SSL_need_tmp_rsa - handle RSA keys for ephemeral key exchange

SYNOPSIS

        #include <openssl/ssl.h>

        void SSL_CTX_set_tmp_rsa_callback(SSL_CTX *ctx,
                   RSA *(*tmp_rsa_callback)(SSL *ssl, int is_export, int keylength));
        long SSL_CTX_set_tmp_rsa(SSL_CTX *ctx, RSA *rsa);
        long SSL_CTX_need_tmp_rsa(SSL_CTX *ctx);

        void SSL_set_tmp_rsa_callback(SSL_CTX *ctx,
                   RSA *(*tmp_rsa_callback)(SSL *ssl, int is_export, int keylength));
        long SSL_set_tmp_rsa(SSL *ssl, RSA *rsa)
        long SSL_need_tmp_rsa(SSL *ssl)

        RSA *(*tmp_rsa_callback)(SSL *ssl, int is_export, int keylength));

DESCRIPTION

       SSL_CTX_set_tmp_rsa_callback() sets the callback function for ctx to be
       used when a temporary/ephemeral RSA key is required to tmp_rsa_call-
       back.  The callback is inherited by all SSL objects newly created from
       ctx with <SSL_new(3)|SSL_new(3)>. Already created SSL objects are not
       affected.

       SSL_CTX_set_tmp_rsa() sets the temporary/ephemeral RSA key to be used
       to be rsa. The key is inherited by all SSL objects newly created from
       ctx with <SSL_new(3)|SSL_new(3)>. Already created SSL objects are not
       affected.

       SSL_CTX_need_tmp_rsa() returns 1, if a temporary/ephemeral RSA key is
       needed for RSA-based strength-limited 'exportable' ciphersuites because
       a RSA key with a keysize larger than 512 bits is installed.

       SSL_set_tmp_rsa_callback() sets the callback only for ssl.

       SSL_set_tmp_rsa() sets the key only for ssl.

       SSL_need_tmp_rsa() returns 1, if a temporary/ephemeral RSA key is
       needed, for RSA-based strength-limited 'exportable' ciphersuites
       because a RSA key with a keysize larger than 512 bits is installed.

       These functions apply to SSL/TLS servers only.

NOTES

       When using a cipher with RSA authentication, an ephemeral RSA key
       exchange can take place. In this case the session data are negotiated
       using the ephemeral/temporary RSA key and the RSA key supplied and cer-
       tified by the certificate chain is only used for signing.

       Under previous export restrictions, ciphers with RSA keys shorter (512
       bits) than the usual key length of 1024 bits were created. To use these
       ciphers with RSA keys of usual length, an ephemeral key exchange must
       clients.  It is therefore strongly recommended to not use ephemeral RSA
       key exchange and use EDH (Ephemeral Diffie-Hellman) key exchange
       instead in order to achieve forward secrecy (see
       SSL_CTX_set_tmp_dh_callback(3)).

       On OpenSSL servers ephemeral RSA key exchange is therefore disabled by
       default and must be explicitly enabled  using the SSL_OP_EPHEMERAL_RSA
       option of SSL_CTX_set_options(3), violating the TLS/SSL standard. When
       ephemeral RSA key exchange is required for export ciphers, it will
       automatically be used without this option!

       An application may either directly specify the key or can supply the
       key via a callback function. The callback approach has the advantage,
       that the callback may generate the key only in case it is actually
       needed. As the generation of a RSA key is however costly, it will lead
       to a significant delay in the handshake procedure.  Another advantage
       of the callback function is that it can supply keys of different size
       (e.g. for SSL_OP_EPHEMERAL_RSA usage) while the explicit setting of the
       key is only useful for key size of 512 bits to satisfy the export
       restricted ciphers and does give away key length if a longer key would
       be allowed.

       The tmp_rsa_callback is called with the keylength needed and the
       is_export information. The is_export flag is set, when the ephemeral
       RSA key exchange is performed with an export cipher.

EXAMPLES

       Generate temporary RSA keys to prepare ephemeral RSA key exchange. As
       the generation of a RSA key costs a lot of computer time, they saved
       for later reuse. For demonstration purposes, two keys for 512 bits and
       1024 bits respectively are generated.

        ...
        /* Set up ephemeral RSA stuff */
        RSA *rsa_512 = NULL;
        RSA *rsa_1024 = NULL;

        rsa_512 = RSA_generate_key(512,RSA_F4,NULL,NULL);
        if (rsa_512 == NULL)
            evaluate_error_queue();

        rsa_1024 = RSA_generate_key(1024,RSA_F4,NULL,NULL);
        if (rsa_1024 == NULL)
          evaluate_error_queue();

        ...

        RSA *tmp_rsa_callback(SSL *s, int is_export, int keylength)
        {
           RSA *rsa_tmp=NULL;

           switch (keylength) {
           default:
             /* Generating a key on the fly is very costly, so use what is there */
             if (rsa_1024)
               rsa_tmp=rsa_1024;
             else
               rsa_tmp=rsa_512; /* Use at least a shorter key */
           }
           return(rsa_tmp);
        }

RETURN VALUES

       SSL_CTX_set_tmp_rsa_callback() and SSL_set_tmp_rsa_callback() do not
       return diagnostic output.

       SSL_CTX_set_tmp_rsa() and SSL_set_tmp_rsa() do return 1 on success and
       0 on failure. Check the error queue to find out the reason of failure.

       SSL_CTX_need_tmp_rsa() and SSL_need_tmp_rsa() return 1 if a temporary
       RSA key is needed and 0 otherwise.

SEE ALSO

       ssl(3), SSL_CTX_set_cipher_list(3), SSL_CTX_set_options(3),
       SSL_CTX_set_tmp_dh_callback(3), SSL_new(3), ciphers(1)



0.9.8d                            2001-09-06   SSL_CTX_set_tmp_rsa_callback(3)