FirefoxOS/New security model/Packaging
bug 1036275 introduced packaged HTML content to Firefox. This page details implementation of privileged content based on this packaging format.
Background: Packaged Content
Packages must be served with "Content-Type: application/package" mime type.
An example package is shown below:
--gc0pJq0M:08jU534c0p
Content-Location: /index.html
Content-Type: text/html
<html>
<head>
<script src="scripts/app.js"></script>
...
</head>
...
</html>
--gc0pJq0M:08jU534c0p
Content-Location: /scripts/app.js
Content-Type: text/javascript
module Math from '/scripts/helpers/math.js';
...
--gc0pJq0M:08jU534c0p
Content-Location: /scripts/helpers/math.js
Content-Type: text/javascript
export function sum(nums) { ... }
...
--gc0pJq0M:08jU534c0p--
Privileged Packages
Page is denoted as part of a privileged app by setting two packages headers:
manifest: /someapp.webmanifest manifest-signature: MRjdkly.... (Base64 JWS Signature)
Modifiying the above example, we get something like:
--gc0pJq0M:08jU534c0p
Content-Location: /someapp.webmanifest
Content-Type: application/manifest
manifest-signature: MRjdkly.... (Base64 JWS Signature)
{
"name": "My App",
"description":"A great app!"
...
}
--gc0pJq0M:08jU534c0p
Content-Location: /index.html
Content-Type: text/html
<html>
<head>
<script src="scripts/app.js"></script>
...
</head>
...
</html>
...etc
The normal loading process is:
- Gecko loads the manifest
- Gecko checks the signature of the manifest
- If signature verifies, a privileged child process is launched
- Web page is loaded as a normal web page inside this privileged process
- Although the _process_ is privileged, permission are restricted until verification is complete
The verification process is as follows:
- After the manifest signature checks out, gecko starts downloading all files enumerated in the manifest
- Each resource has is checked against a digest from the manifest
- If the integrity check passes, the resource is cached
- Once all the resources have been cached, only then is content considered privileged and permissions available to it
To update a privileged app:
- upload new content to marketplace to generate a new manifest
- change web server files
Verification failures are generally treated as network failures. See "Error Recovery" below for the approach to dealing with loading errors and partially loaded apps.
Security Restrictions
- All privileged content must be served over a secure network connection.
- No framing privileged content
- Only signed scripts may be loaded
- Resources enumerated in the manifest must have their integrity checked prior to loading
Note:
- Not all HTML must be signed. There is little value in making this a firm requirement since it isn't possible to prevent dynamic HTML changes (this risk is unchanged from previous packaged approach)
- Developers should be encouraged to sign all static resources)
New Headers
Instead of being installed, FxOS app content is navigated to. A http header is use to inform gecko that a web page belongs to an app:
manifest: https://app.foo.com/app/fooapp.webmanifest manifest-signature: https://app.foo.com/app/fooapp.sig
App Manifest Extensions
Add a resources section to the app manifest which enumerates content which needs to have integrity check.
{
"name": "My App",
"scope": "/",
"start_url": "/index.html",
"permissions": [
{
"systemXHR": {
"description": "Needed to download stuff"
},
"devicestorage:pictures": {
"description": "Need to load pictures"
}
}
],
"resources": [
{
"src": "/index.html",
"integrity": "sha256-kass...eoirW-e"
},
{
"src": "/page2.html",
"integrity": "sha256-kasguie...ngeW-e"
},
{
"src": "/script.js",
"integrity": "sha256-agjdia2...wgda"
},
{
"src": "https://libraries.com/library.js",
"integrity": "sha256-geijfi...ae3W"
}
]
}
Loading an app
When an app-manifest is encountered, while the page is loaded as normal, additional steps are initiated in parallel. Two main processes are started: - populating cache with app enumerated resources - verification of signed resources and granting of permissions
Cache population
When gecko encounters an app manifest, resources