svn repo verification (Re: FreeBSD 10.1-BETA3 Now Available)

[Glen Barber]

On Wed, Oct 01, 2014 at 04:18:23AM +0200, beeessdee at ruggedinbox.com wrote:
> On Mon, September 29, 2014 2:16 pm, "Glen Barber" <gjb at FreeBSD.org> wrote:
> > I don't understand what you mean.  We have a verifiable audit trail - it
> > is all in svn revision history.
> 
> By this I mean, cryptographic hash chain and signed commits.  svn revision
> history is audit trail, but not *verifiable* audit trail.
> 

Well, audit trail is why we no longer use CVS.

> Is there such things in svn metadata?  I did not find.  If yes, this
> should be Handbook documented (and how to use it).
> 

No, there isn't.

> Important because:
> 
> 	* Data at rest in repository, protected from intrusion or the insider
> attack.
> 

Even "insiders" do not have login access directly to svn.

> 	* Data in transit on wire not protected by svn protocol (except for
> persons with the ssh access)
> 

svn+https.  It is in the Handbook.

> 	* Every person, everywhere should be able confirm downloaded commit
> history is exactly equals bit-for-bit what you (gjb@), Core Team, re@
> have in their machines!
> 

I don't quite follow what the core team has to do with this, to be
honest...

But you can confirm the history.  Check out the repository via svn+https
from one of the mirrors we say are official.  It, too, in the Handbook.

> Obscure change (example classic "if(uid==0)" to single "if(uid=0)") in
> critical piece even 100.000 commits old should be easy detectable by
> anyone.
> 

I fail to see the relevance here.

> Commit bit should be attached requirement of signing of the commits.
> 

SVN doesn't work that way, and no, I will not entertain the "but $foo
VCS does" conversation, which at best, is far outside the scope of
a 10.1-BETA announcement email..

Glen

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