* [PATCH v2 1/2] vpnmain.cgi: Use ML-KEM only as a hybrid with Curve 25519
@ 2025-05-26 18:27 Peter Müller
2025-05-26 18:28 ` [PATCH v2 2/2] Core Update 196: Adjust existing IPsec connections using ML-KEM Peter Müller
0 siblings, 1 reply; 3+ messages in thread
From: Peter Müller @ 2025-05-26 18:27 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: IPFire: Development
In commit 887778e0888d51eb9942ae310a43f6d2813efad3, the post-quantum
key exchange algorithm ML-KEM was introduced, due to its support being
added in strongSwan 6.0. However, using PQC key exchanges is commonly
recommended only in conjunction with a traditional one, to avoid
encrypted traffic becoming subject to trivial decryption in case a PQC
algorithm proves weak, broken, or backdoored. OpenSSH, for instance,
combines ML-KEM 768 with Curve 25519 (mlkem768x25519-sha256), rather
than using ML-KEM alone.
This patch changes the cipher suites offered for IPsec connections to
always use ML-KEM as a hybrid with Curve 25519. This is possible due to
strongSwan 6.0 having added support for IKE intermediary key exchanges
(RFC 9370); see https://docs.strongswan.org/docs/latest/config/proposals.html#_key_exchange_methods
for additional information.
We can reasonably assume an IPsec peer supporting ML-KEM will also
support Curve 25519, as this has been around for much longer, and is
used quite commonly. Even if this is not the case, or if the IPsec peer
does not implement RFC 9370, any IPsec connection using our default
cipher selection will fall back to Curve 448, Curve 25519, or other,
hence continue working.
IPsec connections already created will need their ciphers to be changed
once during the Core Update routine where this patch will be
incorporated.
Tested-by: Peter Müller <peter.mueller@ipfire.org>
Signed-off-by: Peter Müller <peter.mueller@ipfire.org>
---
html/cgi-bin/vpnmain.cgi | 36 ++++++++++++++++++------------------
1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)
diff --git a/html/cgi-bin/vpnmain.cgi b/html/cgi-bin/vpnmain.cgi
index 4f81fecdf..154b94033 100644
--- a/html/cgi-bin/vpnmain.cgi
+++ b/html/cgi-bin/vpnmain.cgi
@@ -2374,11 +2374,11 @@ END
#use default advanced value
$cgiparams{'IKE_ENCRYPTION'} = 'chacha20poly1305|aes256gcm128|aes256'; #[18];
$cgiparams{'IKE_INTEGRITY'} = 'sha2_512|sha2_256'; #[19];
- $cgiparams{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'} = 'mlkem1024|mlkem768|mlkem512|curve448|curve25519|e521|e384|4096|3072'; #[20];
+ $cgiparams{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'} = 'x25519-ke1_mlkem1024|x25519-ke1_mlkem768|x25519-ke1_mlkem512|curve448|curve25519|e521|e384|4096|3072'; #[20];
$cgiparams{'IKE_LIFETIME'} = '3'; #[16];
$cgiparams{'ESP_ENCRYPTION'} = 'chacha20poly1305|aes256gcm128|aes256'; #[21];
$cgiparams{'ESP_INTEGRITY'} = 'sha2_512|sha2_256'; #[22];
- $cgiparams{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'} = 'mlkem1024|mlkem768|mlkem512|curve448|curve25519|e521|e384|4096|3072'; #[23];
+ $cgiparams{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'} = 'x25519-ke1_mlkem1024|x25519-ke1_mlkem768|x25519-ke1_mlkem512|curve448|curve25519|e521|e384|4096|3072'; #[23];
$cgiparams{'ESP_KEYLIFE'} = '1'; #[17];
$cgiparams{'COMPRESSION'} = 'off'; #[13];
$cgiparams{'ONLY_PROPOSED'} = 'on'; #[24];
@@ -2759,7 +2759,7 @@ if(($cgiparams{'ACTION'} eq $Lang::tr{'advanced'}) ||
goto ADVANCED_ERROR;
}
foreach my $val (@temp) {
- if ($val !~ /^(mlkem(1024|768|512)|curve448|curve25519|e521|e384|e256|e224|e192|e512bp|e384bp|e256bp|e224bp|768|1024|1536|2048|3072|4096|6144|8192)$/) {
+ if ($val !~ /^(x25519-ke1_mlkem(1024|768|512)|curve448|curve25519|e521|e384|e256|e224|e192|e512bp|e384bp|e256bp|e224bp|768|1024|1536|2048|3072|4096|6144|8192)$/) {
$errormessage = $Lang::tr{'invalid input'};
goto ADVANCED_ERROR;
}
@@ -2800,7 +2800,7 @@ if(($cgiparams{'ACTION'} eq $Lang::tr{'advanced'}) ||
goto ADVANCED_ERROR;
}
foreach my $val (@temp) {
- if ($val !~ /^(mlkem(1024|768|512)|curve448|curve25519|e521|e384|e256|e224|e192|e512bp|e384bp|e256bp|e224bp|768|1024|1536|2048|3072|4096|6144|8192|none)$/) {
+ if ($val !~ /^(x25519-ke1_mlkem(1024|768|512)|curve448|curve25519|e521|e384|e256|e224|e192|e512bp|e384bp|e256bp|e224bp|768|1024|1536|2048|3072|4096|6144|8192|none)$/) {
$errormessage = $Lang::tr{'invalid input'};
goto ADVANCED_ERROR;
}
@@ -2940,9 +2940,9 @@ if(($cgiparams{'ACTION'} eq $Lang::tr{'advanced'}) ||
$checked{'IKE_INTEGRITY'}{'aesxcbc'} = '';
@temp = split('\|', $cgiparams{'IKE_INTEGRITY'});
foreach my $key (@temp) {$checked{'IKE_INTEGRITY'}{$key} = "selected='selected'"; }
- $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem1024'} = '';
- $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem768'} = '';
- $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem512'} = '';
+ $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem1024'} = '';
+ $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem768'} = '';
+ $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem512'} = '';
$checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'curve448'} = '';
$checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'curve25519'} = '';
$checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'768'} = '';
@@ -2983,9 +2983,9 @@ if(($cgiparams{'ACTION'} eq $Lang::tr{'advanced'}) ||
$checked{'ESP_INTEGRITY'}{'aesxcbc'} = '';
@temp = split('\|', $cgiparams{'ESP_INTEGRITY'});
foreach my $key (@temp) {$checked{'ESP_INTEGRITY'}{$key} = "selected='selected'"; }
- $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem1024'} = '';
- $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem768'} = '';
- $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem512'} = '';
+ $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem1024'} = '';
+ $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem768'} = '';
+ $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem512'} = '';
$checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'curve448'} = '';
$checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'curve25519'} = '';
$checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'768'} = '';
@@ -3151,9 +3151,9 @@ if(($cgiparams{'ACTION'} eq $Lang::tr{'advanced'}) ||
<td class='boldbase' width="15%">$Lang::tr{'grouptype'}</td>
<td class='boldbase'>
<select name='IKE_GROUPTYPE' multiple='multiple' size='6' style='width: 100%'>
- <option value='mlkem1024' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem1024'}>ML-KEM 1024 (256 bit)</option>
- <option value='mlkem768' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem768'}>ML-KEM 768 (192 bit)</option>
- <option value='mlkem512' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem512'}>ML-KEM 512 (128 bit)</option>
+ <option value='x25519-ke1_mlkem1024' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem1024'}>Curve 25519 x ML-KEM 1024 (256 bit)</option>
+ <option value='x25519-ke1_mlkem768' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem768'}>Curve 25519 x ML-KEM 768 (192 bit)</option>
+ <option value='x25519-ke1_mlkem512' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem512'}>Curve 25519 x ML-KEM 512 (128 bit)</option>
<option value='curve448' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'curve448'}>Curve 448 (224 bit)</option>
<option value='curve25519' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'curve25519'}>Curve 25519 (128 bit)</option>
<option value='e521' $checked{'IKE_GROUPTYPE'}{'e521'}>ECP-521 (NIST)</option>
@@ -3177,9 +3177,9 @@ if(($cgiparams{'ACTION'} eq $Lang::tr{'advanced'}) ||
</td>
<td class='boldbase'>
<select name='ESP_GROUPTYPE' multiple='multiple' size='6' style='width: 100%'>
- <option value='mlkem1024' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem1024'}>ML-KEM 1024 (256 bit)</option>
- <option value='mlkem768' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem768'}>ML-KEM 768 (192 bit)</option>
- <option value='mlkem512' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'mlkem512'}>ML-KEM 512 (128 bit)</option>
+ <option value='x25519-ke1_mlkem1024' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem1024'}>Curve 25519 x ML-KEM 1024 (256 bit)</option>
+ <option value='x25519-ke1_mlkem768' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem768'}>Curve 25519 x ML-KEM 768 (192 bit)</option>
+ <option value='x25519-ke1_mlkem512' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'x25519-ke1_mlkem512'}>Curve 25519 x ML-KEM 512 (128 bit)</option>
<option value='curve448' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'curve448'}>Curve 448 (224 bit)</option>
<option value='curve25519' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'curve25519'}>Curve 25519 (128 bit)</option>
<option value='e521' $checked{'ESP_GROUPTYPE'}{'e521'}>ECP-521 (NIST)</option>
@@ -3757,7 +3757,7 @@ sub make_algos($$$$$) {
if ($mode eq "ike") {
push(@algo, $int);
- if ($grp =~ m/^mlkem(\d+)$/) {
+ if ($grp =~ m/^x25519-ke1_mlkem(\d+)$/) {
push(@algo, "$grp");
} elsif ($grp =~ m/^e(.*)$/) {
push(@algo, "ecp$1");
@@ -3776,7 +3776,7 @@ sub make_algos($$$$$) {
if (!$pfs || $grp eq "none") {
# noop
- } elsif ($grp =~ m/^mlkem(\d+)$/) {
+ } elsif ($grp =~ m/^x25519-ke1_mlkem(\d+)$/) {
push(@algo, "$grp");
} elsif ($grp =~ m/^e(.*)$/) {
push(@algo, "ecp$1");
--
2.43.0
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
* [PATCH v2 2/2] Core Update 196: Adjust existing IPsec connections using ML-KEM
2025-05-26 18:27 [PATCH v2 1/2] vpnmain.cgi: Use ML-KEM only as a hybrid with Curve 25519 Peter Müller
@ 2025-05-26 18:28 ` Peter Müller
2025-05-28 14:16 ` Michael Tremer
0 siblings, 1 reply; 3+ messages in thread
From: Peter Müller @ 2025-05-26 18:28 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: IPFire: Development
This causes existing IPsec connections using ML-KEM to always use it in
conjunction with Curve 25519, in line with the changes dfa7cd2bbac3c746569368d70fefaf1ff4e1fed2
implements for newly configured IPsec connections.
Again, we can reasonably assume an IPsec peer supporting ML-KEM also
supports Curve 25519. In case such a peer does not support RFC 9370, and
the IPsec connection was created using our default ciphers, it will fall
back to Curve 448, Curve 25519, or any other traditional algorithm.
This patch will break existing IPsec connections only if they are
exclusively using ML-KEM (which means the IPFire user reconfigured them
manually using the "advanced connection settings" section in the WebUI),
and the IPsec peer is configured in the same manner, and/or is an IPFire
machine not yet updated to Core Update 196. Any other IPFire-to-IPFire
IPsec connection will continue working, potentially falling back to
Curve 448 or 25519 until both peers are updated to Core Update 196,
after which ML-KEM in conjunction with Curve 25519 will be used again.
The second version of this patch modifies IPFire's own configuration
file for IPsec connections, rather than applying these changes directly
to /etc/ipsec.conf, where they would have been overwritten by the next
WebUI change.
Signed-off-by: Peter Müller <peter.mueller@ipfire.org>
---
config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh | 11 +++++++++++
1 file changed, 11 insertions(+)
diff --git a/config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh b/config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh
index 0138fabcf..b8f92322f 100644
--- a/config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh
+++ b/config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ for (( i=1; i<=$core; i++ )); do
done
# Stop services
+/etc/rc.d/init.d/ipsec stop
# Remove files
rm -rfv \
@@ -65,7 +66,17 @@ esac
# Apply SSH configuration
#/usr/local/bin/sshctrl
+# Change IPsec configuration of existing connections using ML-KEM
+# to always make use of hybrid key exchange in conjunction with Curve 25519.
+sed -i -e "s@mlkem@x25519-ke1_mlkem@g" /var/ipfire/vpn/config
+
+# Apply changes to ipsec.conf
+/srv/web/ipfire/cgi-bin/vpnmain.cgi
+
# Start services
+if grep -q "ENABLED=on" /var/ipfire/vpn/settings; then
+ /etc/rc.d/init.d/ipsec start
+fi
# This update needs a reboot...
#touch /var/run/need_reboot
--
2.43.0
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
* Re: [PATCH v2 2/2] Core Update 196: Adjust existing IPsec connections using ML-KEM
2025-05-26 18:28 ` [PATCH v2 2/2] Core Update 196: Adjust existing IPsec connections using ML-KEM Peter Müller
@ 2025-05-28 14:16 ` Michael Tremer
0 siblings, 0 replies; 3+ messages in thread
From: Michael Tremer @ 2025-05-28 14:16 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: Peter Müller; +Cc: IPFire: Development
Hello Peter,
Thanks for the updated patch.
I applied it, but there were further changes necessary because if an update has been applied more than once, it would have broken the IPsec configuration. The update also needed to happen when a backup is being restored, and vpnmain.cgi needs to be called as nobody only.
Please review these changes:
https://git.ipfire.org/?p=ipfire-2.x.git;a=commitdiff;h=6ed4634be943fe125b61f0348063016fcacb89ee
https://git.ipfire.org/?p=ipfire-2.x.git;a=commitdiff;h=5d0b4d3b9df0d93aeb3d2400550c5ee355ba7146
Best,
-Michael
> On 26 May 2025, at 19:28, Peter Müller <peter.mueller@ipfire.org> wrote:
>
> This causes existing IPsec connections using ML-KEM to always use it in
> conjunction with Curve 25519, in line with the changes dfa7cd2bbac3c746569368d70fefaf1ff4e1fed2
> implements for newly configured IPsec connections.
>
> Again, we can reasonably assume an IPsec peer supporting ML-KEM also
> supports Curve 25519. In case such a peer does not support RFC 9370, and
> the IPsec connection was created using our default ciphers, it will fall
> back to Curve 448, Curve 25519, or any other traditional algorithm.
>
> This patch will break existing IPsec connections only if they are
> exclusively using ML-KEM (which means the IPFire user reconfigured them
> manually using the "advanced connection settings" section in the WebUI),
> and the IPsec peer is configured in the same manner, and/or is an IPFire
> machine not yet updated to Core Update 196. Any other IPFire-to-IPFire
> IPsec connection will continue working, potentially falling back to
> Curve 448 or 25519 until both peers are updated to Core Update 196,
> after which ML-KEM in conjunction with Curve 25519 will be used again.
>
> The second version of this patch modifies IPFire's own configuration
> file for IPsec connections, rather than applying these changes directly
> to /etc/ipsec.conf, where they would have been overwritten by the next
> WebUI change.
>
> Signed-off-by: Peter Müller <peter.mueller@ipfire.org>
> ---
> config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh | 11 +++++++++++
> 1 file changed, 11 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh b/config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh
> index 0138fabcf..b8f92322f 100644
> --- a/config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh
> +++ b/config/rootfiles/core/196/update.sh
> @@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ for (( i=1; i<=$core; i++ )); do
> done
>
> # Stop services
> +/etc/rc.d/init.d/ipsec stop
>
> # Remove files
> rm -rfv \
> @@ -65,7 +66,17 @@ esac
> # Apply SSH configuration
> #/usr/local/bin/sshctrl
>
> +# Change IPsec configuration of existing connections using ML-KEM
> +# to always make use of hybrid key exchange in conjunction with Curve 25519.
> +sed -i -e "s@mlkem@x25519-ke1_mlkem@g" /var/ipfire/vpn/config
> +
> +# Apply changes to ipsec.conf
> +/srv/web/ipfire/cgi-bin/vpnmain.cgi
> +
> # Start services
> +if grep -q "ENABLED=on" /var/ipfire/vpn/settings; then
> + /etc/rc.d/init.d/ipsec start
> +fi
>
> # This update needs a reboot...
> #touch /var/run/need_reboot
> --
> 2.43.0
>
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
end of thread, other threads:[~2025-05-28 14:17 UTC | newest]
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2025-05-26 18:27 [PATCH v2 1/2] vpnmain.cgi: Use ML-KEM only as a hybrid with Curve 25519 Peter Müller
2025-05-26 18:28 ` [PATCH v2 2/2] Core Update 196: Adjust existing IPsec connections using ML-KEM Peter Müller
2025-05-28 14:16 ` Michael Tremer
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