Deal with GnuTLS DH generation overshoot

[exim.git] / doc / doc-docbook / spec.xfpt

diff --git a/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt b/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
index 75a5ac02c76597e73bcf9e0c94e21d790bbd7bda..9c2bf199f7ede21fe2d9cbe8fb559afc27b84cc8 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
+++ b/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
@@ -6026,16 +6026,16 @@ that it implements the details of the specific authentication mechanism,
 i.e. PLAIN or LOGIN. The &%server_advertise_condition%& setting controls
 when Exim offers authentication to clients; in the examples, this is only
 when TLS or SSL has been started, so to enable the authenticators you also
 i.e. PLAIN or LOGIN. The &%server_advertise_condition%& setting controls
 when Exim offers authentication to clients; in the examples, this is only
 when TLS or SSL has been started, so to enable the authenticators you also

-need to add support for TLS as described in &<<SECTdefconfmain>>&.
+need to add support for TLS as described in section &<<SECTdefconfmain>>&.

 
 The &%server_condition%& setting defines how to verify that the username and
 password are correct. In the examples it just produces an error message.
 To make the authenticators work, you can use a string expansion
 
 The &%server_condition%& setting defines how to verify that the username and
 password are correct. In the examples it just produces an error message.
 To make the authenticators work, you can use a string expansion

-expression like one of the examples in &<<CHAPplaintext>>&.
+expression like one of the examples in chapter &<<CHAPplaintext>>&.

 
 Beware that the sequence of the parameters to PLAIN and LOGIN differ; the
 
 Beware that the sequence of the parameters to PLAIN and LOGIN differ; the

-usercode and password are in different positions.  &<<CHAPplaintext>>&
-covers both.
+usercode and password are in different positions.
+Chapter &<<CHAPplaintext>>& covers both.

 
 .ecindex IIDconfiwal
 
 
 .ecindex IIDconfiwal
 


@@ -15697,6 +15697,10 @@ by Thunderbird, while GnuTLS was suggesting 2432 bits as normal.
 
 If you prefer more security and are willing to break some clients, raise this
 number.
 
 If you prefer more security and are willing to break some clients, raise this
 number.

+
+Note that the value passed to GnuTLS for *generating* a new prime may be a
+little less than this figure, because GnuTLS is inexact and may produce a
+larger prime than requested.

 .wen
 
 
 .wen
 
 


@@ -15708,8 +15712,8 @@ This is used only for OpenSSL. When Exim is linked with GnuTLS, this option is
 ignored. See section &<<SECTopenvsgnu>>& for further details.
 
 .new
 ignored. See section &<<SECTopenvsgnu>>& for further details.
 
 .new

-If the DH bit-count from loading the file is greater than tls_dh_max_bits then
-it will be ignored.
+If the DH bit-count from loading the file is greater than &%tls_dh_max_bits$&
+then it will be ignored.

 .wen
 
 
 .wen
 
 


@@ -25070,6 +25074,10 @@ renaming. The relevant commands are something like this:
 # chown exim:exim new-params
 # chmod 0600 new-params
 # certtool --generate-dh-params --bits 2236 >>new-params
 # chown exim:exim new-params
 # chmod 0600 new-params
 # certtool --generate-dh-params --bits 2236 >>new-params

+# openssl dhparam -noout -text -in new-params | head
+[ check the first line, make sure it's not more than 2236;
+  if it is, then go back to the start ("rm") and repeat
+  until the size generated is at most the size requested ]

 # chmod 0400 new-params
 # mv new-params gnutls-params-2236
 .endd
 # chmod 0400 new-params
 # mv new-params gnutls-params-2236
 .endd


@@ -25092,6 +25100,12 @@ The filename and bits used will change as the GnuTLS maintainers change the
 value for their parameter &`GNUTLS_SEC_PARAM_NORMAL`&, as clamped by
 &%tls_dh_max_bits%&.  At the time of writing (mid 2012), GnuTLS 2.12 recommends
 2432 bits, while NSS is limited to 2236 bits.
 value for their parameter &`GNUTLS_SEC_PARAM_NORMAL`&, as clamped by
 &%tls_dh_max_bits%&.  At the time of writing (mid 2012), GnuTLS 2.12 recommends
 2432 bits, while NSS is limited to 2236 bits.

+
+In fact, the requested value will be *lower* than &%tls_dh_max_bits%&, to
+increase the chance of the generated prime actually being within acceptable
+bounds, as GnuTLS has been observed to overshoot.  Note the check step in the
+procedure above.  There is no sane procedure available to Exim to double-check
+the size of the generated prime, so it might still be too large.

 .wen
 
 
 .wen