===================
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.
+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():
+request_key*():
struct key *request_key(const struct key_type *type,
const char *description,
- const char *callout_string);
+ 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:
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 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
===========
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
+ 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
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
+ 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
(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 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
(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
+ 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
+ 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
+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
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.
+error. Note that several errors may have come from LSM.
The error priority is:
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