python-tuf/tuf

Repository Management

Table of Contents

• Repository Tool Diagram
• Create TUF Repository
  • Purpose
  • Keys
    • Create RSA Keys
    • Import RSA Keys
    • Create and Import ED25519 Keys
  • Create a New Repository
    • Create Root
    • Create Timestamp, Snapshot, Targets
  • Targets
    • Add Target Files
    • Remove Target Files
  • Delegations
    • Revoke Delegated Role
    • Delegate to Hashed Bins
  • Consistent Snapshots
• Client Setup and Repository Trial
  • Using TUF Within an Example Client Updater
  • Test TUF Locally

Repository Tool Diagram

Create TUF Repository

Purpose

The tuf.repository_tool module can be used to create a TUF repository. It may either be imported into a Python module or used with the Python interpreter in interactive mode.

$ python
Python 2.7.3 (default, Sep 26 2013, 20:08:41) 
[GCC 4.6.3] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> from tuf.repository_tool import *
>>> repository = load_repository("path/to/repository")

Note that tuf.repository_tool.py is not used in TUF integrations. The tuf.interposition package and tuf.client.updater module assist in integrating TUF with a software updater.

Keys

Create RSA Keys

from tuf.repository_tool import *

# Generate and write the first of two root keys for the TUF repository.
# The following function creates an RSA key pair, where the private key is saved to
# "path/to/root_key" and the public key to "path/to/root_key.pub".
generate_and_write_rsa_keypair("path/to/root_key", bits=2048, password="password")

# If the key length is unspecified, it defaults to 3072 bits. A length of less 
# than 2048 bits raises an exception. A password may be supplied as an 
# argument, otherwise a user prompt is presented.
generate_and_write_rsa_keypair("path/to/root_key2")
Enter a password for the RSA key:
Confirm:

The following four key files should now exist:

1. root_key
2. root_key.pub
3. root_key2
4. root_key2.pub

Import RSA Keys

from tuf.repository_tool import *

# Import an existing public key.
public_root_key = import_rsa_publickey_from_file("path/to/root_key.pub")

# Import an existing private key.  Importing a private key requires a password, whereas
# importing a public key does not.
private_root_key = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/root_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

import_rsa_privatekey_from_file() raises a "tuf.CryptoError" exception if the key/password is invalid.

Create and Import ED25519 Keys

from tuf.repository_tool import *

# Generate and write an ed25519 key pair.  The private key is saved encrypted.
# A 'password' argument may be supplied, otherwise a prompt is presented.
generate_and_write_ed25519_keypair('path/to/ed25519_key')
Enter a password for the ED25519 key: 
Confirm:

# Import the ed25519 public key just created . . .
public_ed25519_key = import_ed25519_publickey_from_file('path/to/ed25519_key.pub')

# and its corresponding private key.
private_ed25519_key = import_ed25519_privatekey_from_file('path/to/ed25519_key')
Enter a password for the encrypted ED25519 key: 

Create a New Repository

Create Root

# Continuing from the previous section . . .

# Create a new Repository object that holds the file path to the repository and the four
# top-level role objects (Root, Targets, Snapshot, Timestamp). Metadata files are created when
# repository.write() is called.  The repository directory is created if it does not exist.
repository = create_new_repository("path/to/repository/")

# The Repository instance, 'repository', initially contains top-level Metadata objects.
# Add one of the public keys, created in the previous section, to the root role.  Metadata is
# considered valid if it is signed by the public key's corresponding private key.
repository.root.add_verification_key(public_root_key)

# Role keys (i.e., the key's keyid) may be queried.  Other attributes include: signing_keys, version,
# signatures, expiration, threshold, delegations (Targets role), and compressions.
repository.root.keys
['b23514431a53676595922e955c2d547293da4a7917e3ca243a175e72bbf718df']

# Add a second public key to the root role.  Although previously generated and saved to a file,
# the second public key must be imported before it can added to a role.
public_root_key2 = import_rsa_publickey_from_file("path/to/root_key2.pub")
repository.root.add_verification_key(public_root_key2)

# Threshold of each role defaults to 1.   Users may change the threshold value, but repository_tool.py
# validates thresholds and warns users.  Set the threshold of the root role to 2,
# which means the root metadata file is considered valid if it contains at least two valid 
# signatures.
repository.root.threshold = 2
private_root_key2 = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/root_key2", password="password")

# Load the root signing keys to the repository, which write() uses to sign the root metadata.
# The load_signing_key() method SHOULD warn when the key is NOT explicitly allowed to
# sign for it.
repository.root.load_signing_key(private_root_key)
repository.root.load_signing_key(private_root_key2)

# Print the number of valid signatures and public/private keys of the repository's metadata.
repository.status()
'root' role contains 2 / 2 signatures.
'targets' role contains 0 / 1 public keys.

try:
  repository.write()

# An exception is raised here by write() because the other top-level roles (targets, snapshot,
# and timestamp) have not been configured with keys.  Another option is to call
# repository.write_partial() and generate metadata that may contain an invalid threshold of
# signatures, required public keys, etc.  write_partial() allows multiple repository maintainers to
# independently sign metadata and generate them separately.  load_repository() can load partially
# written metadata.
except tuf.UnsignedMetadataError, e:
  print e 
Not enough signatures for 'path/to/repository/metadata.staged/targets.json'

# In the next section, update the other top-level roles and create a repository with valid metadata.

Create Timestamp, Snapshot, Targets

# Continuing from the previous section . . .

# Generate keys for the remaining top-level roles.  The root keys have been set above.
# The password argument may be omitted if a password prompt is needed. 
generate_and_write_rsa_keypair("path/to/targets_key", password="password")
generate_and_write_rsa_keypair("path/to/snapshot_key", password="password")
generate_and_write_rsa_keypair("path/to/timestamp_key", password="password")

# Add the public keys of the remaining top-level roles.
repository.targets.add_verification_key(import_rsa_publickey_from_file("path/to/targets_key.pub"))
repository.snapshot.add_verification_key(import_rsa_publickey_from_file("path/to/snapshot_key.pub"))
repository.timestamp.add_verification_key(import_rsa_publickey_from_file("path/to/timestamp_key.pub"))

# Import the signing keys of the remaining top-level roles.  Prompt for passwords.
private_targets_key = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/targets_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

private_snapshot_key = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/snapshot_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

private_timestamp_key = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/timestamp_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

# Load the signing keys of the remaining roles so that valid signatures are generated when
# repository.write() is called.
repository.targets.load_signing_key(private_targets_key)
repository.snapshot.load_signing_key(private_snapshot_key)
repository.timestamp.load_signing_key(private_timestamp_key)

# Optionally set the expiration date of the timestamp role.  By default, roles are set to expire
# as follows:  root(1 year), targets(3 months), snapshot(1 week), timestamp(1 day).
repository.timestamp.expiration = "2014-10-28 12:08:00"

# Metadata files may also be compressed.  Only "gz" is currently supported.
repository.targets.compressions = ["gz"]
repository.snapshot.compressions = ["gz"]

# Write all metadata to "path/to/repository/metadata.staged/".  The common case is to crawl the
# filesystem for all delegated roles in "path/to/repository/metadata.staged/targets/".
repository.write()

Targets

Add Target Files

# Create and save target files to the targets directory of the repository.
$ cd path/to/repository/targets/
$ echo 'file1' > file1.txt
$ echo 'file2' > file2.txt
$ echo 'file3' > file3.txt
$ mkdir django; echo 'file4' > django/file4.txt

from tuf.repository_tool import *

# Load the repository created in the previous section.  This repository so far contains metadata for
# the top-level roles, but no targets.
repository = load_repository("path/to/repository/")

# get_filepaths_in_directory() returns a list of file paths in a directory.  It can also return
# files in sub-directories if 'recursive_walk' is True.
list_of_targets = repository.get_filepaths_in_directory("path/to/repository/targets/",
                                                        recursive_walk=False, followlinks=True) 

# Add the list of target paths to the metadata of the Targets role.  Any target file paths
# that may already exist are NOT replaced.  add_targets() does not create or move target files.
# Any target paths added to a role must be relative to the targets directory, otherwise an
# exception is raised.
repository.targets.add_targets(list_of_targets)

# Individual target files may also be added.
repository.targets.add_target("path/to/repository/targets/file3.txt")

# The private key of the updated targets metadata must be loaded before it can be signed and
# written (Note the load_repository() call above).
private_targets_key =  import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/targets_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

repository.targets.load_signing_key(private_targets_key)

# Due to the load_repository(), we must also load the private keys of the other top-level roles
# to generate a valid set of metadata.
private_root_key = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/root_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

private_root_key2 = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/root_key2")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

private_snapshot_key = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/snapshot_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

private_timestamp_key = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/timestamp_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

repository.root.load_signing_key(private_root_key)
repository.root.load_signing_key(private_root_key2)
repository.snapshot.load_signing_key(private_snapshot_key)
repository.timestamp.load_signing_key(private_timestamp_key)

# Generate new versions of all the top-level metadata.
repository.write()

Remove Target Files

# Continuing from the previous section . . .

# Remove a target file listed in the "targets" metadata.  The target file is not actually deleted
# from the file system.
repository.targets.remove_target("path/to/repository/targets/file3.txt")

# repository.write() creates any new metadata files, updates those that have changed, and any that
# need updating to make a new "snapshot" (new snapshot.json and timestamp.json).
repository.write()

Delegations

# Continuing from the previous section . . .

# Generate a key for a new delegated role named "unclaimed".
generate_and_write_rsa_keypair("path/to/unclaimed_key", bits=2048, password="password")
public_unclaimed_key = import_rsa_publickey_from_file("path/to/unclaimed_key.pub")

# Make a delegation from "targets" to "targets/unclaimed", initially containing zero targets.
# The delegated role’s full name is not expected.
# delegate(rolename, list_of_public_keys, list_of_file_paths, threshold,
#          restricted_paths, path_hash_prefixes)
repository.targets.delegate("unclaimed", [public_unclaimed_key], [])

# Load the private key of "targets/unclaimed" so that signatures are later added and valid
# metadata is created.
private_unclaimed_key = import_rsa_privatekey_from_file("path/to/unclaimed_key")
Enter a password for the encrypted RSA key:

repository.targets(unclaimed).load_signing_key(private_unclaimed_key)

# Update an attribute of the unclaimed role.
repository.targets('unclaimed').version = 2

# Delegations may also be nested.  Create the delegated role "targets/unclaimed/django",
# where it initially contains zero targets and future targets are restricted to a
# particular directory.
repository.targets('unclaimed').delegate("django", [public_unclaimed_key], [],
                                         restricted_paths=["path/to/repository/targets/django/"])
repository.targets('unclaimed')('django').load_signing_key(private_unclaimed_key)
repository.targets('unclaimed')('django').add_target("path/to/repository/targets/django/file4.txt")
repository.targets('unclaimed')('django').compressions = ["gz"]

#  Write the metadata of "targets/unclaimed", "targets/unclaimed/django", root, targets, snapshot,
# and timestamp.
repository.write()

Revoke Delegated Role

# Continuing from the previous section . . .

# Create a delegated role that will be revoked in the next step.
repository.targets('unclaimed').delegate("flask", [public_unclaimed_key], [])

# Revoke "targets/unclaimed/flask" and write the metadata of all remaining roles.
repository.targets('unclaimed').revoke("flask")
repository.write()

# Copy the staged metadata directory changes to the live repository.
$ cp -r "path/to/repository/metadata.staged/" "path/to/repository/metadata/"

Delegate to Hashed Bins

A large number of target files may also be distributed to multiple hashed bins (delegated roles). The metadata files of delegated roles will be nearly equal in size (i.e., target file paths are uniformly distributed by calculating the target filepath's digest and determining which bin it should reside in. The updater client will use "lazy bin walk" to find a target file's hashed bin destination. This method is intended for repositories with a large number of target files, a way of easily distributing and managing the metadata that lists the targets, and minimizing the number of metadata files (and size) downloaded by the client.

Method that handles hashed bin delegations and example:

delegate_hashed_bins(list_of_targets, keys_of_hashed_bins, number_of_bins)

# Get a list of target paths for the hashed bins.
targets = \
  repository.get_filepaths_in_directory('path/to/repository/targets/django', recursive_walk=True)
repository.targets('unclaimed')('django').delegate_hashed_bins(targets, [public_unclaimed_key], 32)

# delegated_hashed_bins() only assigns the public key(s) of the hashed bins, so the private keys may
# be manually loaded as follows:
for delegation in repository.targets('unclaimed')('django').delegations:
  delegation.load_signing_key(private_unclaimed_key)

# Delegated roles can be restricted to particular paths with add_restricted_paths().
repository.targets('unclaimed').add_restricted_paths('path/to/repository/targets/django', 'django')

Consistent Snapshots

A repository may optionally support multiple versions of snapshot.json simultaneously, where a client with version 1 of snapshot.json can download target_file.zip and another client with version 2 of snapshot.json can also download a different target_file.zip (same file name, but different file digest). If the consistent_snapshot parameter of write() is True, metadata and target file names on the file system have their digests prepended (note: target file names specified in metadata do not have digests included in their names). The repository maintainer is responsible for the duration of multiple versions of metadata and target files available on a repository.

repository.write(consistent_snapshot=True)

Client Setup and Repository Trial

Using TUF Within an Example Client Updater

from tuf.repository_tool import *

# The following function creates a directory structure that a client 
# downloading new software using TUF (via tuf/client/updater.py) will expect.
# The root.json metadata file must exist, and also the directories that hold the metadata files
# downloaded from a repository.  Software updaters integrating with TUF may use this
# directory to store TUF updates saved on the client side.  create_tuf_client_directory()
# moves metadata from "path/to/repository/metadata" to "path/to/client/".  The repository
# in "path/to/repository/" is the repository created in the "Create TUF Repository" section.
create_tuf_client_directory("path/to/repository/", "path/to/client/")

Test TUF Locally

# Run the local TUF repository server.
$ cd "path/to/repository/"; python -m SimpleHTTPServer 8001

# Retrieve targets from the TUF repository and save them to "path/to/client/".  The
# basic_client.py module is available in "tuf/client/".
# In a different command-line prompt . . .
$ cd "path/to/client/"
$ ls
metadata/

$ basic_client.py --repo http://localhost:8001
$ ls . targets/ targets/django/
.:
metadata  targets  tuf.log

targets/:
django  file1.txt  file2.txt

targets/django/:
file4.txt