Skip to content

Commit

Permalink
doc: add caveats of algs and key size in crypto
Browse files Browse the repository at this point in the history
Add description of user responsibility in the choice of cypto
algorithms and its key length. Some of recommendations for the safer
use are also described.

PR-URL: #3479
Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>
  • Loading branch information
Shigeki Ohtsu authored and jasnell committed Dec 17, 2015
1 parent 329e88e commit d1b5833
Showing 1 changed file with 36 additions and 15 deletions.
51 changes: 36 additions & 15 deletions doc/api/crypto.markdown
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -97,18 +97,18 @@ Creates and returns a hash object, a cryptographic hash with the given
algorithm which can be used to generate hash digests.

`algorithm` is dependent on the available algorithms supported by the
version of OpenSSL on the platform. Examples are `'sha1'`, `'md5'`,
`'sha256'`, `'sha512'`, etc. On recent releases, `openssl
version of OpenSSL on the platform. Examples are `'sha256'`,
`'sha512'`, etc. On recent releases, `openssl
list-message-digest-algorithms` will display the available digest
algorithms.

Example: this program that takes the sha1 sum of a file
Example: this program that takes the sha256 sum of a file

var filename = process.argv[2];
var crypto = require('crypto');
var fs = require('fs');

var shasum = crypto.createHash('sha1');
var shasum = crypto.createHash('sha256');

var s = fs.ReadStream(filename);
s.on('data', function(d) {
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -511,21 +511,21 @@ expected.
## crypto.getDiffieHellman(group_name)

Creates a predefined Diffie-Hellman key exchange object. The
supported groups are: `'modp1'`, `'modp2'`, `'modp5'` (defined in [RFC
2412][]) and `'modp14'`, `'modp15'`, `'modp16'`, `'modp17'`,
`'modp18'` (defined in [RFC 3526][]). The returned object mimics the
interface of objects created by [crypto.createDiffieHellman()][]
above, but will not allow to change the keys (with
[diffieHellman.setPublicKey()][] for example). The advantage of using
this routine is that the parties don't have to generate nor exchange
group modulus beforehand, saving both processor and communication
time.
supported groups are: `'modp1'`, `'modp2'`, `'modp5'` (defined in
[RFC 2412][], but see [Caveats](#crypto_caveats)) and `'modp14'`,
`'modp15'`, `'modp16'`, `'modp17'`, `'modp18'` (defined in
[RFC 3526][]). The returned object mimics the interface of objects
created by [crypto.createDiffieHellman()][] above, but will not allow
changing the keys (with [diffieHellman.setPublicKey()][] for example).
The advantage of using this routine is that the parties do not have to
generate nor exchange group modulus beforehand, saving both processor
and communication time.

Example (obtaining a shared secret):

var crypto = require('crypto');
var alice = crypto.getDiffieHellman('modp5');
var bob = crypto.getDiffieHellman('modp5');
var alice = crypto.getDiffieHellman('modp14');
var bob = crypto.getDiffieHellman('modp14');

alice.generateKeys();
bob.generateKeys();
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -768,6 +768,26 @@ default, set the `crypto.DEFAULT_ENCODING` field to 'binary'. Note
that new programs will probably expect buffers, so only use this as a
temporary measure.

## Caveats

The crypto module still supports some algorithms which are already
compromised. And the API also allows the use of ciphers and hashes
with a small key size that are considered to be too weak for safe use.

Users should take full responsibility for selecting the crypto
algorithm and key size according to their security requirements.

Based on the recommendations of [NIST SP 800-131A]:

- MD5 and SHA-1 are no longer acceptable where collision resistance is
required such as digital signatures.
- The key used with RSA, DSA and DH algorithms is recommended to have
at least 2048 bits and that of the curve of ECDSA and ECDH at least
224 bits, to be safe to use for several years.
- The DH groups of `modp1`, `modp2` and `modp5` have a key size
smaller than 2048 bits and are not recommended.

See the reference for other recommendations and details.

[createCipher()]: #crypto_crypto_createcipher_algorithm_password
[createCipheriv()]: #crypto_crypto_createcipheriv_algorithm_key_iv
Expand All @@ -779,3 +799,4 @@ temporary measure.
[RFC 3526]: http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3526.txt
[crypto.pbkdf2]: #crypto_crypto_pbkdf2_password_salt_iterations_keylen_digest_callback
[EVP_BytesToKey]: https://www.openssl.org/docs/crypto/EVP_BytesToKey.html
[NIST SP 800-131A]: http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-131A/sp800-131A.pdf

0 comments on commit d1b5833

Please sign in to comment.