* docs/grub.texi: Document new signatures possibility.

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Jon McCune 2013-10-14 02:52:12 +02:00 committed by Vladimir 'phcoder' Serbinenko
parent 6de292cb9b
commit 17614b8426
2 changed files with 186 additions and 2 deletions

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@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
2013-10-14 Jon McCune <jonmccune@google.com>
* docs/grub.texi: Document new signatures possibility.
2013-10-14 Vladimir Serbinenko <phcoder@gmail.com>
Define GRUB_UTIL_FD_O_* and always use them with grub_util_fd_open.

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@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ This edition documents version @value{VERSION}.
* Commands:: The list of available builtin commands
* Internationalisation:: Topics relating to language support
* Security:: Authentication and authorisation
* Security and signatures:: Verifying digital signatures in GRUB
* Platform limitations:: The list of platform-specific limitations
* Platform-specific operations:: Platform-specific operations
* Supported kernels:: The list of supported kernels
@ -2882,6 +2883,7 @@ These variables have special meaning to GRUB.
@menu
* biosnum::
* check_signatures::
* chosen::
* color_highlight::
* color_normal::
@ -2935,6 +2937,25 @@ For an alternative approach which also changes BIOS drive mappings for the
chain-loaded system, @pxref{drivemap}.
@node check_signatures
@subsection check_signatures
This variable controls whether GRUB enforces digital signature
validation (@pxref{Security and signatures}) on all loaded files. If
@code{check_signatures=enforce}, then every attempt by the GRUB
@file{core.img} to load another file @file{foo} (e.g., a loadable
module, a configuration file, or a Linux kernel) implicitly invokes
@code{verify_detached foo foo.sig} (@pxref{verify_detached}).
@code{foo.sig} must contain a valid digital signature over the
contents of @code{foo}, which can be verified with a public key
currently trusted by GRUB (@pxref{list_trusted}, @pxref{trust}, and
@pxref{distrust}). If validation fails, then file @file{foo} cannot
be opened. This failure may halt or otherwise impact the boot
process. An initial trusted public key can be embedded within the
GRUB @file{core.img} using the @code{--pubkey} option to
@command{grub-mkimage} (@pxref{Invoking grub-install}).
@node chosen
@subsection chosen
@ -3582,6 +3603,7 @@ you forget a command, you can run the command @command{help}
* cryptomount:: Mount a crypto device
* date:: Display or set current date and time
* devicetree:: Load a device tree blob
* distrust:: Remove a pubkey from trusted keys
* drivemap:: Map a drive to another
* echo:: Display a line of text
* eval:: Evaluate agruments as GRUB commands
@ -3599,6 +3621,7 @@ you forget a command, you can run the command @command{help}
* linux:: Load a Linux kernel
* linux16:: Load a Linux kernel (16-bit mode)
* list_env:: List variables in environment block
* list_trusted:: List trusted public keys
* loadfont:: Load font files
* load_env:: Load variables from environment block
* loopback:: Make a device from a filesystem image
@ -3630,9 +3653,11 @@ you forget a command, you can run the command @command{help}
* source:: Read a configuration file in same context
* test:: Check file types and compare values
* true:: Do nothing, successfully
* trust:: Add public key to list of trusted keys
* unset:: Unset an environment variable
* uppermem:: Set the upper memory size
@comment * vbeinfo:: List available video modes
* verify_detached:: Verify detached digital signature
* videoinfo:: List available video modes
@end menu
@ -3903,6 +3928,16 @@ but rather replaces it completely.
@ref{GNU/Linux}.
@end deffn
@node distrust
@subsection distrust
@deffn Command distrust pubkey_id
Remove public key @var{pubkey_id} from GRUB's keyring of trusted keys.
These keys are used to validate signatures when
@code{check_signatures=enforce} (@pxref{check_signatures}), and by some
invocations of @command{verify_detached} (@pxref{verify_detached}).
@xref{Security and signatures} for more information.
@end deffn
@node drivemap
@subsection drivemap
@ -4061,7 +4096,8 @@ list of @var{hash name} pairs in the same format as used by UNIX
@command{md5sum} command. Option @option{--prefix}
may be used to give directory where files are located. Hash verification
stops after the first mismatch was found unless option @option{--keep-going}
was given.
was given. The exit code @code{$?} is set to 0 if hash verification
is successful. If it fails, @code{$?} is set to a nonzero value.
@end deffn
@ -4170,16 +4206,50 @@ The @option{-f} option overrides the default location of the environment
block.
@end deffn
@node list_trusted
@subsection list_trusted
@deffn Command list_trusted
List all public keys trusted by GRUB for validating signatures. These
public keys are used implicitly when environment variable
@code{check_signatures=enforce} (@pxref{check_signatures}), and by some
invocations of @command{verify_detached}. @xref{Security and
signatures} for more information.
@end deffn
@node load_env
@subsection load_env
@deffn Command load_env [@option{-f} file]
@deffn Command load_env [@option{-f} file] [@option{-s}] [whitelisted_variable_name] @dots{}
Load all variables from the environment block file into the environment.
@xref{Environment block}.
The @option{-f} option overrides the default location of the environment
block.
The @option{-s} (long form @option{--skip-sig}) option skips signature
checking even when the value of @code{check_signatures=enforce}
(@pxref{check_signatures}).
If one or more variable names are provided as arguments, they are
interpreted as a whitelist of variables to load from the environment
block file. Variables set in the file but not present in the
whitelist are ignored.
The @option{-s} option should be used with care, and should always be
used in concert with a whitelist of acceptable variables whose values
should be set. Failure to employ a carefully constructed whitelist
could result in reading a malicious value of critical environment
variables from the file, such as setting @code{check_signatures=no},
modifying @code{prefix} to boot from an unexpected location or not at
all, etc.
When used with care, @option{-s} and the whitelist enable an
administrator to configure a system to boot only signed
configurations, but to allow the user to select from among multiple
configurations, and to enable ``one-shot'' boot attempts and
``savedefault'' behavior. @xref{Security and signatures} for more
information.
@end deffn
@ -4429,6 +4499,16 @@ Save the named variables from the environment to the environment block file.
The @option{-f} option overrides the default location of the environment
block.
This command will operate successfully even when
@code{check_signatures=enforce} (@pxref{check_signatures}), since it
writes to disk and does not alter the behavior of GRUB based on any
contents of disk that have been read. It is possible to modify a
digitally signed environment block file from within GRUB using this
command, such that its signature will no longer be valid on subsequent
boots. Care should be taken in such advanced configurations to avoid
rendering the system unbootable. @xref{Security and signatures} for
more information.
@end deffn
@ -4738,6 +4818,16 @@ Do nothing, successfully. This is mainly useful in control constructs such
as @code{if} and @code{while} (@pxref{Shell-like scripting}).
@end deffn
@node trust
@subsection trust
@deffn Command trust pubkey_file
Read public key from @var{pubkey_file} and add it to GRUB's internal
list of trusted public keys. These keys are used to validate digital
signatures when @code{check_signatures=enforce}.
@xref{Security and signatures} for more information.
@end deffn
@node unset
@subsection unset
@ -4764,6 +4854,25 @@ only on PC BIOS platforms.
@end ignore
@node verify_detached
@subsection verify_detached
@deffn Command verify_detached file signature_file [pubkey_file]
Verifies a GPG-style detached signature, where the signed file is
@var{file}, and the signature itself is in file @var{signature_file}.
Optionally, a specific public key to use can be specified using
@var{pubkey_file}. Otherwise, public keys from GRUB's trusted keys
(@pxref{list_trusted}, @pxref{trust}, and @pxref{distrust}) are
tried. Note that, when @code{check_signatures=enforce}, an explicitly
identified @var{pubkey_file} must itself be signed by an
already-trusted key.
Exit code @code{$?} is set to 0 if the signature validates
successfully. If validation fails, it is set to a non-zero value.
@xref{Security and signatures} for more information.
@end deffn
@node videoinfo
@subsection videoinfo
@ -5127,6 +5236,77 @@ generating configuration files with authentication. You can use
adding @kbd{set superusers=} and @kbd{password} or @kbd{password_pbkdf2}
commands.
@node Security and signatures
@chapter Security considerations when using digital signatures
GRUB's @file{core.img} can optionally provide enforcement that all
files subsequently read from disk are covered by a valid digital
signature. This includes GRUB configuration files, the GRUB
environment block, GRUB loadable modules and their dependency files,
and loaded operating system files such as a Linux kernel. This
document does @strong{not} cover how to ensure that your platform's
firmware (e.g., Coreboot) validates
@file{core.img}.
GRUB uses GPG-style detached signatures (meaning that a file
@file{foo.sig} will be produced when file @file{foo} is signed), and
currently supports the DSA signing algorithm. Both 2048-bit and
3072-bit keys are supported. A signing key can be generated as
follows:
@example
gpg --gen-key
@end example
An individual file can be signed as follows:
@example
gpg --detach-sign /path/to/file
@end example
For successful validation of all of GRUB's subcomponents and the
loaded OS kernel, they must all be signed. One way to accomplish this
is the following (after having already produced the desired
@file{grub.cfg} file, e.g., by running @command{grub-mkconfig}
(@pxref{Invoking grub-mkconfig}):
@example
@group
# Edit /dev/shm/passphrase.txt to contain your signing key's passphrase
for i in `find /boot -name "*.cfg" -or -name "*.lst" -or \
-name "*.mod" -or -name "vmlinuz*" -or -name "initrd*" -or \
-name "grubenv"`;
do
gpg --batch --detach-sign --passphrase-fd 0 $i < \
/dev/shm/passphrase.txt
done
shred /dev/shm/passphrase.txt
@end group
@end example
See also: @ref{check_signatures}, @ref{verify_detached}, @ref{trust},
@ref{list_trusted}, @ref{distrust}, @ref{load_env}, @ref{save_env}.
Note that internally signature enforcement is controlled by setting
the environment variable @code{check_signatures=enforce}. Passing one
or more @code{--pubkey} options to @command{grub-mkimage} implicitly
sets @code{check_signatures=enforce} in @file{core.img} prior to
processing any configuration files.
Note that signature checking does @strong{not} prevent an attacker
with (serial, physical, ...) console access from dropping manually to
the GRUB console and executing:
@example
set check_signatures=no
@end example
To prevent this, password-protection (@pxref{Security}) is essential.
Note that even with GRUB password protection, GRUB itself cannot
prevent someone with physical access to the machine from altering that
machine's firmware (e.g., Coreboot or BIOS) configuration to cause
the machine to boot from a different (attacker-controlled) device.
GRUB is at best only one link in a secure boot chain.
@node Platform limitations
@chapter Platform limitations