If you used(and choose proper option) the recommended plugin installation option presented in this chapter, you have already created the first signing key, so you can skip this part of the tutorial. The following section is needed for alternative ways for plugin installation or when you want to create another signing key.
Create a Signing Key
To proceed with docker signing it is important to first specify the signing key which will be used to sign the images.
Prepare Docker Image Signing Key parameters
All parameters needed for any Securosys Docker Signing Notation Plugin command must be provided in the correct JSON format. We recommend preparing all parameters in a text editor before executing any command. Examples of properly formatted parameter input are available in input_example.json, as extracted and moved in chapter.
The input_example.json file isn't utilized directly by any command but assists in preparing necessary values to copy/past during command execution and indicates the correct JSON structure.
Go to section "describe-key" in the input_example.json file and prepare the key parameters (use any editor you are familiar with):
vi ~/Downloads/Securosys/securosys_docker-signing-notation-plugin-configuration-latest/config-files/input_example.json
Example parameters - "describe-key":
{
"contractVersion" : "1.0",
"keyId": "pluginKeyId",
"pluginConfig" : {
"keyType":"RSA-2048",
"password":"optional",
"keyWithPolicy": "No",
"policy":"absolutePath/policy.json"
}
}
Replace the variables with your specific parameters:
| Command parameters | Command and parameter description |
|---|---|
"contractVersion": "1.0" | Notation supported-contract-version. The current plugin contract version is "1.0" |
"keyId": "keyLabel" | Specify the key identifier (key name) associated with your signing key name. |
"keyType":"RSA-2048" | Specify the key type for the command. Supported key types:RSA-2048, RSA-3072, RSA-4096. |
["password":"optional"] | Optionally set the password for the signing key. Omit the parameter completely to generate a key without a password. |
"keyWithPolicy": "No" | If a key without an SKA policy is to be created set the parameter to "No" and omit the "policy" parameters. If a key with an SKA policy will be created omit this whole parameter. |
"policy":"absolutePath/policy.json" | Provide the path to a .json file with the SKA policy for multi-authorization. Omit this parameter if "keyWithPolicy": "No" parameter is used. |
"keyWithPolicy": "No" and "policy":"absolutePath/policy.json" | If all two parameters are omitted the describe-key command creates a key with an empty (but not null) SKA policy. It is not recommended to use this option. |
The Smart Key Attribute (SKA) policy concept provides the flexibility to define policies of any complexity grade to approve the issuance of a signature. The SKA policies contain the rules for key usage, blocking of key usage, unblocking of key usage, modification of rule. For every rule individual quorum (AND, OR), time limits and time locks can be set.
View more details on Smart Key Attribute
If you intend to utilize one of our approval applications (e.g., mobile applications) in conjunction with the Docker Signing Notation Plugin, please reach out to Securosys for further assistance.
Example of an SKA policy
In the provided example, the SKA policy for a Docker image signing key mandates that key usage necessitates approval from a single approver (DevOpsSigner1) within 1 hour of the signing request. However, policies for blocking, unblocking the signing key, or modifying the SKA policy are not established.
Example of a SKA policy (partial):
{
"ruleUse": {
"tokens": [
{
"name": "string",
"timelock": 0,
"timeout": 0,
"groups": [
{
"name": "string",
"quorum": 1,
"approvals": [
{
"type": "onboarded_approver_certificate",
"name": "devops-sebastianfernandez@securosys.com"
}
]
}
]
}
]
},
"ruleBlock": {
"tokens": [
{
"name": "string",
"timelock": 0,
"timeout": 0,
"groups": [
{
"name": "string",
"quorum": 1,
"approvals": [
{
"type": "onboarded_approver_certificate",
"name": "devops-sebastianfernandez@securosys.com"
}
]
}
]
}
]
},
"ruleUnblock": {
"tokens": [
{
"name": "string",
"timelock": 0,
"timeout": 0,
"groups": [
{
"name": "string",
"quorum": 1,
"approvals": [
{
"type": "onboarded_approver_certificate",
"name": "devops-sebastianfernandez@securosys.com"
}
]
}
]
}
]
},
"ruleModify": {
"tokens": [
{
"name": "string",
"timelock": 0,
"timeout": 0,
"groups": [
{
"name": "string",
"quorum": 1,
"approvals": [
{
"type": "onboarded_approver_certificate",
"name": "devops-sebastianfernandez@securosys.com"
}
]
}
]
}
]
},
"keyStatus": {
"blocked": false
}
}
SKA policy command parameters description:
| Command parameters | Command and parameter description |
|---|---|
"ruleUse" | Usage e.g. for signing or decryption (private key cryptographic operations) |
"ruleBlock" | Blocking a key from being used, prevents signing and decryption. |
"ruleUnblock" | Unblocking a key if it is blocked. |
"ruleModify" | Changing the authorization attributes (rules). |
"timeout" | The maximum time between raising the signing request and its authorization. Note: Time restrictions are defined in seconds and must be multiples of 60. |
"quorum" | N out of M authorizations is required for authorizing the request Note: Since we have 1 Approver in this sample, we are defining the quorum to 1. |
"approvals" | Type: public_key or certificateName: If type public_key is used this field is mandatory and describes the name of the approver.If type certificate is used the CN (Common Name) of the certificate is used, remove this field name in case you are using type certificate.Value: The public_key bytes or the certificate in pem format.Note: if present remove ---BEGIN CERTIFICATE--- and ---END CERTIFICATE--- |
Create Docker Image-Signing-Key using "describe-key" Command
The describe-key command is utilized to generate a key on the Securosys Primus HSM/CloudHSM with the provided parameters.
You can use this command to modify the SKA policy as well.
Navigate to the directory {BINARY_PATH} where the notation-securosys plugin binary is saved.
Execute the following command to create the Image-Signing-Key:
./notation-securosys describe-key
Command parameter and description:
| Command parameters | Command and parameter description |
|---|---|
"CONFIG_PATH=PLUGIN_CONFIG_PATH/config.json" | The path to the Securosys Docker Image Signing Plugin configuration file. To be added in front of the command only if the environment variable is not set as described in chapter. |
"./notation-securosys" | Command to execute the notation plugin. If the user is not within the same directory where the plugin binary is saved an absolute path to the binary must be specified. Example of an absolute path to the plugin binary for Linux Ubuntu operating system: /home/securosys/.config/notation/plugins/securosys/notation-securosys. |
"describe-key" | This command is used to get metadata for a given key. If the key does not exist, the key is created from the specified parameters. |
Example command to generate an image-signing-key, add the parameters in correct json format as prepared in input_example.json:
./notation-securosys describe-key
{
"contractVersion" : "1.0",
"keyId": "SecurosysImageSignKey01",
"pluginConfig" : {
"keyType":"RSA-2048",
"keyWithPolicy": "No"
}
}
Ensure the accuracy of your JSON command parameters by validating them with an online JSON format validator tool, such as here.
If the command is successful, the output should show:
{
"keyId" : "SecurosysImageSignKey01",
"keySpec" : "RSA-2048"
}
Optionally, view the key via the TSB swagger-UI by accessing the key store with GET /v1/key command.
Adding the signing key
To allow Notation to use the signing key specified in the previous chapter, it must be added to the list of keys used for signing. It also creates the relationship between signing key and the plugin within Notation.
To add a key, please execute the following command:
notation key add "notationKeyId" --id "pluginKeyId" --plugin securosys --plugin-config keyType="RSA-2048" [--plugin-config password="abcd"]
Command parameter and description:
| Command parameters | Command and parameter description |
|---|---|
notation key add "notationKeyId" | This command associates the plugin and notation signing key. Replace the variable with a friendly key name to refer to during signing operations from the Notation CLI. |
--id "pluginKeyId" | Replace the variable with your image signing key identifier "keyID", specified in previous chapter. |
--plugin securosys | Specify the directory name containing Securosys Docker Signing Notation Plugin binary, must remain securosys. |
--plugin-config | Specify the key type and or password of your signing key. Supported configurations: - keyType="RSA-2048", Supported key types: "RSA-2048", "RSA-3072", "RSA-4096"- password="abcd" Specify the password of the key. Exclude if no password is set for signing key. |
Example command, for simplicity the identical key name is used in Notation and the plugin (HSM):
notation key add "SecurosysImageSignKey01" --id "SecurosysImageSignKey01" --plugin securosys --plugin-config keyType="RSA-2048"
If the command is successful, the output should show:
SecurosysImageSignKey01
The response after successfully adding the key will return the signing notationKeyId. In case the key name already exists, an error message will be shown. By adding a key, the key parameters will be added to the signingkeys.json file in the {NOTATION_CONFIG} directory, as described in this chapter.
Example of (the newly created) signingkeys.json file:
{
"keys": {
{
"name": "SecurosysImageSignKey01",
"id": "SecurosysImageSignKey01",
"pluginName": "securosys",
"pluginConfig": {
"keyType": "RSA-2048"
}
}
}
}
The notation key list command of Notation offers a possibility to list all keys. Use this command to easily verify if the key has been created or to check if a certain key label has already been used.
List all keys added to notation:
notation key list
NAME KEY PATH CERTIFICATE PATH ID PLUGIN NAME
SecurosysSignCert-RST01 SecurosysImageSignKey01 securosys
After the key has been added proceed to generate a certificate.