From: Ivo Timmermans Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2000 15:07:41 +0000 (+0000) Subject: Updated text, removed protocol flowchart X-Git-Tag: release-1.0pre3~127 X-Git-Url: https://tinc-vpn.org/git/browse?a=commitdiff_plain;h=45ea3ca432a031ff1b8072d934709aadaae12534;p=tinc Updated text, removed protocol flowchart --- diff --git a/doc/PROTOCOL b/doc/PROTOCOL index 6b8f9fac..8d7007a4 100644 --- a/doc/PROTOCOL +++ b/doc/PROTOCOL @@ -1,96 +1,97 @@ This is the protocol documentation for tinc, a Virtual Private Network daemon. - Copyright 2000 Guus Sliepen + Copyright 2000 Guus Sliepen , + 2000 Ivo Timmmermans Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of - this documentation provided the copyright notice and this permission - notice are preserved on all copies. + this documentation provided the copyright notice and this + permission notice are preserved on all copies. - Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions - of this documentation under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided - that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under - the terms of a permission notice identical to this one. + Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of + this documentation under the conditions for verbatim copying, + provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed + under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one. - $Id: PROTOCOL,v 1.1.2.2 2000/07/01 14:32:24 guus Exp $ + $Id: PROTOCOL,v 1.1.2.3 2000/09/10 15:07:41 zarq Exp $ -1. Protocols used in tinc +1. Protocols used in tinc ------------------------- -Tinc uses several protocols to function correctly. To enter the network of tinc -daemons that make up the virtual private network, tinc makes TCP connections to -other tinc daemons. It uses the "meta protocol" for these connections. To -exchange packets on the virtual network, UDP connections are made and the -"packet protocol" is used. Tinc also needs to exchange network packets with the -kernel. This is done using the ethertap device in Linux. Also planned is a -generic PPP interface, because it is supported on virtually all UNIX flavours. -The protocols for those interfaces will not be described in this document. +tinc uses several protocols to function correctly. To enter the +network of tinc daemons that make up the virtual private network, tinc +makes TCP connections to other tinc daemons. It uses the "meta +protocol" for these connections. To exchange packets on the virtual +network, UDP connections are made and the "packet protocol" is used. +Tinc also needs to exchange network packets with the kernel. This is +done using the ethertap device in Linux. Also planned is a generic +PPP interface, because it is supported on virtually all UNIX flavours. +The protocols for those interfaces will not be described in this +document. -2. Packet protocol +2. Packet protocol ------------------ -See net.h for now. +Normal packets are sent without any state information, so the layout +is pretty basic. An exception to this are the connections which only +use TCP (configured with the directive `TCPonly=yes'). An explanation +of this type of packet is given in the next chapter, when we explain +the meta protocol. -3. Meta protocol +A data packet can only be sent if the encryption key is known to both +parties, and the connection is activated. Normally, tinc opens a UDP +connection when it receives an acknowledgement that the newly set up +connection is properly initiated, and has been verified. + + 0 1 2 3 +| SOURCE IP | +| SEQUENCE ID | +| LEN | DATA : \ +: DATA . } encrypted +. : / + . + + +3. Meta protocol ---------------- -The meta protocol is used to tie all tinc daemons together, and exchange -information about which tinc daemon serves which virtual subnet. - -The meta protocol consists of requests that can be sent to the other side. Each -request has a unique number and several parameters. All requests are represented -in the standard ASCII character set. It is possible to use tools such as telnet -or netcat to connect to a tinc daemon and to read and write requests by hand, -provided that one understands the numeric codes sent. - -When tinc daemons connect to each other, they will have to authenticate each -other first. This is done by exchanging BASIC_INFO, PASSPHRASE, PUBLIC_KEY and -ACK requests. BASIC_INFO requests contain the virtual address and netmask of the -tinc daemon, protocol version, port number and flags. This identifies that tinc -daemon, though it still has to be verified. To that end, passphrases and public -keys are exchanged. The passphrases are known at both ends, but they are -encrypted with the public key before transmission. This way, nobody that sniffs -the network can see what the passphrase actually was, and at the same time this -ensures that the other host really knows the secret key that belongs to the -public key it sends. If both hosts are satisfied, the connection is activated, -the contents of each other's connection lists are exchanged and other requests -may be sent. The following diagram shows how authentication is done: +The meta protocol is used to tie all tinc daemons together, and +exchange information about which tinc daemon serves which virtual +subnet. + +The meta protocol consists of requests that can be sent to the other +side. Each request has a unique number and several parameters. All +requests are represented in the standard ASCII character set. It is +possible to use tools such as telnet or netcat to connect to a tinc +daemon and to read and write requests by hand, provided that one +understands the numeric codes sent. + +When tinc daemons connect to each other, they will have to +authenticate each other first. This is done by exchanging BASIC_INFO, +PASSPHRASE, PUBLIC_KEY and ACK requests. BASIC_INFO requests contain +the virtual address and netmask of the tinc daemon, protocol version, +port number and flags. This identifies that tinc daemon, though it +still has to be verified. To that end, passphrases and public keys are +exchanged. The passphrases are known at both ends, but they are +encrypted with the public key before transmission. This way, nobody +that sniffs the network can see what the passphrase actually was, and +at the same time this ensures that the other host really knows the +secret key that belongs to the public key it sends. If both hosts are +satisfied, the connection is activated, the contents of each other's +connection lists are exchanged and other requests may be sent. The +following diagram shows how authentication is done: Client Server ---------------------------------------------------------------- -Connects to server: - Accepts connection. - Sends BASIC_INFO: -Verifies BASIC_INFO. -If server is already in -connection list, abort. -Else sends his own BASIC_INFO: - Verifies BASIC_INFO. - If client is alread in - connection list, remove - old entry. - Sends PASSPHRASE: -Receives and stores PASSPHRASE. -Sends his own PASSPHRASE: - Receives and stores PASSPHRASE. - Sends PUBLIC_KEY: -Verifies PUBLIC key and stored -PASSPHRASE. If wrong, abort. -Else sends his own PUBLIC_KEY: - Verifies PUBLIC key and stored - PASSPHRASE. If wrong, abort. - Else activates connection and - sends ACK and ADD_HOSTs for all - known hosts. -Receives ACK and activates -connection. -Sends ADD_HOSTs for all known -hosts. + + ---------------------------------------------------------------- -The client must never make a connection to a server that is already in it's -connection list. Not only would it corrupt the connection list, but it would -also violate the tree property. The meta connections must always be so that -there are no loops. This is very important, because certain requests are -broadcast over the entire network of tinc daemons. If there were loops, packets -would be sent infinitely. +The client must never make a connection to a server that is already in +it's connection list. Not only would it corrupt the connection list, +but it would also violate the tree property. The meta connections must +always be so that there are no loops. This is very important, because +certain requests are broadcast over the entire network of tinc +daemons. If there were loops in the network topology, some packets +would be forwarded in a ring until the end of times (or until the ring +breaks, which probably happens before time ends).