SSL appears to be broken in 8-STABLE/RELEASE

[Chris H]

Greetings Clifton, and thank you for your reply.
On Sat, December 19, 2009 12:16 am, Clifton Royston wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 05:32:41PM -0800, Chris H wrote:
>
>> Greetings,
>> A recent (cvs checkout of src/ports on 2009-12-09) install of 8
>> seems to indicate that changes in SSL have made it virtually unusable. I've
>> spent the past 3 days attempting to (re)create an SSL enabled virtual host
>> that serves web based access to local mail. Since it's local, I'm using
>> self-signed certs following a scheme that has always worked flawlessly for the
>> past 9 yrs. However, now having installed 8, it isn't working. The browser(s)
>> throw "ssl_error_handshake_failure_alert" (ff-3.56). Other gecko based, and
>> non-gecko based UA's throw similar, as well as openssl's s_client. After
>> immense research, the only thing I can find that might best explain it is a
>> recent SA patch applied to FreeBSD's src (SA-09:15). After reading what the
>> patch provides. I am able to better understand the error messages thrown to
>> /var/messages when attempting to negotiate a secure session in a UA:
>>
> ...
>
>> So, if I understand things correctly. The patch prevents
>> (re)negotiation. Making the likelihood of a successful "handshake"
>> near null (as the log messages above show). I'm sure that some may be quick to
>> point the finger at the self-signed cert being more likely the cause, I should
>> add that while in fact quite unlikely, I too didn't completely rule that out.
>> So I purchased one from startssl -
>> money wasted. The results were the same. So it would appear that until
>> something else is done to overcome the hole in current openssl, my only
>> recourse is to back the patch out, and rebuild openssl && all affected ports -
>> no?
>
> You might want to check up on a security list to get a full
> understanding of the issue, and indeed depending on your application and network
> you may conclude that the best solution for your environment is to reverse out
> the patch.
>
> However, it's unlikely that the patch will be removed from
> circulation - most OSes and applications using TLS/SSL are undergoing a similar
> experience - because the security problem it prevents is both genuine and, as I
> understand it, an inherent design error in the protocol specification.  If you
> allow renegotiation during the session, you also allow a man-in-the-middle
> attack to inject arbitrary data into the session.  Depending on your app, the
> likelihood of this could be anywhere from small to huge, and the impact could be
> anywhere from negligible to disastrous.
Indeed. I /do/ understand that the patch was an effort to thwart a potential
"hole" in current openssl's implementation. I also took some time comparing
the patch against the code's /former/ state. While the patch /does/ "plug"
the hole. It also /nearly/ closes the intended entry point for it's intended
target - the client initiating communication. As it is, it /won't/ permit
communication as it was intended to. So it can't be used as a reliable
protocol for secure communication. I fully realize that the hole needed to
be plugged ASAP. But until the source has been "re-worked", it's of nearly no
value. I discovered I'm not the only one w/o the ability to use SSL after the
"patch". I spent quite some time trying to track down the reason communication
shut down immediately after accepting the cert in my UA. Searching the web, and
newsgroups indicates that /many/ others are w/o the ability to use SSL for their
needs either - unless, reverting to a "pre-patchd" state.
Given an extremely reliable DNS, and well secured network, the only immediate
solution seems to be to check out the pre-2009-12-03 source, and re-build it,
and all affected. Then, of course monitor openssl for a "new improved" version.
So as to be able to lift a HOLD on the back-patched version in my current tree.

Thank you again Clifton, for taking the time to respond.

--Chris H
>
> -- Clifton
>
>
> --
> Clifton Royston  --  cliftonr at iandicomputing.com / cliftonr at lava.net
> President  - I and I Computing * http://www.iandicomputing.com/
> Custom programming, network design, systems and network consulting services
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