FreeBSD/Linux Kernel Cross Reference
sys/Documentation/keys-request-key.txt

                                   ===================
                                   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 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_info);
    
    or:
    
            struct key *request_key_with_auxdata(const struct key_type *type,
                                                 const char *description,
                                                 const char *callout_info,
                                                 size_t callout_len,
                                                 void *aux);
    
    or:
    
            struct key *request_key_async(const struct key_type *type,
                                          const char *description,
                                          const char *callout_info,
                                          size_t callout_len);
    
    or:
    
            struct key *request_key_async_with_auxdata(const struct key_type *type,
                                                       const char *description,
                                                       const char *callout_info,
                                                       size_t callout_len,
                                                       void *aux);
    
    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 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 request_key*_with_auxdata() calls are like the in-kernel request_key*()
    calls, except that they permit auxiliary data to be passed to the upcaller (the
    default is NULL).  This is only useful for those key types that define their
    own upcall mechanism rather than using /sbin/request-key.
    
    The two async in-kernel calls may return keys that are still in the process of
    being constructed.  The two non-async ones will wait for construction to
    complete first.
    
    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 following example assumes that the key types involved don't define their
    own upcall mechanisms.  If they do, then those should be substituted for the
    forking and execution of /sbin/request-key.
    
    
    ===========
    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.

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