[Mono-devel-list] Security enhancement in Framework 2.0 Plans

[Sébastien Pouliot]

Hello (again)

And that's the plan for other security related stuff ;-)
Comments and contributors are welcome.


* What's missing in Mono 1.0

        * Code Access Security (CAS)

	A separate plan is available for the implementation of CAS in
        Mono.


        * Declarative permissions

        Role Based Access Control (RBAC) cannot be used with declarative
        permissions (attributes). This will be solved for CAS, as this
        mechanism is heavily used for CAS permissions.


	* X.509 Certification Path Building and Validation

	This wasn't part of the Fx 1.0 API but was indirectly used
        (CryptoAPI) for Authenticode and SSL support. Fx 2.0 is exposing
        this publicly so we'll implement it.


* Goals

        The major security enhancement to the next release of Mono (1.2)
        will be CAS. This will somewhat limit the efforts that can be
        put to implement newer security features. Thankfully a lot of
        the new 2.0 functionalities were either:

        * contributed after the release of the Fx 1.2 preview (PDC2003);

        * already part of Mono 1.0 in Mono.Security (like SSL\TLS
        support and Pkcs structures).

        So most of the new features should also be "preview-able" in
        Mono 1.2.

        As for Mono.Security, it should continue it's evolution based on
        the same principle as the 1.0 release - "Expose internal code
        required to build the Mono framework".


* Main Work Items

1.      mscorlib.dll

        1.1.    System.Security

	Targets:

        * Mono 1.2:     CAS related stuff (see CAS plan for details).
        * Mono 2.0:     SecurityContexts (Thread related [1])
                        HostProtection (server related [1])


	1.2.    System.Security.AccessControl

	This namespace implements class to represent low-level Win32
        access control mechanisms. As this is (mostly) not portable,
        this has a low priority for Mono.

	Contributors are welcomed to:

        * stubs (for binary compatibility) the classes and structures
        (which could be part of Mono 1.2 release).

        * provide a Windows-only implementation. This may be a very good
        project for someone interested in Win32 security involving
        [S|D]ACL/ACE...


	1.3.    System.Security.Cryptography

	The namespace was mostly updated to Fx 2.0 (using the Fx 1.2
        documentation). There are two new padding mode to support,
        additional key containers informations and Data Protection
        (DPAPI).

	Targets:
        * Mono 1.2:     Complete 2.0 beta API support (except DPAPI).
        * Mono 2.0:     Complete 2.0 final API support (DPAPI ?).

	* DPAPI: AFAIK Linux doesn't have a DPAPI-like service (Data
        Protection API). That could be a very cool project (but outside
        Mono ;-).


	1.4     System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates

	X.509 certificates can now be imported from other formats (PKCS
        #12 being the most important). Other formats may (or may not) be
        supported due to lack of documentation.

	Targets:
        * Mono 1.2:     Complete 2.0 beta API support.
        * Mono 2.0:     Complete 2.0 final API support.


	1.5.    System.Security.Permissions

	Mostly CAS related (see CAS plan for details).


	1.6.    System.Security.Policy

	Mostly CAS related (see CAS plan for details).


	1.7.    System.Security.Principal

	Targets:
        * Mono 1.2:     Ajust API for existing classes
                        Stubs for new classes (contributions welcomed)
        * Mono 2.0:     Windows/POSIX implementation (when possible)


	1.8.    System.IO.IsolatedStorage

	Targets:
        * Mono 1.2:     Ajust API for existing classes
        * Mono 2.0:     Use evidences

        Notes:
        * To be useful some CUI/GUI tools for managing storage are
	required.

        * Contributors welcomed.


2.      System.Security.dll

        2.1.    System.Security.Cryptography

	Basic structures required for Pkcs and X509Certificates
        namespaces. Mostly implemented (from Fx 1.2 documentation).
        Additionnal unit tests required.


	2.2.    System.Security.Cryptography.Pkcs
	
	Parts are already implemented (from Fx 1.2 documentation) using
        Mono.Security ASN.1 support.


	2.3.    System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates
        
        Targets:
        * Mono 1.2:     with (very) limited X509Chain.
        * Mono 2.0:     with RFC3280 compliant X509Chain.
        
        Notes:
        * Building a managed RFC3280-compliant certification path
        building and verification could be a very interesting project
        for a contributor interested in PKI.

        
        2.4.    System.Security.Cryptography.Xml

        XML Encryption has mostly implemented (from Fx 1.2
        documentation). New XML transforms are also required (new
        ex-C14N). Additional unit tests are also required.


	2.5.    System.Security.Permissions

        Mostly CAS related (see CAS plan for details).
        

3.      System.dll

        3.1     System.Net.Security

        New authenticated streams (SslStream, NegociateStream) which can
        be build from the pieces available from Mono.Security.


* Contributors

        Some people have expressed interest in helping to implement the
        new security features added in Fx 2.0.

        * Tim Coleman (XML encryption, System.Security.dll)
        * Carlos Guzman Alvarez (SSL/TLS support, System.dll)
        Other contributors are welcomed.


* Notes

[1] Final support depends on the related functionalities being
implemented in Mono 1.2/2.0.


Sebastien Pouliot
http://pages.infinit.net/ctech/poupou.html