linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 2/3] binfmt_elf: Verify signature of signed elf binary

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Message-ID: <20130116144836.GB29845@redhat.com>
Date:	Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:48:36 -0500
From:	Vivek Goyal <vgoyal@...hat.com>
To:	Mimi Zohar <zohar@...ux.vnet.ibm.com>
Cc:	"Eric W. Biederman" <ebiederm@...ssion.com>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, pjones@...hat.com, hpa@...or.com,
	dhowells@...hat.com, jwboyer@...hat.com,
	Dmitry Kasatkin <dmitry.kasatkin@...el.com>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
	linux-security-module@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/3] binfmt_elf: Verify signature of signed elf binary

On Wed, Jan 16, 2013 at 09:00:59AM -0500, Mimi Zohar wrote:
> On Tue, 2013-01-15 at 23:10 -0800, Eric W. Biederman wrote:
> > Mimi Zohar <zohar@...ux.vnet.ibm.com> writes:
> > 
> > > Please remind me why you can't use IMA-appraisal, which was upstreamed
> > > in Linux 3.7?  Why another method is needed?
> > 
> > Good question Vivek?  

- IMA did not have any method to lock down signed binary pages in memory.
  So while contents on disk could be verified, one could still modify
  process memory contents by modifying swap. And IMA does not seem to
  have any mechanism to protect against that.

- Also I really could not figure out where does the private signing key
  lives. I got the impression that we need to trust installer and
  signing somehow happens at installation time. And we wanted signing
  to happen at build server and could not trust installer for that.

  My understanding of IMA could be wrong. So it would help if you
  could list the exact steps about how to achieve the same goal using
  IMA.
 
> > 
> > I remeber there was a slight mismatch in the desired attributes.  In
> > particular we want signatures that are not generated on the local
> > machine.
> 
> Right, IMA-appraisal supports different methods of verification.  The
> initial methods are hash and digital signature stored in the extended
> attribute.  With the queued patches, we can force signature verification
> to be of a specific type. It defines a new IMA policy option called
> 'appraise_type='.
> 
> > > With IMA-appraisal, there are a couple of issues that would still need
> > > to be addressed:
> > > - missing the ability to specify the validation method required.
> > > - modify the ima_appraise_tcb policy policy to require elf executables
> > > to be digitally signed.
> > > - security_bprm_check() is called before the binary handler is known.
> > >
> > > The first issue is addressed by a set of patches queued to be upstreamed
> > > in linux-integrity/next-ima-appraise-status.
> > >
> > > To address the last issue would either require moving the existing
> > > bprm_check or defining a new hook after the binary handler is known.
> > 
> > Even if there is a small mismatch it certainly sounds like something to
> > investigate.  There are a lot of pieces flying around with IMA so an
> > appropriate model of what needs to happen isn't in my head.  As opposed
> > to a signature in an ELF executable and a key in the kernel.
> 
> The original IMA was about measurement and attestation.  IMA-appraisal 
> adds local integrity validation and enforcement of the measurement
> against a "good" value stored as an extended attribute 'security.ima'.
> The initial methods for validating 'security.ima' are hash and digital
> signature based.
> 
> > Hooks aside in an IMA world where does the signing key live?  Where does
> > the signature live?
> 
> Initially, the public key used to verify the signature is loaded onto an
> IMA specific keyring.  We've discussed embedding public keys inside the
> kernel, but haven't done so yet.

So where does the signing key (private key) live? And when does actual
signing happens and who does it.

> 
> The next steps are to ensure the secure boot signature chain of trust
> has not been broken.

Yes this one is important. This will also include making sure root can
not load/install its own keys until and unless new key is signed with
one of existing keys. Otherwise chain of trust is broken.

> 
> (I've cc'ed Dmitry Kasatkin on this discussion.  It would also be
> appropriate to cc the LSM mailing list.)

I am CCing LSM list and Andrew Morton.

Thanks
Vivek
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