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<!DOCTYPE chapter SYSTEM "chapter.dtd">
<chapter>
<header>
<copyright>
<year>2017</year>
<year>2017</year>
<holder>Ericsson AB. All Rights Reserved.</holder>
</copyright>
<legalnotice>
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
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distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
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<title>Configuring algorithms in SSH</title>
<prepared></prepared>
<docno></docno>
<approved></approved>
<date></date>
<rev></rev>
<file>configure_algos.xml</file>
</header>
<section>
<marker id="introduction"/>
<title>Introduction</title>
<p>To fully understand how to configure the algorithms, we must understand partly both how the ssh protocol
works and how the OTP SSH app handles the corresponding items</p>
<p>The first subsection will give a short background about the ssh protocol while later sections describes
the implementation and provides many examples</p>
<section>
<title>Basics of the ssh protocol's algorithms handling</title>
<p>SSH uses different sets of algorithms in different phases of a session. Which
algorithms to use is negotiated by the client and the server at the beginning of a session.
See <url href="https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4253">RFC 4253</url>,
"The Secure Shell (SSH) Transport Layer Protocol" for details.
</p>
<p>The negotiation is simple: both peers sends their list of supported alghorithms to the other part.
The first algorithm on the client's list that also in on the server's list is selected. So it is the
client's orderering of the list that gives the priority for the algorithms.</p>
<p>There are five lists exchanged in the connection setup. Three of them are also divided in two
directions, to and from the server.</p>
<p>The lists are (named as in the SSH application's options):</p>
<taglist>
<tag><c>kex</c></tag>
<item>
<p>Key exchange.</p>
<p>An algorithm is selected for computing a secret encryption key. Among examples are:
the old nowadays week <c>'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1'</c> and the very strong and modern
<c>'ecdh-sha2-nistp512'</c>.</p>
</item>
<tag><c>public_key</c></tag>
<item>
<p>Server host key</p>
<p>The asymetric encryption algorithm used in the server's private-public host key pair.
Examples include the well-known RSA <c>'ssh-rsa'</c> and elliptic curve <c>'ecdsa-sha2-nistp521'</c>.
</p>
</item>
<tag><c>cipher</c></tag>
<item>
<p>Symetric cipher algorithm used for the message encryption. This algorithm will use the key calculated
in the kex phase (together with other info) to genereate the actual key used. Examples are
tripple-DES <c>'3des-cbc'</c> and one of many AES variants <c>'aes192-ctr'</c>.
</p>
<p>This list is actually two - one for each direction server-to-client and client-to-server. Therefore it
is possible but rare to have different algorithms in the two directions in one connection.</p>
</item>
<tag><c>mac</c></tag>
<item>
<p>Message authentication code</p>
<p>"Check sum" of each message sent between the peers. Examples are SHA <c>'hmac-sha1'</c> and
SHA2 <c>'hmac-sha2-512'</c>.</p>
<p>This list is also divided into two for the both directions</p>
</item>
<tag><c>compression</c></tag>
<item>
<p>If and how to compress the message. Examples are <c>none</c>, that is, no compression and
<c>zlib</c>.</p>
<p>This list is also divided into two for the both directions</p>
</item>
</taglist>
</section>
<section>
<title>The SSH app's mechanism</title>
<p>The set of algorithms that the SSH app uses by default depends on the algoritms supported by the:</p>
<list>
<item><p><seealso marker="crypto:crypto">crypto</seealso> app,</p>
</item>
<item><p>The cryptolib OTP is linked with, usally the one the OS uses, probably OpenSSL,</p>
</item>
<item><p>and finaly what the SSH app implements</p>
</item>
</list>
<p>Due to this, it impossible to list in documentation what algorithms that are available in a certain installation.</p>
<p>There is an important commands to list the actual algorithms and their ordering:
<seealso marker="ssh#default_algorithms-0">ssh:default_algorithms/0</seealso>.</p>
<code type="erl">
0> ssh:default_algorithms().
[{kex,['ecdh-sha2-nistp384','ecdh-sha2-nistp521',
'ecdh-sha2-nistp256','diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group16-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group18-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha1',
'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1']},
{public_key,['ecdsa-sha2-nistp384','ecdsa-sha2-nistp521',
'ecdsa-sha2-nistp256','ssh-rsa','rsa-sha2-256',
'rsa-sha2-512','ssh-dss']},
{cipher,[{client2server,['[email protected]',
'aes256-ctr','aes192-ctr','[email protected]',
'aes128-ctr','aes128-cbc','3des-cbc']},
{server2client,['[email protected]','aes256-ctr',
'aes192-ctr','[email protected]','aes128-ctr',
'aes128-cbc','3des-cbc']}]},
{mac,[{client2server,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']},
{server2client,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']}]},
{compression,[{client2server,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]},
{server2client,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]}]}]
</code>
<p>To change this listing, there are two options which can be used in
<seealso marker="ssh#connect-3">ssh:default_algorithms/2,3,4</seealso>
and
<seealso marker="ssh#daemon-2">ssh:daemon/2,3</seealso>. The options could of course
be used in all other functions that initiates connections.</p>
<p>The options are <c>preferred_algorithms</c> and <c>modify_algorithms</c>. The first one
replaces the default set, while the latter modifies the default set.</p>
</section>
</section>
<section>
<title>Replacing the default set: preferred_algorithms</title>
<p>See the <seealso marker="ssh#option_preferred_algorithms">Reference Manual</seealso> for details</p>
<p>Here follows a series of examples ranging from simple to more complex.</p>
<p>The experimental function <c>ssh:chk_algos_opts(Opts)</c> mangles the options <c>preferred_algorithms</c>
and <c>modify_algorithms</c> as <c>ssh:dameon</c>, <c>ssh:connect</c> and others does.</p>
<section>
<title>Example 1</title>
<p>Replace the kex algorithms list with the single algorithm <c>'diffie-hellman-group14-sha256'</c>:</p>
<code>
1> ssh:chk_algos_opts(
[{preferred_algorithms,
[{kex, ['diffie-hellman-group14-sha256']}
]
}
]).
[{kex,['diffie-hellman-group14-sha256']},
{public_key,['ecdsa-sha2-nistp384','ecdsa-sha2-nistp521',
'ecdsa-sha2-nistp256','ssh-rsa','rsa-sha2-256',
'rsa-sha2-512','ssh-dss']},
{cipher,[{client2server,['[email protected]',
'aes256-ctr','aes192-ctr','[email protected]',
'aes128-ctr','aes128-cbc','3des-cbc']},
{server2client,['[email protected]','aes256-ctr',
'aes192-ctr','[email protected]','aes128-ctr',
'aes128-cbc','3des-cbc']}]},
{mac,[{client2server,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']},
{server2client,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']}]},
{compression,[{client2server,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]},
{server2client,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]}]}]
</code>
<p>Note that the unmentioned lists (<c>public_key</c>, <c>cipher</c>, <c>mac</c> and <c>compression</c>)
are un-changed.</p>
</section>
<section>
<title>Example 2</title>
<p>In the lists that are divided in two for the two directions (c.f <c>cipher</c>) it is possible
to change both directions at once:</p>
<code>
2> ssh:chk_algos_opts(
[{preferred_algorithms,
[{cipher,['aes128-ctr']}
]
}
]).
[{kex,['ecdh-sha2-nistp384','ecdh-sha2-nistp521',
'ecdh-sha2-nistp256','diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group16-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group18-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha1',
'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1']},
{public_key,['ecdsa-sha2-nistp384','ecdsa-sha2-nistp521',
'ecdsa-sha2-nistp256','ssh-rsa','rsa-sha2-256',
'rsa-sha2-512','ssh-dss']},
{cipher,[{client2server,['aes128-ctr']},
{server2client,['aes128-ctr']}]},
{mac,[{client2server,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']},
{server2client,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']}]},
{compression,[{client2server,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]},
{server2client,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]}]}]
</code>
<p>Note that both lists in <c>cipher</c> has been changed to the provided value (<c>'aes128-ctr'</c>).</p>
</section>
<section>
<title>Example 3</title>
<p>In the lists that are divided in two for the two directions (c.f <c>cipher</c>) it is possible
to change only one of the directions:</p>
<code>
3> ssh:chk_algos_opts(
[{preferred_algorithms,
[{cipher,[{client2server,['aes128-ctr']}]}
]
}
]).
[{kex,['ecdh-sha2-nistp384','ecdh-sha2-nistp521',
'ecdh-sha2-nistp256','diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group16-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group18-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha1',
'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1']},
{public_key,['ecdsa-sha2-nistp384','ecdsa-sha2-nistp521',
'ecdsa-sha2-nistp256','ssh-rsa','rsa-sha2-256',
'rsa-sha2-512','ssh-dss']},
{cipher,[{client2server,['aes128-ctr']},
{server2client,['[email protected]','aes256-ctr',
'aes192-ctr','[email protected]','aes128-ctr',
'aes128-cbc','3des-cbc']}]},
{mac,[{client2server,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']},
{server2client,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']}]},
{compression,[{client2server,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]},
{server2client,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]}]}]
</code>
</section>
<section>
<title>Example 4</title>
<p>It is of course possible to change more than one list:</p>
<code>
4> ssh:chk_algos_opts(
[{preferred_algorithms,
[{cipher,['aes128-ctr']},
{mac,['hmac-sha2-256']},
{kex,['ecdh-sha2-nistp384']},
{public_key,['ssh-rsa']},
{compression,[{server2client,[none]},
{client2server,[zlib]}]}
]
}
]).
[{kex,['ecdh-sha2-nistp384']},
{public_key,['ssh-rsa']},
{cipher,[{client2server,['aes128-ctr']},
{server2client,['aes128-ctr']}]},
{mac,[{client2server,['hmac-sha2-256']},
{server2client,['hmac-sha2-256']}]},
{compression,[{client2server,[zlib]},
{server2client,[none]}]}]
</code>
<p>Note that the ordering of the tuples in the lists didn't matter.</p>
</section>
</section>
<section>
<title>Modifying the default set: modify_algorithms</title>
<p>The option <c>preferred_algorithms</c> is complicated to use for adding or removing single algorithms. One has
to first list them with <c>ssh:default_algorithms()</c> and then do substitutions in the lists. A situation
when it might be useful to add an algorithm is when one need to use a supported but disabled one. An example
is the kex <c>'diffie-hellman-group1-sha1'</c> which nowadays is very unsecure and therefore disabled. It is
however still supported and might be used.</p>
<p>To facilitate addition or removal of algorithms the option <c>modify_algorithms</c> is available.
See the <seealso marker="ssh#option_modify_algorithms">Reference Manual</seealso> for details.</p>
<p>The option takes a list with instructions to append, prepend or remove algorithms:</p>
<code type="erl">
{modify_algorithms, [{append, ...},
{prepend, ...},
{rm, ...}
]}
</code>
<p>Each of the <c>...</c> can be a <c>algs_list()</c> as the argument to the <c>preferred_algorithms</c> option.</p>
<section>
<title>Example 5</title>
<p>As an example let's add the Diffie-Hellman Group1 first in the kex list. It is supported according to
<seealso marker="SSH_app#supported_algos">Supported algoritms</seealso>.</p>
<code type="erl">
5> ssh:chk_algos_opts(
[{modify_algorithms,
[{prepend,
[{kex,['diffie-hellman-group1-sha1']}]
}
]
}
]).
[{kex,['diffie-hellman-group1-sha1','ecdh-sha2-nistp384',
'ecdh-sha2-nistp521','ecdh-sha2-nistp256',
'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group16-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group18-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha1',
'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1']},
{public_key,['ecdsa-sha2-nistp384','ecdsa-sha2-nistp521',
'ecdsa-sha2-nistp256','ssh-rsa','rsa-sha2-256',
'rsa-sha2-512','ssh-dss']},
{cipher,[{client2server,['[email protected]',
'aes256-ctr','aes192-ctr','[email protected]',
'aes128-ctr','aes128-cbc','3des-cbc']},
{server2client,['[email protected]','aes256-ctr',
'aes192-ctr','[email protected]','aes128-ctr',
'aes128-cbc','3des-cbc']}]},
{mac,[{client2server,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']},
{server2client,['hmac-sha2-256','hmac-sha2-512',
'hmac-sha1']}]},
{compression,[{client2server,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]},
{server2client,[none,'[email protected]',zlib]}]}]
</code>
<p>And the result shows that the Diffie-Hellman Group1 is added at the head of the kex list</p>
</section>
<section>
<title>Example 6</title>
<p>In next example, we also move the <c>'ecdh-sha2-nistp521'</c> to the end in the kex
list, that is, <c>append</c>.</p>
<code type="erl">
6> ssh:chk_algos_opts(
[{modify_algorithms,
[{prepend,
[{kex, ['diffie-hellman-group1-sha1']}
]},
{append,
[{kex, ['ecdh-sha2-nistp521']}
]}
]
}
]).
[{kex,['diffie-hellman-group1-sha1','ecdh-sha2-nistp384',
'ecdh-sha2-nistp256','diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group16-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group18-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha1',
'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1','ecdh-sha2-nistp521']},
{public_key,['ecdsa-sha2-nistp384','ecdsa-sha2-nistp521',
.....
]
</code>
<p>Note that the appended algorithm is removed from its original place and then appended.</p>
</section>
<section>
<title>Example 7</title>
<p>In next example, we also move the <c>'ecdh-sha2-nistp521'</c> to the end in the kex
list, that is, <c>append</c>.</p>
<code type="erl">
7> ssh:chk_algos_opts(
[{modify_algorithms,
[{prepend,
[{kex, ['diffie-hellman-group1-sha1']}
]},
{append,
[{kex, ['ecdh-sha2-nistp521']}
]}
]
}
]).
[{kex,['diffie-hellman-group1-sha1','ecdh-sha2-nistp384',
'ecdh-sha2-nistp256','diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group16-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group18-sha512',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha256',
'diffie-hellman-group14-sha1',
'diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1','ecdh-sha2-nistp521']},
{public_key,['ecdsa-sha2-nistp384','ecdsa-sha2-nistp521',
.....
]
</code>
<p>Note that the appended algorithm first is removed from its original place and then appended.</p>
</section>
<section>
<title>Example 8</title>
<p>In this example, we use both options (<c>preferred_algorithms</c> and <c>modify_algorithms</c>) and
also try to prepend an unsupported algorithm. Any unsupported algorithm is quietly removed.</p>
<code type="erl">
8> ssh:chk_algos_opts(
[{preferred_algorithms,
[{cipher,['aes128-ctr']},
{mac,['hmac-sha2-256']},
{kex,['ecdh-sha2-nistp384']},
{public_key,['ssh-rsa']},
{compression,[{server2client,[none]},
{client2server,[zlib]}]}
]
},
{modify_algorithms,
[{prepend,
[{kex, ['some unsupported algorithm']}
]},
{append,
[{kex, ['diffie-hellman-group1-sha1']}
]}
]
}
]).
[{kex,['ecdh-sha2-nistp384','diffie-hellman-group1-sha1']},
{public_key,['ssh-rsa']},
{cipher,[{client2server,['aes128-ctr']},
{server2client,['aes128-ctr']}]},
{mac,[{client2server,['hmac-sha2-256']},
{server2client,['hmac-sha2-256']}]},
{compression,[{client2server,[zlib]},
{server2client,[none]}]}]
</code>
<p>It is of course questionable why anyone would like to use the both options together, but it is possible
if the needed.</p>
</section>
</section>
</chapter>
