrange the aforementioned information
|
||||
in the following order:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
AEAD encryption input: AAD || plaintext
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
AEAD decryption input: AAD || ciphertext || authentication tag
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The output buffer the user space caller provides must be at least as
|
||||
large to hold the following data:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
AEAD encryption output: ciphertext || authentication tag
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
AEAD decryption output: plaintext
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
</sect2>
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>Random Number Generator API</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Again, the operation is very similar to the other APIs.
|
||||
During initialization, the struct sockaddr data structure must be
|
||||
filled as follows:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
struct sockaddr_alg sa = {
|
||||
.salg_family = AF_ALG,
|
||||
.salg_type = "rng", /* this selects the symmetric cipher */
|
||||
.salg_name = "drbg_nopr_sha256" /* this is the cipher name */
|
||||
};
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Depending on the RNG type, the RNG must be seeded. The seed is provided
|
||||
using the setsockopt interface to set the key. For example, the
|
||||
ansi_cprng requires a seed. The DRBGs do not require a seed, but
|
||||
may be seeded.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Using the read()/recvmsg() system calls, random numbers can be obtained.
|
||||
The kernel generates at most 128 bytes in one call. If user space
|
||||
requires more data, multiple calls to read()/recvmsg() must be made.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
WARNING: The user space caller may invoke the initially mentioned
|
||||
accept system call multiple times. In this case, the returned file
|
||||
descriptors have the same state.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>Zero-Copy Interface</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
In addition to the send/write/read/recv system call familty, the AF_ALG
|
||||
interface can be accessed with the zero-copy interface of splice/vmsplice.
|
||||
As the name indicates, the kernel tries to avoid a copy operation into
|
||||
kernel space.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The zero-copy operation requires data to be aligned at the page boundary.
|
||||
Non-aligned data can be used as well, but may require more operations of
|
||||
the kernel which would defeat the speed gains obtained from the zero-copy
|
||||
interface.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The system-interent limit for the size of one zero-copy operation is
|
||||
16 pages. If more data is to be sent to AF_ALG, user space must slice
|
||||
the input into segments with a maximum size of 16 pages.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Zero-copy can be used with the following code example (a complete working
|
||||
example is provided with libkcapi):
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
int pipes[2];
|
||||
|
||||
pipe(pipes);
|
||||
/* input data in iov */
|
||||
vmsplice(pipes[1], iov, iovlen, SPLICE_F_GIFT);
|
||||
/* opfd is the file descriptor returned from accept() system call */
|
||||
splice(pipes[0], NULL, opfd, NULL, ret, 0);
|
||||
read(opfd, out, outlen);
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>Setsockopt Interface</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
In addition to the read/recv and send/write system call handling
|
||||
to send and retrieve data subject to the cipher operation, a consumer
|
||||
also needs to set the additional information for the cipher operation.
|
||||
This additional information is set using the setsockopt system call
|
||||
that must be invoked with the file descriptor of the open cipher
|
||||
(i.e. the file descriptor returned by the accept system call).
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Each setsockopt invocation must use the level SOL_ALG.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The setsockopt interface allows setting the following data using
|
||||
the mentioned optname:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
ALG_SET_KEY -- Setting the key. Key setting is applicable to:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>the skcipher cipher type (symmetric ciphers)</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>the hash cipher type (keyed message digests)</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>the AEAD cipher type</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>the RNG cipher type to provide the seed</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
ALG_SET_AEAD_AUTHSIZE -- Setting the authentication tag size
|
||||
for AEAD ciphers. For a encryption operation, the authentication
|
||||
tag of the given size will be generated. For a decryption operation,
|
||||
the provided ciphertext is assumed to contain an authentication tag
|
||||
of the given size (see section about AEAD memory layout below).
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
<sect1><title>User space API example</title>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Please see [1] for libkcapi which provides an easy-to-use wrapper
|
||||
around the aforementioned Netlink kernel interface. [1] also contains
|
||||
a test application that invokes all libkcapi API calls.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
[1] http://www.chronox.de/libkcapi.html
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
</sect1>
|
||||
|
||||
</chapter>
|
||||
|
||||
<chapter id="API"><title>Programming Interface</title>
|
||||
<sect1><title>Block Cipher Context Data Structures</title>
|
||||
!Pinclude/linux/crypto.h Block Cipher Context Data Structures
|
||||
|
@ -1,205 +0,0 @@
|
||||
Introduction
|
||||
============
|
||||
|
||||
The concepts of the kernel crypto API visible to kernel space is fully
|
||||
applicable to the user space interface as well. Therefore, the kernel crypto API
|
||||
high level discussion for the in-kernel use cases applies here as well.
|
||||
|
||||
The major difference, however, is that user space can only act as a consumer
|
||||
and never as a provider of a transformation or cipher algorithm.
|
||||
|
||||
The following covers the user space interface exported by the kernel crypto
|
||||
API. A working example of this description is libkcapi that can be obtained from
|
||||
[1]. That library can be used by user space applications that require
|
||||
cryptographic services from the kernel.
|
||||
|
||||
Some details of the in-kernel kernel crypto API aspects do not
|
||||
apply to user space, however. This includes the difference between synchronous
|
||||
and asynchronous invocations. The user space API call is fully synchronous.
|
||||
In addition, only a subset of all cipher types are available as documented
|
||||
below.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
User space API general remarks
|
||||
==============================
|
||||
|
||||
The kernel crypto API is accessible from user space. Currently, the following
|
||||
ciphers are accessible:
|
||||
|
||||
* Message digest including keyed message digest (HMAC, CMAC)
|
||||
|
||||
* Symmetric ciphers
|
||||
|
||||
Note, AEAD ciphers are currently not supported via the symmetric cipher
|
||||
interface.
|
||||
|
||||
The interface is provided via Netlink using the type AF_ALG. In addition, the
|
||||
setsockopt option type is SOL_ALG. In case the user space header files do not
|
||||
export these flags yet, use the following macros:
|
||||
|
||||
#ifndef AF_ALG
|
||||
#define AF_ALG 38
|
||||
#endif
|
||||
#ifndef SOL_ALG
|
||||
#define SOL_ALG 279
|
||||
#endif
|
||||
|
||||
A cipher is accessed with the same name as done for the in-kernel API calls.
|
||||
This includes the generic vs. unique naming schema for ciphers as well as the
|
||||
enforcement of priorities for generic names.
|
||||
|
||||
To interact with the kernel crypto API, a Netlink socket must be created by
|
||||
the user space application. User space invokes the cipher operation with the
|
||||
send/write system call family. The result of the cipher operation is obtained
|
||||
with the read/recv system call family.
|
||||
|
||||
The following API calls assume that the Netlink socket descriptor is already
|
||||
opened by the user space application and discusses only the kernel crypto API
|
||||
specific invocations.
|
||||
|
||||
To initialize a Netlink interface, the following sequence has to be performed
|
||||
by the consumer:
|
||||
|
||||
1. Create a socket of type AF_ALG with the struct sockaddr_alg parameter
|
||||
specified below for the different cipher types.
|
||||
|
||||
2. Invoke bind with the socket descriptor
|
||||
|
||||
3. Invoke accept with the socket descriptor. The accept system call
|
||||
returns a new file descriptor that is to be used to interact with
|
||||
the particular cipher instance. When invoking send/write or recv/read
|
||||
system calls to send data to the kernel or obtain data from the
|
||||
kernel, the file descriptor returned by accept must be used.
|
||||
|
||||
In-place cipher operation
|
||||
=========================
|
||||
|
||||
Just like the in-kernel operation of the kernel crypto API, the user space
|
||||
interface allows the cipher operation in-place. That means that the input buffer
|
||||
used for the send/write system call and the output buffer used by the read/recv
|
||||
system call may be one and the same. This is of particular interest for
|
||||
symmetric cipher operations where a copying of the output data to its final
|
||||
destination can be avoided.
|
||||
|
||||
If a consumer on the other hand wants to maintain the plaintext and the
|
||||
ciphertext in different memory locations, all a consumer needs to do is to
|
||||
provide different memory pointers for the encryption and decryption operation.
|
||||
|
||||
Message digest API
|
||||
==================
|
||||
|
||||
The message digest type to be used for the cipher operation is selected when
|
||||
invoking the bind syscall. bind requires the caller to provide a filled
|
||||
struct sockaddr data structure. This data structure must be filled as follows:
|
||||
|
||||
struct sockaddr_alg sa = {
|
||||
.salg_family = AF_ALG,
|
||||
.salg_type = "hash", /* this selects the hash logic in the kernel */
|
||||
.salg_name = "sha1" /* this is the cipher name */
|
||||
};
|
||||
|
||||
The salg_type value "hash" applies to message digests and keyed message digests.
|
||||
Though, a keyed message digest is referenced by the appropriate salg_name.
|
||||
Please see below for the setsockopt interface that explains how the key can be
|
||||
set for a keyed message digest.
|
||||
|
||||
Using the send() system call, the application provides the data that should be
|
||||
processed with the message digest. The send system call allows the following
|
||||
flags to be specified:
|
||||
|
||||
* MSG_MORE: If this flag is set, the send system call acts like a
|
||||
message digest update function where the final hash is not
|
||||
yet calculated. If the flag is not set, the send system call
|
||||
calculates the final message digest immediately.
|
||||
|
||||
With the recv() system call, the application can read the message digest from
|
||||
the kernel crypto API. If the buffer is too small for the message digest, the
|
||||
flag MSG_TRUNC is set by the kernel.
|
||||
|
||||
In order to set a message digest key, the calling application must use the
|
||||
setsockopt() option of ALG_SET_KEY. If the key is not set the HMAC operation is
|
||||
performed without the initial HMAC state change caused by the key.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Symmetric cipher API
|
||||
====================
|
||||
|
||||
The operation is very similar to the message digest discussion. During
|
||||
initialization, the struct sockaddr data structure must be filled as follows:
|
||||
|
||||
struct sockaddr_alg sa = {
|
||||
.salg_family = AF_ALG,
|
||||
.salg_type = "skcipher", /* this selects the symmetric cipher */
|
||||
.salg_name = "cbc(aes)" /* this is the cipher name */
|
||||
};
|
||||
|
||||
Before data can be sent to the kernel using the write/send system call family,
|
||||
the consumer must set the key. The key setting is described with the setsockopt
|
||||
invocation below.
|
||||
|
||||
Using the sendmsg() system call, the application provides the data that should
|
||||
be processed for encryption or decryption. In addition, the IV is specified
|
||||
with the data structure provided by the sendmsg() system call.
|
||||
|
||||
The sendmsg system call parameter of struct msghdr is embedded into the
|
||||
struct cmsghdr data structure. See recv(2) and cmsg(3) for more information
|
||||
on how the cmsghdr data structure is used together with the send/recv system
|
||||
call family. That cmsghdr data structure holds the following information
|
||||
specified with a separate header instances:
|
||||
|
||||
* specification of the cipher operation type with one of these flags:
|
||||
ALG_OP_ENCRYPT - encryption of data
|
||||
ALG_OP_DECRYPT - decryption of data
|
||||
|
||||
* specification of the IV information marked with the flag ALG_SET_IV
|
||||
|
||||
The send system call family allows the following flag to be specified:
|
||||
|
||||
* MSG_MORE: If this flag is set, the send system call acts like a
|
||||
cipher update function where more input data is expected
|
||||
with a subsequent invocation of the send system call.
|
||||
|
||||
Note: The kernel reports -EINVAL for any unexpected data. The caller must
|
||||
make sure that all data matches the constraints given in /proc/crypto for the
|
||||
selected cipher.
|
||||
|
||||
With the recv() system call, the application can read the result of the
|
||||
cipher operation from the kernel crypto API. The output buffer must be at least
|
||||
as large as to hold all blocks of the encrypted or decrypted data. If the output
|
||||
data size is smaller, only as many blocks are returned that fit into that
|
||||
output buffer size.
|
||||
|
||||
Setsockopt interface
|
||||
====================
|
||||
|
||||
In addition to the read/recv and send/write system call handling to send and
|
||||
retrieve data subject to the cipher operation, a consumer also needs to set
|
||||
the additional information for the cipher operation. This additional information
|
||||
is set using the setsockopt system call that must be invoked with the file
|
||||
descriptor of the open cipher (i.e. the file descriptor returned by the
|
||||
accept system call).
|
||||
|
||||
Each setsockopt invocation must use the level SOL_ALG.
|
||||
|
||||
The setsockopt interface allows setting the following data using the mentioned
|
||||
optname:
|
||||
|
||||
* ALG_SET_KEY -- Setting the key. Key setting is applicable to:
|
||||
|
||||
- the skcipher cipher type (symmetric ciphers)
|
||||
|
||||
- the hash cipher type (keyed message digests)
|
||||
|
||||
User space API example
|
||||
======================
|
||||
|
||||
Please see [1] for libkcapi which provides an easy-to-use wrapper around the
|
||||
aforementioned Netlink kernel interface. [1] also contains a test application
|
||||
that invokes all libkcapi API calls.
|
||||
|
||||
[1] http://www.chronox.de/libkcapi.html
|
||||
|
||||
Author
|
||||
======
|
||||
|
||||
Stephan Mueller <smueller@chronox.de>
|
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user