Strongswan merge for Xenial

Mon Jan 25 03:38:24 UTC 2016

Hi Ryan,

On 2016-01-22 11:54 AM, Ryan Harper wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I've been working on merging[1] strongswan from Debian into Ubuntu for
> Xenial.  We've not completed a merge with Debian for some time (Feb 19,
> 2014 was the last time).  Ubuntu has been using version 5.1.2 since then
> but Debian and upstream have moved on.  Ubuntu has collected a large delta
> between Debian and with this merge I'm attempting to reduce the delta to
> ease merging in the future.  In particular, the major change would be to
> no longer create a package per-plugin and instead use the more general
> standard/extra plugin packages as in Debian.  Each plugin has an
> individual conf file which controls settings including whether to load or
> not.  Currently the default template conf files default to loading plugins
> if present;  it's not clear to me if this is a sensible default or if we
> should left them off by default.  Note that Strongswan doesn't currently
> have something akin to apache's a2enmod and a2dismod meaning users will
> need to edit conf as needed.  During this merge, I've also been using a
> git-based merge workflow and the git repo tracking it is available here[3].
> 
> Since the delta is large, I want to make sure that we document the changes
> and provide opportunity for users of Strongswan in Ubuntu to provide
> feedback and comments on this merge.  I've updated the package and placed
> it in a PPA[2].  

Awesome work!

> The remaining work items are:
>   - Adding in transitional virtual Packages for upgrade from 5.1.2-0ubuntu8
>   - Testing package upgrade

I upgraded one system so far and it went well.

>   - Attempting exercise various modes of Strongswan, including the TPM
>   enablement
>   - Continue dropping additional delta no longer needed
>   - Bug fixes (documenting which bugs this merge will resolve)

If you bring in the few changes from [5], almost every bug in LP against
Strongswan should be addressed.

> I also plan to discuss many of the Ubuntu changes with Debian maintainers
> to see if we can get some of the changes picked up there as well.

I quickly skimmed Debian bugs and some of them could be closed by
adopting some of the Ubuntu delta:

debian #803787: ntru/bliss support (only ntru is enabled in Ubuntu)
debian #739641: kernel-libipsec support

> Below are some of the various changes between 5.1.2-0ubuntu8 and 5.3.5-1
> (Debian) release.  
> 
>     - In Debian 5.3.5, there are 9 Packages defined in debian/control,
> and in 
>     Ubuntu 5.1.2-0ubuntu8 we have 70, mostly due to a binary per plugin
>     in Ubuntu.
> 
>     - Ubuntu also enables TNC Client and Server which requires enabling
>     and packaging different binaries and plugins.
>     https://wiki.strongswan.org/projects/1/wiki/TNCC
> 
>     - Ubuntu has AppArmor profiles for some binaries
> 
>     - Ubuntu updated start/stop scripts to use service instead of
>     invoke-rc.d (may be moot w.r.t systemd for Ubuntu) Debian builds
>     pt-tls-client but without TNC (Debian includes it in
>     libcharon-extra-plugins)
> 
>     - Ubuntu enables many additional options/features, including TPM support
>     (with-tss=trousers, libtspi-dev) and smartcard access (libpcsclite-dev)
> 
>     - Ubuntu enables (but Debian does not)
>         unbound
>         dnscert
>         ipseckey
>         coupling
>         imv-swid
>         imc-swid
>         tnc-ifmap
>         mysql
>         tnc-pdp
>         load-tester
>         whitelist
>         radattr
>         ntru
>         soup
>         sqlite
>         md4
>         eap-*

The acert plugin seems to be missing in your refreshed package. It was
previously enabled in Ubuntu and the provided functionality seems useful
[6].

>     - Debian enables (but Ubuntu does not)
>         ha (needs special kernel as per jpds)
> 
>     - Builddeps in Debian (but not Ubuntu)
>         clearsilver-dev
>         libfcgi-dev
> 
>     - Other Removals from Debian
>         *logcheck* files (not relevant to StrongSwan per jpds)

The logcheck files are really dated (see debian #787156) and I've
accumulated a few rules on my own. Even at the default log level charon
is very verbose so I think it makes sense to have the package shipping
logcheck rules. I'd be happy to provided those.

>     - Ubuntu builds with nostrip for integrity checking (TPM)
> 
>     - Ubuntu sets TESTS_REDUCED_KEYLENGTHS to generate smallest length key
>     for tests.
> 
> 
> Some additional changes which have raised some questions to which I don't
> know the answer; any input is helpful here.
> 
>     - Ubuntu drops install of debconf managed
>     /var/lib/strongswan/ipsec.conf.inc
> 
>     - Ubuntu force-building dhcp/farp instead of keeping under Linux-only

Debian #640928 says it's to support kFreeBSD. Those plugins require
CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE and/or CAP_NET_RAW so maybe that's the explanation?

>     - Debian still calls dh_installinit with ipsec vs
>     strongswan
> 
>     - dropped Debian's enabling IKEv1 and v2 by default?

Upstream's default when no specific version is configured is to use
IKEv2 when initiating and accept both when responding.

>     - Ubuntu systemd file differs from Debian and Upstream.
> 
>     - Ubuntu disable ha (claim in changelog says requires special kernel)
> 
>     - Ubuntu disables fastcgi (libfcgi)
> 
>     - Ubuntu disables clearsilver (as per MIR[4] noted discussion with
> upstream)
> 
> 
> Upstream changes in Strongswan since 5.1.2 that have an impact on the Ubuntu
> changes we're carrying.
> 
>     - libpts dropped in 5.2.1, affects tnc-base
> 
>     - no updown_espmark, updown manpage

updown_espmark was apparently created to support kernels < 2.6.16.

The updown man page will probably not be missed because the shell script
is well documented on its own.

>     - no openac, replaced with pki --acert command.
>     https://wiki.strongswan.org/projects/strongswan/wiki/OpenAc

If the acert plugin functionality is restored I believe this would be a
non issue.

> 1. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/strongswan/+bug/1535951
> 2. ppa:raharper/merges
> 3. https://code.launchpad.net/~raharper/ubuntu/+source/strongswan/+git/strongswan
> 4. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/strongswan/+bug/1266066

Regards,
Simon

5:
https://github.com/simondeziel/ubuntu-strongswan/tree/new/debian_copy_in_old/debian
6: https://wiki.strongswan.org/projects/strongswan/wiki/IpsecPkiAcert

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