From 9b7bd1b160be7c740a798c09e3b8986368b92036 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ludovic Courtès Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2016 11:53:03 +0100 Subject: substitute: Add HTTPS support. Fixes . Reported by Chris Marusich . * guix/scripts/substitute.scm (fetch): Add 'https' alongside 'http'. Use 'open-connection-for-uri' instead of 'open-socket-for-uri'. Call 'setvbuf' only when PORT matches 'file-port?'. (http-multiple-get): Likewise. Change 'base-url' parameter to 'base-uri'. (fetch-narinfos)[do-fetch]: Add 'https' case alongside 'http'. Pass URI instead of URL to 'http-multiple-get'. * doc/guix.texi (Requirements): Move GnuTLS one level higher and mention HTTPS substitutes. (Substitutes): Mention HTTPS and recommend it. Explain why servers are not authenticated. Add "On Trusting Binaries" subsection. --- doc/guix.texi | 35 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------- 1 file changed, 27 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-) (limited to 'doc') diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi index 06b40fac59..dbb2ae8ad3 100644 --- a/doc/guix.texi +++ b/doc/guix.texi @@ -484,19 +484,21 @@ GNU Guix depends on the following packages: The following dependencies are optional: @itemize +@item +Installing @uref{http://gnutls.org/, GnuTLS-Guile} will allow you to +access @code{https} URLs for substitutes, which is highly recommended +(@pxref{Substitutes}). It also allows you to access HTTPS URLs with the +@command{guix download} command (@pxref{Invoking guix download}), the +@command{guix import pypi} command, and the @command{guix import cpan} +command. @xref{Guile Preparations, how to install the GnuTLS bindings +for Guile,, gnutls-guile, GnuTLS-Guile}. + @item Installing @url{http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/guile-json/, Guile-JSON} will allow you to use the @command{guix import pypi} command (@pxref{Invoking guix import}). It is of interest primarily for developers and not for casual users. -@item -Installing @uref{http://gnutls.org/, GnuTLS-Guile} will -allow you to access @code{https} URLs with the @command{guix download} -command (@pxref{Invoking guix download}), the @command{guix import pypi} -command, and the @command{guix import cpan} command. This is primarily -of interest to developers. @xref{Guile Preparations, how to install the -GnuTLS bindings for Guile,, gnutls-guile, GnuTLS-Guile}. @end itemize Unless @code{--disable-daemon} was passed to @command{configure}, the @@ -1703,6 +1705,13 @@ or to client tools such as @command{guix package} (@pxref{client-substitute-urls,, client @option{--substitute-urls} option}). +Substitute URLs can be either HTTP or HTTPS@footnote{For HTTPS access, +the Guile bindings of GnuTLS must be installed. @xref{Requirements}.} +HTTPS is recommended because communications are encrypted; conversely, +using HTTP makes all communications visible to an eavesdropper, who +could use the information gathered to determine, for instance, whether +your system has unpatched security vulnerabilities. + @cindex security @cindex digital signatures To allow Guix to download substitutes from @code{hydra.gnu.org}, you @@ -1757,13 +1766,21 @@ one of the keys listed in the ACL. It also detects and raises an error when attempting to use a substitute that has been tampered with. @vindex http_proxy -Substitutes are downloaded over HTTP. The @code{http_proxy} environment +Substitutes are downloaded over HTTP or HTTPS. +The @code{http_proxy} environment variable can be set in the environment of @command{guix-daemon} and is honored for downloads of substitutes. Note that the value of @code{http_proxy} in the environment where @command{guix build}, @command{guix package}, and other client commands are run has @emph{absolutely no effect}. +When using HTTPS, the server's X.509 certificate is @emph{not} validated +(in other words, the server is not authenticated), contrary to what +HTTPS clients such as Web browsers usually do. This is because Guix +authenticates substitute information itself, as explained above, which +is what we care about (whereas X.509 certificates are about +authenticating bindings between domain names and public keys.) + The substitute mechanism can be disabled globally by running @code{guix-daemon} with @code{--no-substitutes} (@pxref{Invoking guix-daemon}). It can also be disabled temporarily by passing the @@ -1771,6 +1788,8 @@ guix-daemon}). It can also be disabled temporarily by passing the build}, and other command-line tools. +@unnumberedsubsec On Trusting Binaries + Today, each individual's control over their own computing is at the mercy of institutions, corporations, and groups with enough power and determination to subvert the computing infrastructure and exploit its -- cgit v1.2.3