95e57c3517
Signed-off-by: valerio <valerio.setti@nordicsemi.no>
174 lines
7.5 KiB
Markdown
174 lines
7.5 KiB
Markdown
This document describes the compile-time configuration option
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`MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO` from a user's perspective.
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This option:
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- makes the X.509 and TLS libraries use PSA for cryptographic operations as
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much as possible, see "Internal changes" below;
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- enables new APIs for using keys handled by PSA Crypto, such as
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`mbedtls_pk_setup_opaque()` and `mbedtls_ssl_conf_psk_opaque()`, see
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"New APIs / API extensions" below.
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General considerations
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----------------------
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**Application code:** when this option is enabled, you need to call
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`psa_crypto_init()` before calling any function from the SSL/TLS, X.509 or PK
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modules, except for the various mbedtls_xxx_init() functions which can be called
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at any time.
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**Why enable this option:** to fully take advantage of PSA drivers in PK,
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X.509 and TLS. For example, enabling this option is what allows use of drivers
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for ECDSA, ECDH and EC J-PAKE in those modules. However, note that even with
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this option disabled, some code in PK, X.509, TLS or the crypto library might
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still use PSA drivers, if it can determine it's safe to do so; currently
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that's the case for hashes.
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**Relationship with other options:** This option depends on
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`MBEDTLS_PSA_CRYPTO_C`. These two options differ in the following way:
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- `MBEDTLS_PSA_CRYPTO_C` enables the implementation of the PSA Crypto API.
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When it is enabled, `psa_xxx()` APIs are available and you must call
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`psa_crypto_init()` before you call any other `psa_xxx()` function. Other
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modules in the library (non-PSA crypto APIs, X.509, TLS) may or may not use
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PSA Crypto but you're not required to call `psa_crypto_init()` before calling
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non-PSA functions, unless explicitly documented (TLS 1.3).
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- `MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO` means that X.509 and TLS will use PSA Crypto as
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much as possible (that is, everywhere except for features that are not
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supported by PSA Crypto, see "Internal Changes" below for a complete list of
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exceptions). When it is enabled, you need to call `psa_crypto_init()` before
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calling any function from PK, X.509 or TLS; however it doesn't change anything
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for the rest of the library.
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**Scope:** `MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO` has no effect on modules other than PK,
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X.509 and TLS. It also has no effect on most of the TLS 1.3 code, which always
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uses PSA crypto. The parts of the TLS 1.3 code that will use PSA Crypto or not
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depending on this option being set or not are:
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- record protection;
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- running handshake hash;
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- asymmetric signature verification & generation;
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- X.509 certificate chain verification.
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You need to enable `MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO` if you want TLS 1.3 to use PSA
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everywhere.
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**Historical note:** This option was introduced at a time when PSA Crypto was
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still beta and not ready for production, so we made its use in X.509 and TLS
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opt-in: by default, these modules would keep using the stable,
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production-ready legacy (pre-PSA) crypto APIs. So, the scope of was X.509 and
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TLS, as well as some of PK for technical reasons. Nowadays PSA Crypto is no
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longer beta, and production quality, so there's no longer any reason to make
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its use in other modules opt-in. However, PSA Crypto functions require that
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`psa_crypto_init()` has been called before their use, and for backwards
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compatibility reasons we can't impose this requirement on non-PSA functions
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that didn't have such a requirement before. So, nowadays the main meaning of
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`MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO` is that the user promises to call `psa_crypto_init()`
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before calling any PK, X.509 or TLS functions. For the same compatibility
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reasons, we can't extend its scope. However, new modules in the library, such
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as TLS 1.3, can be introduced with a requirement to call `psa_crypto_init()`.
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New APIs / API extensions
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-------------------------
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### PSA-held (opaque) keys in the PK layer
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**New API function:** `mbedtls_pk_setup_opaque()` - can be used to
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wrap a PSA key pair into a PK context. The key can be used for private-key
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operations and its public part can be exported.
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**Benefits:** isolation of long-term secrets, use of PSA Crypto drivers.
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**Limitations:** can only wrap a key pair, can only use it for private key
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operations. (That is, signature generation, and for RSA decryption too.)
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Note: for ECDSA, currently this uses randomized ECDSA while Mbed TLS uses
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deterministic ECDSA by default. The following operations are not supported
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with a context set this way, while they would be available with a normal
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context: `mbedtls_pk_check_pair()`, `mbedtls_pk_debug()`, all public key
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operations.
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**Use in X.509 and TLS:** opt-in. The application needs to construct the PK context
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using the new API in order to get the benefits; it can then pass the
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resulting context to the following existing APIs:
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- `mbedtls_ssl_conf_own_cert()` or `mbedtls_ssl_set_hs_own_cert()` to use the
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key together with a certificate for certificate-based key exchanges;
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- `mbedtls_x509write_csr_set_key()` to generate a CSR (certificate signature
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request);
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- `mbedtls_x509write_crt_set_issuer_key()` to generate a certificate.
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### PSA-held (opaque) keys for TLS pre-shared keys (PSK)
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**New API functions:** `mbedtls_ssl_conf_psk_opaque()` and
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`mbedtls_ssl_set_hs_psk_opaque()`. Call one of these from an application to
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register a PSA key for use with a PSK key exchange.
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**Benefits:** isolation of long-term secrets.
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**Limitations:** none.
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**Use in TLS:** opt-in. The application needs to register the key using one of
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the new APIs to get the benefits.
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### PSA-held (opaque) keys for TLS 1.2 EC J-PAKE key exchange
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**New API function:** `mbedtls_ssl_set_hs_ecjpake_password_opaque()`.
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Call this function from an application to register a PSA key for use with the
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TLS 1.2 EC J-PAKE key exchange.
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**Benefits:** isolation of long-term secrets.
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**Limitations:** none.
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**Use in TLS:** opt-in. The application needs to register the key using one of
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the new APIs to get the benefits.
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### PSA-based operations in the Cipher layer
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There is a new API function `mbedtls_cipher_setup_psa()` to set up a context
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that will call PSA to store the key and perform the operations.
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This function only worked for a small number of ciphers. It is now deprecated
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and it is recommended to use `psa_cipher_xxx()` or `psa_aead_xxx()` functions
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directly instead.
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**Warning:** This function will be removed in a future version of Mbed TLS. If
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you are using it and would like us to keep it, please let us know about your
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use case.
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Internal changes
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----------------
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All of these internal changes are active as soon as `MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO`
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is enabled, no change required on the application side.
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### TLS: most crypto operations based on PSA
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Current exceptions:
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- Finite-field (non-EC) Diffie-Hellman (used in key exchanges: DHE-RSA,
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DHE-PSK).
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- Restartable operations when `MBEDTLS_ECP_RESTARTABLE` is also enabled (see
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the documentation of that option).
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Other than the above exceptions, all crypto operations are based on PSA when
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`MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO` is enabled.
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### X.509: most crypto operations based on PSA
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Current exceptions:
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- Restartable operations when `MBEDTLS_ECP_RESTARTABLE` is also enabled (see
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the documentation of that option).
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Other than the above exception, all crypto operations are based on PSA when
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`MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO` is enabled.
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### PK layer: most crypto operations based on PSA
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Current exceptions:
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- Verification of RSA-PSS signatures with an MGF hash that's different from
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the message hash.
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- Restartable operations when `MBEDTLS_ECP_RESTARTABLE` is also enabled (see
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the documentation of that option).
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Other than the above exceptions, all crypto operations are based on PSA when
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`MBEDTLS_USE_PSA_CRYPTO` is enabled.
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