You can't reuse a CTR_DRBG context without free()ing it and
re-init()ing it. This generally happened to work, but was never
guaranteed. It could have failed with alternative implementations of
the AES module because mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() calls
mbedtls_aes_init() on a context which is already initialized if
mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() hasn't been called before, plausibly causing a
memory leak. Since the addition of mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len(),
the second call to mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() uses a nonsensical value as
the entropy nonce length.
Calling free() and seed() with no intervening init fails when
MBEDTLS_THREADING_C is enabled and all-bits-zero is not a valid mutex
representation.
The default entropy nonce length is either zero or nonzero depending
on the desired security strength and the entropy length.
The implementation calculates the actual entropy nonce length from the
actual entropy length, and therefore it doesn't need a constant that
indicates the default entropy nonce length. A portable application may
be interested in this constant, however. And our test code could
definitely use it.
Define a constant MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_NONCE_LEN and use it in
test code. Previously, test_suite_ctr_drbg had knowledge about the
default entropy nonce length built in and test_suite_psa_crypto_init
failed. Now both use MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_NONCE_LEN.
This change means that the test ctr_drbg_entropy_usage no longer
validates that the default entropy nonce length is sensible. So add a
new test that checks that the default entropy length and the default
entropy nonce length are sufficient to ensure the expected security
strength.
Change the default entropy nonce length to be nonzero in some cases.
Specifically, the default nonce length is now set in such a way that
the entropy input during the initial seeding always contains enough
entropy to achieve the maximum possible security strength per
NIST SP 800-90A given the key size and entropy length.
If MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN is kept to its default value,
mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() now grabs extra entropy for a nonce if
MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_USE_128_BIT_KEY is disabled and either
MBEDTLS_ENTROPY_FORCE_SHA256 is enabled or MBEDTLS_SHA512_C is
disabled. If MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_USE_128_BIT_KEY is enabled, or if
the entropy module uses SHA-512, then the default value of
MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN does not require a second call to the
entropy function to achieve the maximum security strength.
This choice of default nonce size guarantees NIST compliance with the
maximum security strength while keeping backward compatibility and
performance high: in configurations that do not require grabbing more
entropy, the code will not grab more entropy than before.
Add a new function mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len() which configures
the DRBG instance to call f_entropy a second time during the initial
seeding to grab a nonce.
The default nonce length is 0, so there is no behavior change unless
the user calls the new function.
mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() always set the entropy length to the default,
so a call to mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_entropy_len() before seed() had no
effect. Change this to the more intuitive behavior that
set_entropy_len() sets the entropy length and seed() respects that and
only uses the default entropy length if there was no call to
set_entropy_len().
This removes the need for the test-only function
mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed_entropy_len(). Just call
mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_entropy_len() followed by
mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed(), it works now.
mbedtls_hmac_drbg_seed() always set the entropy length to the default,
so a call to mbedtls_hmac_drbg_set_entropy_len() before seed() had no
effect. Change this to the more intuitive behavior that
set_entropy_len() sets the entropy length and seed() respects that and
only uses the default entropy length if there was no call to
set_entropy_len().
Document that passing 0 to a close/destroy function does nothing and
returns PSA_SUCCESS.
Although this was not written explicitly, the specification strongly
suggested that this would return PSA_ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE. While
returning INVALID_HANDLE makes sense, it was awkward for a very common
programming style where applications can store 0 in a handle variable
to indicate that the handle has been closed or has never been open:
applications had to either check if (handle != 0) before calling
psa_close_key(handle) or psa_destroy_key(handle), or ignore errors
from the close/destroy function. Now applications following this style
can just call psa_close_key(handle) or psa_destroy_key(handle).
The documentation of HMAC_DRBG erroneously claimed that
mbedtls_hmac_drbg_set_entropy_len() had an impact on the initial
seeding. This is in fact not the case: mbedtls_hmac_drbg_seed() forces
the entropy length to its chosen value. Fix the documentation.
The documentation of CTR_DRBG erroneously claimed that
mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_entropy_len() had an impact on the initial
seeding. This is in fact not the case: mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() forces
the initial seeding to grab MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN bytes of
entropy. Fix the documentation and rewrite the discussion of the
entropy length and the security strength accordingly.
Explain how MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN is set next to the security
strength statement, rather than giving a partial explanation (current
setting only) in the documentation of MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN.
NIST and many other sources call it a "personalization string", and
certainly not "device-specific identifiers" which is actually somewhat
misleading since this is just one of many things that might go into a
personalization string.
Improve the formatting and writing of the documentation based on what
had been done for CTR_DRBG.
Document the maximum size and nullability of some buffer parameters.
Document that a derivation function is used.
Document the security strength of the DRBG depending on the
compile-time configuration and how it is set up. In particular,
document how the nonce specified in SP 800-90A is set.
Mention how to link the ctr_drbg module with the entropy module.
* State explicit whether several numbers are in bits or bytes.
* Clarify whether buffer pointer parameters can be NULL.
* Explain the value of constants that are dependent on the configuration.
Add a parameter to the p_validate_slot_number method to allow the
driver to modify the persistent data.
With the current structure of the core, the persistent data is already
updated. All it took was adding a way to modify it.
When registering a key in a secure element, go through the transaction
mechanism. This makes the code simpler, at the expense of a few extra
storage operations. Given that registering a key is typically very
rare over the lifetime of a device, this is an acceptable loss.
Drivers must now have a p_validate_slot_number method, otherwise
registering a key is not possible. This reduces the risk that due to a
mistake during the integration of a device, an application might claim
a slot in a way that is not supported by the driver.
Define a vendor-range within the the private use ranges in the IANA
registry. Provide recommendations for how to support vendor-defined
curves and groups.
If none of the inputs to a key derivation is a
PSA_KEY_DERIVATION_INPUT_SECRET passed with
psa_key_derivation_input_key(), forbid
psa_key_derivation_output_key(). It usually doesn't make sense to
derive a key object if the secret isn't itself a proper key.
Allow a direct input as the SECRET input step in a key derivation, in
addition to allowing DERIVE keys. This makes it easier for
applications to run a key derivation where the "secret" input is
obtained from somewhere else. This makes it possible for the "secret"
input to be empty (keys cannot be empty), which some protocols do (for
example the IV derivation in EAP-TLS).
Conversely, allow a RAW_DATA key as the INFO/LABEL/SALT/SEED input to a key
derivation, in addition to allowing direct inputs. This doesn't
improve security, but removes a step when a personalization parameter
is stored in the key store, and allows this personalization parameter
to remain opaque.
Add test cases that explore step/key-type-and-keyhood combinations.