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<title>TLS (SSL) Tcl Commands</title>
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<dl>
<dd><a href="#NAME">NAME</a>
<dl>
<dd><b>tls</b> - binding to <b>OpenSSL</b> toolkit.</dd>
</dl>
</dd>
<dd><a href="#SYNOPSIS">SYNOPSIS</a> </dd>
<dd><dl>
<dd><b>package require Tcl</b> <em>?<b>8.5</b>?</em></dd>
<dd><b>package require tls</b> <em>?@@VERS@@?</em></dd>
<dt> </dt>
<dd><b>tls::init</b> <em>?options?</em> </dd>
<dd><b>tls::socket</b> <em>?options? host port</em></dd>
<dd><b>tls::socket</b> <em>?-server command? ?options? port</em></dd>
<dd><b>tls::handshake</b> <em>channel</em></dd>
<dd><b>tls::status</b> <em>?-local? channel</em></dd>
<dd><b>tls::import</b> <em>channel ?options?</em></dd>
<dd><b>tls::unimport</b> <em>channel</em></dd>
<dd><b>tls::ciphers</b> <em>protocol ?verbose?</em></dd>
<dd><b>tls::version</b></dd>
</dl>
</dd>
<dd><a href="#COMMANDS">COMMANDS</a></dd>
<dd><a href="#CALLBACK OPTIONS">CALLBACK OPTIONS</a></dd>
<dd><a href="#HTTPS EXAMPLE">HTTPS EXAMPLE</a></dd>
<dd><a href="#SEE ALSO">SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS</a></dd>
<dd><a href="#SEE ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></dd>
</dl>
<hr>
<h3><a name="NAME">NAME</a></h3>
<p><strong>tls</strong> - binding to <strong>OpenSSL</strong>
toolkit.</p>
<h3><a name="SYNOPSIS">SYNOPSIS</a></h3>
<p><b>package require Tcl 8.5</b><br>
<b>package require tls @@VERS@@</b><br>
<br>
<a href="#tls::init"><b>tls::init</b> <i>?options?</i><br>
</a><a href="#tls::socket"><b>tls::socket</b> <em>?options? host
port</em><br>
<b>tls::socket</b><em> ?-server command? ?options? port</em><br>
</a><a href="#tls::status"><b>tls::status</b> <em>?-local? channel</em><br>
</a><a href="#tls::handshake"><b>tls::handshake</b><em> channel</em></a><br>
<br>
<a href="#tls::import"><b>tls::import</b> <i>channel ?options?</i></a><br>
<a href="#tls::unimport"><b>tls::unimport</b> <i>channel</i></a><br>
<a href="#tls::ciphers protocol ?verbose?"><strong>tls::ciphers</strong>
<em>protocol ?verbose?</em></a><br>
<a href="#tls::version"><b>tls::version</b></a>
</p>
<h3><a name="DESCRIPTION">DESCRIPTION</a></h3>
<p>This extension provides a generic binding to <a
href="http://www.openssl.org/">OpenSSL</a>, utilizing the
<strong>Tcl_StackChannel</strong>
API for Tcl 8.2 and higher. The sockets behave exactly the same
as channels created using Tcl's built-in <strong>socket</strong>
command with additional options for controlling the SSL session.
To use TLS with an earlier version of Tcl than 8.4, please obtain
TLS 1.3.
</p>
<h3><a name="COMMANDS">COMMANDS</a></h3>
<p>Typically one would use the <strong>tls::socket </strong>command
which provides compatibility with the native Tcl <strong>socket</strong>
command. In such cases <strong>tls::import</strong> should not be
used directly.</p>
<dl>
<dt><a name="tls::init"><b>tls::init</b> <i>?options?</i></a></dt>
<dd>This routine sets the default options used by <strong>tls::socket</strong>
and is <em>optional</em>. If you call <strong>tls::import</strong>
directly this routine has no effect. Any of the options
that <strong>tls::socket</strong> accepts can be set
using this command, though you should limit your options
to only TLS related ones.</dd>
<dt> </dt>
<dt><a name="tls::socket"><b>tls::socket</b> <em>?options?
host port</em></a></dt>
<dt><b>tls::socket</b><em> ?-server command? ?options? port</em></dt>
<dd>This is a helper function that utilizes the underlying
commands (<strong>tls::import</strong>). It behaves
exactly the same as the native Tcl <strong>socket</strong>
command except that the options can include any of the
applicable <a href="#tls::import"><strong>tls:import</strong></a>
options with one additional option:
<blockquote>
<dl>
<dt><strong>-autoservername</strong> <em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Automatically send the -servername as the <em>host</em> argument
(default is <em>false</em>)</dd>
</dl>
</blockquote>
<dt> </dt>
<dt><a name="tls::handshake"><strong>tls::handshake</strong> <em>channel</em></a></dt>
<dd>Forces handshake to take place, and returns 0 if
handshake is still in progress (non-blocking), or 1 if
the handshake was successful. If the handshake failed
this routine will throw an error.</dd>
<dt> </dt>
<dt><a name="tls::status"><strong>tls::status</strong>
<em>?-local? channel</em></a></dt>
<dd>Returns the current security status of an SSL channel. The
result is a list of key-value pairs describing the
connected peer. If the result is an empty list then the
SSL handshake has not yet completed.
If <em>-local</em> is given, then the certificate information
is the one used locally.</dd>
</dl>
<blockquote>
<dl>
<dt><strong>issuer</strong> <em>dn</em></dt>
<dd>The distinguished name (DN) of the certificate
issuer.</dd>
<dt><strong>subject</strong> <em>dn</em></dt>
<dd>The distinguished name (DN) of the certificate
subject.</dd>
<dt><strong>notBefore</strong> <em>date</em></dt>
<dd>The begin date for the validity of the certificate.</dd>
<dt><strong>notAfter</strong> <em>date</em></dt>
<dd>The expiry date for the certificate.</dd>
<dt><strong>serial</strong> <em>n</em></dt>
<dd>The serial number of the certificate.</dd>
<dt><strong>cipher</strong> <em>cipher</em></dt>
<dd>The current cipher in use between the client and
server channels.</dd>
<dt><strong>sbits</strong> <em>n</em></dt>
<dd>The number of bits used for the session key.</dd>
<dt><strong>certificate</strong> <em>n</em></dt>
<dd>The PEM encoded certificate.</dd>
<dt><strong>version</strong> <em>value</em></dt>
<dd>The protocol version used for the connection:
SSLv2, SSLv3, TLSv1, TLSv1.1, TLSv1.2, unknown</dd>
</dl>
</blockquote>
<dl>
<dt><a name="tls::import"><b>tls::import</b> <i>channel
?options?</i></a></dt>
<dd>SSL-enable a regular Tcl channel - it need not be a
socket, but must provide bi-directional flow. Also
setting session parameters for SSL handshake.</dd>
</dl>
<blockquote>
<dl>
<dt><strong>-cadir</strong> <em>dir</em></dt>
<dd>Provide the directory containing the CA certificates.</dd>
<dt><strong>-cafile </strong><em>filename</em></dt>
<dd>Provide the CA file.</dd>
<dt><strong>-certfile</strong> <em>filename</em></dt>
<dd>Provide the name of a file containing certificate to use.</dd>
<dt><strong>-cert</strong> <em>filename</em></dt>
<dd>Provide the contents of a certificate to use, as a DER encoded binary value (X.509 DER).</dd>
<dt><strong>-cipher </strong><em>string</em></dt>
<dd>Provide the cipher suites to use. Syntax is as per
OpenSSL.</dd>
<dt><strong>-command</strong> <em>callback</em></dt>
<dd>If specified, this callback will be invoked at several points
during the OpenSSL handshake. It can pass errors and tracing
information, and it can allow Tcl scripts to perform
their own validation of the certificate in place of the
default validation provided by OpenSSL.
<br>
See <a href="#CALLBACK OPTIONS">CALLBACK OPTIONS</a> for
further discussion.</dd>
<dt><strong>-dhparams </strong><em>filename</em></dt>
<dd>Provide a Diffie-Hellman parameters file.</dd>
<dt><strong>-keyfile</strong> <em>filename</em></dt>
<dd>Provide the private key file. (default is
value of -certfile)</dd>
<dt><strong>-key</strong> <em>filename</em></dt>
<dd>Provide the private key to use as a DER encoded value (PKCS#1 DER)</dd>
<dt><strong>-model</strong> <em>channel</em></dt>
<dd>This will force this channel to share the same <em><strong>SSL_CTX</strong></em>
structure as the specified <em>channel</em>, and
therefore share callbacks etc.</dd>
<dt><strong>-password</strong> <em>callback</em></dt>
<dd>If supplied, this callback will be invoked when OpenSSL needs
to obtain a password, typically to unlock the private key of
a certificate.
The callback should return a string which represents the
password to be used.
<br>
See <a href="#CALLBACK OPTIONS">CALLBACK OPTIONS</a> for
further discussion.</dd>
<dt><strong>-request </strong><em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Request a certificate from peer during SSL handshake.
(default is <em>true</em>)</dd>
<dt><strong>-require</strong> <em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Require a valid certificate from peer during SSL
handshake. If this is set to true then <strong>-request</strong>
must also be set to true. (default is <em>false</em>)</dd>
<dt><strong>-server</strong> <em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Handshake as server if true, else handshake as
client.(default is <em>false</em>)</dd>
<dt><strong>-servername</strong> <em>host</em></dt>
<dd>Only available if the OpenSSL library the package is linked
against supports the TLS hostname extension for 'Server Name
Indication' (SNI). Use to name the logical host we are talking
to and expecting a certificate for</dd>
<dt><strong>-ssl2</strong> <em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Enable use of SSL v2. (default is <em>false</em>)</dd>
<dt><strong>-ssl3 </strong><em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Enable use of SSL v3. (default is <em>false</em>)</dd>
<dt>-<strong>tls1</strong> <em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Enable use of TLS v1. (default is <em>true</em>)</dd>
<dt>-<strong>tls1.1</strong> <em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Enable use of TLS v1.1 (default is <em>true</em>)</dd>
<dt>-<strong>tls1.2</strong> <em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Enable use of TLS v1.2 (default is <em>true</em>)</dd>
<dt>-<strong>tls1.3</strong> <em>bool</em></dt>
<dd>Enable use of TLS v1.3 (default is <em>true</em>)</dd>
</dl>
</blockquote>
<dl>
<dt><a name="tls::unimport"><b>tls::unimport</b> <i>channel</i></a></dt>
<dd>Provided for symmetry to <strong>tls::import</strong>, this
unstacks the SSL-enabling of a regular Tcl channel. An error
is thrown if TLS is not the top stacked channel type.</dd>
</dl>
<dl>
<dt><a name="tls::ciphers protocol ?verbose?"><strong>tls::ciphers</strong>
<em>protocol ?verbose?</em></a></dt>
<dd>Returns list of supported ciphers based on the <em>protocol</em>
you supply, which must be one of <em>ssl2, ssl3, or tls1</em>.
If <em>verbose</em> is specified as true then a verbose,
semi-human readable list is returned providing additional
information on the nature of the cipher support. In each
case the result is a Tcl list.</dd>
</dl>
<dl>
<dt><a name="tls::version"><strong>tls::version</strong></a></dt>
<dd>Returns the version string defined by OpenSSL.</dd>
</dl>
<h3><a name="CALLBACK OPTIONS">CALLBACK OPTIONS</a></h3>
<p>
As indicated above, individual channels can be given their own callbacks
to handle intermediate processing by the OpenSSL library, using the
<em>-command</em> and <em>-password</em> options passed to either of
<strong>tls::socket</strong> or <strong>tls::import</strong>.
</p>
<blockquote>
<dl>
<dt><strong>-command</strong> <em>callback</em></dt>
<dd>
Invokes the specified <em>callback</em> script at
several points during the OpenSSL handshake.
Except as indicated below, values returned from the
callback are ignored.
Arguments appended to the script upon callback take one of the
following forms:
<br>
<br>
<dl>
<!-- This form of callback is disabled.
<dt>
<strong>error</strong> <em>channel message</em>
</dt>
<dd>
The <em>message</em> argument contains an error message generated
by the OpenSSL function
<code>ERR_reason_error_string()</code>.
</dd>
<br>
-->
<dt>
<strong>info</strong> <em>channel major minor message</em>
</dt>
<dd>
This form of callback is invoked by the OpenSSL function
<code>SSL_CTX_set_info_callback()</code>.
<br>
The <em>major</em> and <em>minor</em> arguments are used to
represent the state information bitmask.
<dl>
<dt>Possible values for <em>major</em> are:</dt>
<dd><code>handshake, alert, connect, accept</code>.</dd>
<dt>Possible values for <em>minor</em> are:</dt>
<dd><code>start, done, read, write, loop, exit</code>.</dd>
</dl>
The <em>message</em> argument is a descriptive string which may
be generated either by
<code>SSL_state_string_long()</code> or by
<code>SSL_alert_desc_string_long()</code>,
depending on context.
</dd>
<br>
<dt>
<strong>verify</strong> <em>channel depth cert status error</em>
</dt>
<dd>
This form of callback is invoked by the OpenSSL function
<code>SSL_set_verify()</code>.
<br>
The <em>depth</em> argument is an integer representing the
current depth on the certificate chain, with
<code>0</code> as the subject certificate and higher values
denoting progressively more indirect issuer certificates.
<br>
The <em>cert</em> argument is a list of key-value pairs similar
to those returned by
<a href="#tls::status"><strong>tls::status</strong></a>.
<br>
The <em>status</em> argument is an integer representing the
current validity of the certificate.
A value of <code>0</code> means the certificate is deemed invalid.
A value of <code>1</code> means the certificate is deemed valid.
<br>
The <em>error</em> argument supplies the message, if any, generated
by
<code>X509_STORE_CTX_get_error()</code>.
<br>
<br>
The callback may override normal validation processing by explicitly
returning one of the above <em>status</em> values.
</dd>
</dl>
</dd>
<br>
<dt><strong>-password</strong> <em>callback</em></dt>
<dd>
Invokes the specified <em>callback</em> script when OpenSSL needs to
obtain a password. The callback should return a string which
represents the password to be used.
No arguments are appended to the script upon callback.
</dd>
</dl>
</blockquote>
<p>
Reference implementations of these callbacks are provided in the
distribution as <strong>tls::callback</strong> and
<strong>tls::password</strong> respectively. Note that these are
<em>sample</em> implementations only. In a more realistic deployment
you would specify your own callback scripts on each TLS channel
using the <em>-command</em> and <em>-password</em> options.
</p>
<p>
The default behavior when the <em>-command</em> option is not specified is for
TLS to process the associated library callbacks internally.
The default behavior when the <em>-password</em> option is not specified is for
TLS to process the associated library callbacks by attempting to call
<strong>tls::password</strong>.
The difference between these two behaviors is a consequence of maintaining
compatibility with earlier implementations.
</p>
<p>
The <strong>tls::debug</strong> variable provides some additional
control over these reference callbacks. Its value is zero by default.
Higher values produce more diagnostic output, and will also force the
verify method in <strong>tls::callback</strong> to accept the
certificate, even when it is invalid.
</p>
<p>
<em>
The use of the reference callbacks <strong>tls::callback</strong> and
<strong>tls::password</strong> is not recommended. They may be removed
from future releases.
</em>
</p>
<p>
<em>
The use of the variable <strong>tls::debug</strong> is not recommended.
It may be removed from future releases.
</em>
</p>
<h3><a name="HTTPS EXAMPLE">HTTPS EXAMPLE</a></h3>
<p>This example uses a sample server.pem provided with the TLS release,
courtesy of the <strong>OpenSSL</strong> project.</p>
<pre><code>
package require http
package require tls
http::register https 443 [list ::tls::socket -autoservername true -require true -cadir /etc/ssl/certs]
set tok [http::geturl https://core.tcl-lang.org/]
</code></pre>
<h3><a name="SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS">SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS</a></h3>
<p>The capabilities of this package can vary enormously based
upon how your OpenSSL library was configured and built. At the
most macro-level OpenSSL supports a "no patents" build,
which disables RSA, IDEA, RC(2,4,5) and SSL2 - if your OpenSSL is
configured this way then you will need to build TLS with the
-DNO_PATENTS option - and the resultant module will function
correctly and also support ADH certificate-less encryption,
however you will be unable to utilize this to speak to normal Web
Servers, which typically require RSA support. Please see <a
href="http://www.openssl.org/">http://www.openssl.org/</a> for
more information on the whole issue of patents and US export
restrictions. </p>
<h3><a name="SEE ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></h3>
<p><strong>socket</strong>, <strong>fileevent</strong>, <a
href="http://www.openssl.org/"><strong>OpenSSL</strong></a></p>
<hr>
<pre>
Copyright © 1999 Matt Newman.
Copyright © 2004 Starfish Systems.
</pre>
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