1 TODO for 1.2 And Beyond
2 =======================
4 NOTE: Any item that doesn't have (***DONE) in it, isn't done yet. The
5 (***TESTING NEEDED) means that the item has been done but not yet properly
8 NOTE: A TODO entry does not mean that it is ever going to be done. Some
9 of the entries may be just ideas, good, bad or ugly. If you want to work
10 on some of the TODO entries simply let us know about it by dropping a note
11 to silc-devel mailing list or appear on 'silc' channel on SILCNet.
17 o Create apps/tutorial containing various Toolkit API tutorials.
19 o The Toolkit split. The Toolkit is to be splitted in parts. How many
20 parts and what the parts are isn't decided yet. Each part is a separate
21 software package. Current thinking is of the following:
23 SILC Toolkit SILC protocol, client and server library
24 SILC Runtime Toolkit runtime library
25 SILC Crypto Toolkit crypto, asn1, math, skr, pgp, etc.
27 The rationale for this is of course that other than SILC projects
28 might like to use the various libraries SILC Toolkit provides, but
29 naturally they don't want the bloat of SILC protocol related stuff.
31 The Runtime library in SILC Toolkit is a general purpose runtime library,
32 like Glib and APR are. The runtime library is to be developed further
33 to provide alternative to Glib and APR.
35 The Crypto library in SILC Toolkit is a general purpose crypto library
36 providing pretty nice APIs compared to many other crypto libraries,
37 especially OpenSSL. The Crypto library is to be developed further
38 to include support for OpenPGP, X.509 and SSH2.
44 o SILC_PACKET_FLAG_ACK support. Implement ACK packet and packet payload
47 o All payload encoding routines should take SilcStack as argument.
49 o Remove SilcCommandCb from silccommand.h.
51 o All payload test routines into lib/silccore/tests/.
54 lib/silcclient, The Client Library
55 ==================================
57 o Giving WHOIS for nick that doesn't exist should remove any same
58 named entries from the client cache.
60 o peer-to-peer private messages
62 o Private message key request notification to application. See XXX in
65 o in JOIN notify handle resolving that timedout. Currently the user is
66 never joined the channel if this happens. What to do if message is
67 received from user that hasn't been resolved/joined?
69 o Message ACKing support.
71 o in /cmode and /cumode with +r, maybe the public key and private key
72 could be just some "string", which would then match to "string.pub" and
75 o If the SILC Events (see below) are implemented, perhaps client library
76 should provide events so that application developer has a choice of
77 developing the SILC app with callbacks or with events.
80 Runtime library, lib/silcutil/
81 ==============================
83 o Fix universal time decoding (doesn't accept all formats) in silctime.c.
85 o Add functions to manipulate environment variables.
87 SilcBool silc_setenv(const char *variable, const char *value);
88 const char *silc_getenv(const char *variable);
89 SilcBool silc_clearenv(const char *variable);
91 o Add functions to loading shared/dynamic object symbols (replaces the
92 SIM library (lib/silcsim) and introduces generic library). Add this
93 to lib/silcutil/silcdll.[ch].
95 SilcDll silc_dll_load(const char *object_path, SilcDllFlags flags);
96 void silc_dll_close(SilcDll dll);
97 void *silc_dll_getsym(SilcDll dll, const char *symbol);
98 const char *silc_dll_error(SilcDll dll);
100 o Add directory opening/traversing functions
102 o silc_getopt routines
104 o silc_hash_table_replace -> silc_hash_table_set. Retain support for
105 silc_hash_table_replace as macro.
107 o The SILC Event signals. Asynchronous events that can be created,
108 connected to and signalled. Either own event routines or glued into
111 SilcTask silc_schedule_task_add_event(SilcSchedule schedule,
112 const char *event, ...);
113 SilcBool silc_schedule_event_connect(SilcSchedule schedule,
115 SilcTaskCallback event_callback,
117 SilcBool silc_schedule_event_signal(SilcSchedule schedule,
118 const char *event, ...);
121 silc_schedule_task_add_event(schedule, "connected",
125 silc_schedule_event_connect(schedule, "connected", connected_cb, ctx);
126 silc_schedule_event_signal(schedule, "connected", integer, buf,
128 SILC_TASK_CALLBACK(connected_cb)
130 FooCtx ctx = context;
135 va_start(args, context);
136 integer = va_arg(args, SilcUInt32);
137 buf = va_arg(args, SilcBuffer);
142 Problems: Events would be SilcSchedule specific, and would not work on
143 multi-thread/multi-scheduler system. The events should be copyable
144 between schedulers. Another problem is the signal delivery. Do we
145 deliver them synchronously possibly from any thread to any other thread
146 or do we deliver them through the target schedulers. If we use the
147 schedulers then signalling would be asynchronous (data must be
148 duplicated and later freed) which is not very nice.
150 o If the event signals are added, the SILC_PARAM_* stuff needs to be
151 moved from silcbuffmt.h to silctypes.h or something similar.
153 o In case the SILC Events are done we shall create a new concept of
154 parent and child SilcSchedule's. When new SilcSchedule is created a
155 parent can be associated to it. This association could be done either
156 directly by the parent or by any other children. This way the signals
157 would in effect be global and would reach all children schedulers.
159 This relationship would be associative only. The schedulers are still
160 independent and run independently from each other. All schedulers
161 would be linked and could be accessed from any of the schedulers.
162 It should be possible to retrieve the parent and enumate all children
163 from any of the schedulers.
165 SilcSchedule silc_schedule_init(int max_tasks, void *app_context,
166 SilcSchedule parent);
167 SilcSchedule silc_schedule_get_parent(SilcSchedule schedule);
169 o Additional scheduler changes: optimize silc_schedule_wakeup. Wakeup
170 only if the scheduler is actually waiting something. If it is
171 delivering tasks wakeup is not needed.
173 o Structured log messages to Log API. Allows machine readable log
174 messages. Would allow sending of any kind of data in a log message.
176 o Base64 to an own API
180 o Add builtin SOCKS and HTTP Proxy support, well the SOCKS at least.
181 SILC currently supports SOCKS4 and SOCKS5 but it needs to be compiled
184 o silc_stringprep to non-allocating version.
186 o SilcStack aware SilcHashTable.
188 o SilcStack aware SilcDList.
190 o Thread pool API. Add this to lib/silcutil/silcthread.[ch].
192 typedef void (*SilcThreadPoolFunc)(SilcSchedule schedule,
195 /* Allocate thread pool with at least `min_threads' and at most
196 `max_threads' many threads. If `stack' is non-NULL all memory
197 is allocated from the `stack'. If `start_min_threads' is TRUE
198 this will start `min_threads' many threads immediately. */
199 SilcThreadPool silc_thread_pool_alloc(SilcStack stack,
200 SilcUInt32 min_threads,
201 SilcUInt32 max_threads,
202 SilcBool start_min_threads);
204 /* Free thread pool. If `wait_unfinished' is TRUE this will block
205 and waits that all remaining active threads finish before freeing
207 void silc_thread_pool_free(SilcThreadPool tp, SilcBool wait_unfinished);
209 /* Run `run' function with `run_context' in one of the threads in the
210 thread pool. Returns FALSE if the thread pool is being freed. If
211 there are no free threads left in the pool this will queue the
212 the `run' and will call it once a thread becomes free.
214 If `completion' is non-NULL it will be called to indicate completion
215 of the `run' function. If `schedule' is non-NULL the `completion'
216 will be called through the scheduler in the main thread. If it is
217 NULL the `completion' is called directly from the thread after the
218 `run' has returned. */
219 SilcBool silc_thread_pool_run(SilcThreadPool tp,
220 SilcSchedule schedule,
221 SilcThreadPoolFunc run,
223 SilcThreadPoolFunc completion,
224 void *completion_context);
226 /* Modify the amount of maximum threads of the pool. */
227 void silc_thread_pool_set_max_threads(SilcThreadPool tp,
228 SilcUInt32 max_threads);
230 /* Returns the amount of maximum size the pool can grow. */
231 SilcUInt32 silc_thread_pool_num_max_threads(SilcThreadPool tp);
233 /* Returns the amount of free threads in the pool currently. */
234 SilcUInt32 silc_thread_pool_num_free_threads(SilcThreadPool tp);
236 /* Stops all free and started threads. The minumum amount of threads
237 specified to silc_thread_pool_alloc always remains. */
238 void silc_thread_pool_purge(SilcThreadPool tp);
240 o Fast mutex implementation. Fast rwlock implementation. Mutex and
241 rwlock implementation using atomic operations.
243 o Compression routines are missing. The protocol supports packet
244 compression thus it must be implemented. SILC Zip API must be
247 o Add new functions to SilcStack API in lib/silcutil/silcstack.[ch]. Add
248 silc_stack_[set|get]_alignment. It defines the default alignment used
249 when allocating memory from stack. It can be used to specify special
250 alignments too when needed (such as for hardware devices like crypto
251 accelerators). Move also the low level silc_stack_malloc and
252 silc_stack_realloc from silcstack_i.h to silcstack.h. Remove the
253 _ua unaligned memory allocation routines. Remove unaligned memory
254 allocation possibility.
256 (o Generic SilcStatus or SilcResult that includes all possible status and
257 error conditions, including those of SILC protocol. Though, the SILC
258 protocol related status (currently in silcstatus.h) cannot be in
259 runtime library) maybe
261 (o SILC specific socket creation/closing routines to silcnet.h, wrappers
262 to all send(), recv(), sendto() etc. Bad thing is that we'd have to
263 define all socket options, sockaddrs, etc.) maybe
268 lib/silcutil/symbian/
269 =====================
271 o Something needs to be thought to the logging globals as well,
272 like silc_debug etc. They won't work on EPOC. Perhaps logging
273 and debugging is to be disabled on EPOC. The logging currently works
274 by it cannot be controlled, same with debugging.
277 SFTP Library, lib/silcsftp/
278 ===========================
280 o Read prefetch (read-ahead, reading ahead of time). Maybe if this can
284 SKR Library, lib/silcskr/
285 =========================
287 o Add fingerprint as search constraint.
289 o Add OpenPGP support. Adding, removing, fetching PGP keys. (Keyring
292 o Add support for importing public keys from a directory and/or from a
293 file. Add support for exporting the repository (different formats for
294 different key types?).
296 o Change the entire silc_skr_find API. Remove SilcSKRFind and just simply
297 add the find constraints as variable argument list to silc_skr_find, eg:
299 silc_skr_find(skr, schedule, callback, context,
300 SILC_SKR_FIND_PUBLIC_KEY, public_key,
301 SILC_SKR_FIND_COUNTRY, "FI",
302 SILC_SKR_FIND_USAGE, SILC_SKR_USAGE_AUTH,
305 NULL argument would be ignored and skipped.
307 o Add OR logical rule in addition of the current default AND, eg:
309 // Found key(s) MUST have this public key AND this country.
310 silc_skr_find(skr, schedule, callback, context,
311 SILC_SKR_FIND_RULE_AND,
312 SILC_SKR_FIND_PUBLIC_KEY, public_key,
313 SILC_SKR_FIND_COUNTRY, "FI",
316 // Found key(s) MUST have this public key OR this key context
317 silc_skr_find(skr, schedule, callback, context,
318 SILC_SKR_FIND_RULE_OR,
319 SILC_SKR_FIND_PUBLIC_KEY, public_key,
320 SILC_SKR_FIND_CONTEXT, key_context,
323 o SilcStack to SKR API.
326 Crypto Library, lib/silccrypt/
327 ==============================
331 o Add fingerprint to SilcSILCPublicKey and retrieval to silcpk.h, and
332 possibly to silcpkcs.h.
334 /* Return fingerprint of the `public_key'. Returns also the algorithm
335 that has been used to make the fingerprint. */
336 const unsigned char *
337 silc_pkcs_get_fingerprint(SilcPublicKey public_key,
338 const char **hash_algorithm,
339 SilcUInt32 *fingerprint_len);
341 o Change SILC PKCS API to asynchronous, so that accelerators can be used.
342 All PKCS routines should now take callbacks as argument and they should
343 be delivered to SilcPKCSObject and SilcPKCSAlgorithm too.
345 /* Signature computation callback */
346 typedef void (*SilcPKCSSignCb)(SilcBool success,
347 const unsigned char *signature,
348 SilcUInt32 signature_len,
351 /* Signature verification callback */
352 typedef void (*SilcPKCSVerifyCb)(SilcBool success, void *context);
354 /* Encryption callback */
355 typedef void (*SilcPKCSEncryptCb)(SilcBool success,
356 const unsigned char *encrypted,
357 SilcUInt32 encrypted_len,
360 /* Decryption callback */
361 typedef void (*SilcPKCSDecryptCb)(SilcBool success,
362 const unsigned char *decrypted,
363 SilcUInt32 decrypted_len,
366 Either add new _async functions or add the callbacks to existing API
367 and if the callback is NULL then the API is not async and if provided
368 it may be async. For example;
370 SilcBool silc_pkcs_sign(SilcPrivateKey private_key,
371 unsigned char *src, SilcUInt32 src_len,
372 unsigned char *dst, SilcUInt32 dst_size,
374 SilcBool compute_hash, SilcHash hash,
375 SilcPKCSSignCb async_sign,
376 void *async_sign_context);
378 (if this is done then there's no reason why the buffers in the
379 callbacks cannot be the ones user gives here) or allow only async:
381 SilcBool silc_pkcs_sign(SilcPrivateKey private_key,
382 unsigned char *src, SilcUInt32 src_len,
383 SilcBool compute_hash, SilcHash hash,
384 SilcPKCSSignCb async_sign,
385 void *async_sign_context);
389 SilcBool silc_pkcs_sign_async(SilcPrivateKey private_key,
390 unsigned char *src, SilcUInt32 src_len,
391 SilcBool compute_hash, SilcHash hash,
392 SilcPKCSSignCb async_sign,
393 void *async_sign_context);
395 o Change PKCS Algorithm API to take SilcPKCSAlgorithm as argument to
396 encrypt, decrypt, sign and verify functions. We may need to for exmaple
397 check the alg->hash, supported hash functions. Maybe deliver it also
398 to all other functions in SilcPKCSAlgorithm to be consistent.
400 o Add DSS support. Take implementation from Tom or make it yourself.
402 o Implement the defined SilcDH API. The definition is in
403 lib/silccrypt/silcdh.h. Make sure it is asynchronous so that it can
404 be accelerated. Also take into account that it could use elliptic
409 o All cipher, hash, hmac etc. allocation routines should take their name
410 in as const char * not const unsigned char *.
413 SILC Accelerator Library
414 ========================
416 o SILC Accelerator API. Provides generic way to use different kind of
417 accelerators. Basically implements SILC PKCS API so that SilcPublicKey
418 and SilcPrivateKey can be used but they call the accelerators.
420 Something in the lines of (preliminary):
422 /* Register accelerator to system. Initializes the accelerator. */
423 Varargs are optional accelerator specific init parameteres. */
424 SilcBool silc_acc_register(SilcAccelerator acc, ...);
426 silc_acc_register(softacc, "min_threads", 2, "max_threads", 16, NULL);
428 /* Unregister accelerator. Uninitializes the accelerator. */
429 SilcBool silc_acc_unregister(const SilcAccelerator acc);
431 /* Return list of the registered accelerators */
432 SilcDList silc_acc_get_supported(void);
434 /* Find existing accelerator. `name' is accelerator's name. */
435 SilcAccelerator silc_acc_find(const char *name);
437 /* Return accelerator's name */
438 const char *silc_acc_get_name(SilcAccelerator acc);
440 /* Accelerate `public_key'. Return accelerated public key. */
441 SilcPublicKey silc_acc_public_key(SilcAccelerator acc,
442 SilcPublicKey public_key);
444 /* Accelerate `private_key'. Returns accelerated private key. */
445 SilcPrivateKey silc_acc_private_key(SilcAccelerator acc,
446 SilcPrivateKey private_key);
448 /* Return the underlaying public key */
449 SilcPublicKey silc_acc_get_public_key(SilcAccelerator acc,
450 SilcPublicKey public_key);
452 /* Return the underlaying private key */
453 SilcPrivateKey silc_acc_get_private_key(SilcAccelerator acc,
454 SilcPrivateKey private_key);
456 typedef struct SilcAcceleratorObject {
457 const char *name; /* Accelerator's name */
458 SilcBool (*init)(va_list va); /* Initialize accelerator */
459 SilcBool (*uninit)(void); /* Uninitialize accelerator */
460 const SilcPKCSAlgorithm *pkcs; /* Accelerated PKCS algorithms */
461 const SilcDHObject *dh; /* Accelerated Diffie-Hellmans */
462 const SilcCipherObject *cipher; /* Accelerated ciphers */
463 const SilcHashObject *hash; /* Accelerated hashes */
464 const SilcHmacObject *hmac; /* Accelerated HMACs */
465 const SilcRngObject *rng; /* Accelerated RNG's */
466 } *SilcAccelerator, SilcAcceleratorStruct;
468 Allows accelerator to have multiple accelerators (cipher, hash etc)
469 and multiple different algorithms and implementations (SHA-1, SHA-256 etc).
471 SilcPublicKey->SilcSILCPublicKey->RsaPublicKey accelerated as:
472 SilcPublicKey->SilcAcceleratorPublicKey->SilcSoftAccPublicKey->
473 SilcPublicKey->SilcSILCPublicKey->RsaPublicKey
475 silc_acc_public_key creates SilcPublicKey and SilcAcceleratorPublicKey
476 and acc->pkcs->import_public_key creates SilcSoftAccPublicKey.
478 o Implement software accelerator. It is a thread pool system where the
479 public key and private key operations are executed in threads.
481 const struct SilcAcceleratorObject softacc =
483 "softacc", softacc_init, softacc_uninit,
484 softacc_pkcs, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL
487 /* Called from silc_acc_private_key */
488 int silc_softacc_import_private_key(void *key, SilcUInt32 key_len,
489 void **ret_private_key)
491 SilcSoftAccPrivateKey prv = silc_calloc(1, sizeof(*prv));
492 prv->pkcs = acc->pkcs;
493 prv->private_key = key;
494 *ret_private_key = prv;
497 (o Symmetric key cryptosystem acceleration? They are always sycnhronouos
498 even with hardware acceleration so the crypto API shouldn't require
505 o Import TFM. Talk to Tom to add the missing functions. Use TFM in
506 client and client library, but TMA in server, due to the significantly
507 increased memory consumption with TFM, and the rare need for public
508 key operations in server.
510 We want TFM's speed but not TFM's memory requirements. Talk to Tom
511 about making the TFM mp dynamic just as it is in LTM.
513 o The SILC MP API function must start returning indication of success
514 and failure of the operation.
516 o Do SilcStack support for silc_mp_init, silc_mp_init_size and other
517 any other MP function (including utility ones) that may allocate
520 o All utility functions should be made non-allocating ones.
523 SILC XML Library, lib/silcxml/
524 ==============================
526 o SILC XML API (wrapper to expat). Look at the expat API and simplify
527 it. The SILC XML API should have at most 8-10 API functions. It should
528 be possible to create full XML parser with only one function. And, it
529 should be possible to have a function that is able to parse an entire
530 XML document. It should also have a parser function to be able to
531 parse a stream of XML data (SilcStream). It MUST NOT have operations
532 that require multiple function calls to be able to execute that one
533 operation (like creating parser).
536 lib/silcske/silcske.[ch]
537 ========================
539 o Ratelimit to UDP/IP transport for incoming packets.
545 o Negative integer encoding is missing, add it.
547 o SILC_ASN1_CHOICE should perhaps return an index what choice in the
548 choice list was found. Currently it is left for caller to figure out
549 which choice was found.
551 o SILC_ASN1_NULL in decoding should return SilcBool whether or not
552 the NULL was present. It's important when it's SILC_ASN1_OPTIONAL
553 and we need to know whether it was present or not.
559 o OpenPGP certificate support, allowing the use of PGP public keys
566 o SSH2 public key/private key support, allowing the use of SSH2 keys
573 o PKIX implementation
579 o Deprecate the old server. Write interface for the new lib/silcserver
580 server library. The interface should work on Unix/Linux systems.
582 o Consider deprecating also the old config file format and use XML
583 istead. This should require SILC XML API implementation first.
585 o The configuration must support dynamic router and server connections.
586 The silcd must work without specifying any servers or routers to
589 o The configuration must support specifying whether the server is
590 SILC Server or SILC Router. This should not be deduced from the
591 configuration as it was in < 1.2.
593 o The configuration must support specifying the ciphers and hmacs and
594 their order so that user can specify which algorithms take preference.
600 o Rewrite the entire server. Deprecate apps/silcd as the main server
601 implementation and create lib/silcserver/. It is a platform
602 independent server library. The apps/silcd will merely provide a
603 a simple interface for the library.
605 o Write the SILC Server library extensively using SILC FSM.
607 o Server library must support multiple networks. This means that one
608 server must be able to create multiple connections that each reach
609 different SILC network. This means also that all cache's etc. must
610 be either connection-specific or network-specific.
612 o Library must support dynamic router and server connections. This means
613 that connections are create only when they are needed, like when someone
614 says JOIN foo@foo.bar.com or WHOIS foobar@silcnet.org.
616 o Library must support server-to-server connections even though protocol
617 prohibits that. The responder of the connection should automatically
618 act as a router. The two servers create an own, isolated, SILC network.
619 To be used specifically with dynamic connections.
621 o Library must support multiple threads and must be entirely thread safe.
623 o Library must have support for SERVICE command.
625 o The server must be able to run behind NAT device. This means that
626 Server ID must be based on public IP instead of private IP.
628 o The following data must be in per-connection context: client id cache,
629 server id cache, channel id cache, all statistics must be
632 o The following data must be in per-thread context: command context
633 freelist/pool, pending commands, random number generator.
635 o Do inccoming packet processing in an own FSM thread in the
636 server-threads FSM. Same as in client library.
638 o Reference count all Silc*Entry structures.
640 Some issues that must be kept in mind from 1.0 and 1.1 silcd's:
642 o The SERVER_SIGNOFF notify handing is not optimal, because it'll
643 cause sending of multiple SIGNOFF notify's instead of the one
644 SERVER_SIGNOFF notify that the server received. This should be
645 optimized so that the only SERVER_SIGNOFF is sent and not
646 SIGNOFF of notify at all (using SIGNOFF takes the idea about
647 SERVER_SIGNOFF away entirely).
649 o Another SERVER_SIGNOFF opt/bugfix: Currently the signoff is
650 sent to a client if it is on same channel as the client that
651 signoffed. However, the entire SERVER_SIGNOFF list is sent to
652 the client, ie. it may receive clients that was not on the
653 same channel. This is actually against the specs. It must be
654 done per channel. It shouldn't receive the whole list just
655 because one client happened to be on same channel.
657 o If client's public key is saved in the server (and doing public key
658 authentication) then the hostname and the username information could
659 be taken from the public key. Should be a configuration option!
661 o Add a timeout to handling incoming JOIN commands. It should be
662 enforced that JOIN command is executed only once in a second or two
663 seconds. Now it is possible to accept n incoming JOIN commands
664 and process them without any timeouts. THis must be employed because
665 each JOIN command will create and distribute the new channel key
666 to everybody on the channel.
668 o Related to above. If multiple JOINs are received in sequence perhaps
669 new key should be created only once, if the JOINs are handeled at the same
670 time. Now we create multiple keys and never end up using them because
671 many JOINs are processed at the same time in sequence. Only the last
672 key ends up being used.