* Cryptography

	In the .NET framework cryptography can be found under a number of
	namespaces in several assemblies.

** Assembly: corlib

*** Namespace: <b>System.Security.Cryptography</b>

	Thanks to the work of many people this namespace is almost complete.

**** Status
	<ul>
		* Every classes are present.

		* Most classes have their unit tests. Some tests like <code>
		  SymmetricAlgorithmTest</code> are generated by external 
		  tools.

		* MACTripleDES is compatible with the implementation shipped in
		  framework 1.0. Version 1.1 gives different results when the
		  MACed data is a multiple of BlockSize (8 bytes).
	</ul>

**** TODO
	<ul>
		* RNGCryptoServiceProvider is currently only working on Linux.
		  The current implementation reside in Mono's runtime and use 
		  the <code>/dev/[u]random</code> device (which do not exists 
		  under Windows). A Windows specific alternative is available 
		  using the Mono.Security.Win32 assembly.

		* Keypair persistance for RSA and DSA. This persistance must
		  somehow be linked with X509 certificate stores (in planning).

		* <code>PasswordDeriveBytes.CryptDeriveKey</code> is included 
		  in MS BCL to provide compatibility with existing Windows 
		  applications. The main problem is that the key derivation 
		  algorithm can be different for every CSP (Crypto Service 
		  Provider). However for compatibility we should provide an
		  implementation compatible with the MS CSP (most likely used).
	</ul>

**** Notes
	<ul>
		* All cryptographic algorithms are entirely managed, including 
		  classes named <code>*CryptoServiceProvider</code>, with the 
		  exception of <code>RNGCryptoServiceProvider</code> (which 
		  implementation resides in the runtime).

		* There is a bug in the <code>PKCS1MaskGenerationMethod</code>
		  class (in both framework 1.0 and 1.1). This means our 
		  implementation isn't compatible with MS (but is compatible with
		  PKCS#1 v.2.1). However we get OAEP padding for every platform!

		* Look at assembly Mono.Security.Win32 if you require more
		  compatiblity with the Microsoft implementation (like accessing
		  a particuliar keypair container inside a specific CSP).
	</ul>


*** Namespace: <b>System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates</b>

**** Status
	<ul>
		* X.509 certificates are parsed using 100% managed code 
		  (using the Mono.Security.ASN1 class). 

		* Software Publisher Certificates (SPC) used by Authenticode
		  (tm) to sign assemblies are supported (extraction from PE 
		  files) but <b>not yet</b> validated.

		* Unit tests are generated from a set of existing certificates
		  (about a dozen) each having different properties. Another
		  set of certificates (more than 700) are used for a more 
		  complete test (but isn't part of the standard test suite for 
		  size and time consideration, i.e. a 7.5Mb C# source file).
	</ul>

**** TODO
	<ul>
		* Authenticode(tm) support is incomplete. We can extract the
		  certificates from PE files but cannot validate the signature
		  nor the certificate chain (and we're still missing some trust
		  anchors). See Tools section for more information.
	</ul>

**** Notes
	<ul>
		* Except for their structure <b>there are no validation of the
		  certificates</b> done by this class (this is by design and 
		  isn't a restriction of Mono!). This means that certificate 
		  signatures and validity dates are <b>never</b> checked 
		  (except when used for Authenticode, i.e. 
		  <code>CreateFromSignedFile</code>).

		* The newer X509Certificate class included in Microsoft's Web 
		  Service Enhancement (WSE) is a little better (as it includes 
		  CryptoAPI's validation) when <code>IsCurrent</code> is called.
		  See assembly <b>Microsoft.Web.Services</b> for more details.

		* The class Mono.Security.X509.X509Certificate (in Mono.Security 
		  assembly) is becoming a much better alternative - and will 
		  continue to evolve to support the security tools.

		* Microsoft implementation of <code>X509Certificate</code> is 
		  done by using CryptoAPI (unmanaged code). From the exceptions 
		  thrown Authenticode(tm) support is done via COM.
	</ul>

<hr>
** Assembly: System.Security

*** Namespace: <b>System.Security.Cryptography.Xml</b>

	This namespace implements the <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/xmldsig-core/">
	XML Digital Signature</a> specification from 
	<a href="http://www.w3.org/">W3C</a>.

**** Status
	<ul>
		* All classes are present but some Transforms are only stubbed. 

		* We now have a fully managed C14N implementation.

		* Most classes have their unit tests.
	</ul>

**** TODO
	<ul>
		* Complete all Transform derived classes.
	</ul>

<hr>
** Assembly: Mono.Security

	<b>Rational: </b>
	This assembly provides the missing pieces to .NET security. On Windows
	CryptoAPI is often used to provide much needed functionalities (like
	some cryptographic algorithms, code signing, X.509 certificates). Mono,
	for platform independance, implements these functionalities in 100% 
	managed code.

*** Namespace: Mono.Security
	<ul>
		* Structures (ASN1, PKCS7) and primitives (PKCS1).
	</ul>
*** Namespace: Mono.Security.Authenticode
	<ul>
		* Code signing and verification.
		* Support for SPC (Software Publisher Certificate) files and 
		  PVK (Private Key) files.
	</ul>
*** Namespace: Mono.Security.Cryptography
	<ul>
		* Additional algorithms: MD2, ARCFOUR (required for SSL)
		* Convertion helpers
	</ul>
*** Namespace: Mono.Security.X509
	<ul>
		* X.509 structures (certificate, CRL...) building and decoding.
	</ul>
*** Namespace: Mono.Security.X509.Extensions
	<ul>
		* X.509 extensions (from public X.509 to private PKIX, Netsapce, 
		  Microsoft, Entrust...).
	</ul>

**** Status
	<ul>
		* Some part of the work has not yet been commited (still cleaning up).

		* A big part of this assembly is also included inside Mono's
		  corlib. The classes are duplicated in this assembly so the 
		  functionalities can be used without a dependency on Mono's 
		  corlib (which depends on Mono's runtime).

		* Unit test coverage isn't (yet) complete.
	</ul>

<hr>
** Assembly: Mono.Security.Win32

	<b>Rational: </b>
	This assembly goal is to provide maximum compatibility with CryptoAPI
	to application running with Mono's runtime on the Windows operating 
	system.

	<b>This assembly should NEVER be used directly by any application</b>
	(e.g. referecing the assembly from a project).
	The classes should only be used by modifying the <code>machine.config
	</code> configuration file (and then only if this increased 
	compatibility is required by an application).

	See the file <code><a href="http://cvs.hispalinux.es/cgi-bin/cvsweb/~checkout~/mcs/class/Mono.Security.Win32/README?rev=1.1&content-type=text/plain&cvsroot=mono">/mcs/class/Mono.Security.Win32/README</a></code>
	for complete instructions.

*** Namespace: Mono.Security.Cryptography

**** Status
	<ul>
		* A RNGCryptoServiceProvider built on top of CryptoAPI. This
		  allows Windows users to get around the limitation of the 
		  runtime RNG (which requires <code>/dev/[u]random/</code>).

		* Wrapper classes for unmanaged versions of hash algorithms:
		  MD2, MD4, MD5 and SHA1 are supported. <b>note</b>: some 
		  algorithms shouldn't be used in new design (MD4 is broken, 
		  MD2 and MD5 aren't considered safe for some usage). They are 
		  included to preserve interoperability with older applications
		  (e.g. some old, but still valid, X.509 certificates use MD2).
	</ul>

**** TODO
	<ul>
		* Wrapper classes for unmanaged versions of symmetric 
		  encryption algorithms (like DES, TripleDES, RC2 and others 
		  present in default CSP).

		* Wrapper classes for unmanaged versions of asymmetric 
		  algorithms (like DSA and RSA) which persist their keypair 
		  into the specified CSP.
	</ul>

**** Ideas
	<ul>
		* Similar assemblies (e.g. <code>Mono.Security.XXX</code>) 
		  could be created for <a href="http://www.openssl.org">OpenSSL</a>,
		  <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/nss/">NSS</a>,
		  <a href="http://www.eskimo.com/~weidai/cryptlib.html">crypto++</a>,
		  <a href="http://www.cryptlib.orion.co.nz/">cryptlib</a> ... for 
		  improved performance and/or HSM (Hardware Security Module) support 
		  under Linux and/or Windows.
	</ul>
<hr>
** Assembly: Microsoft.Web.Services

	Microsoft Web Service Enhancement (WSE), known as Web Service 
	Development Kit (WSDK) in it's beta days, is an add-on the .NET
	framework that implements WS-Security (and other WS-* specifications).
	It also includes improved support for XML Signature (replacing and/or
	extending <code>System.Security.Cryptography.Xml</code>) and X.509
	certificates classes.

	Note: WSE is distributed as an add-on because some specifications,
 	like WS-Security, aren't yet completed by 
	<a href="http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/wss/">OASIS</a> or
	other committees.

	<b>[*] There are some licensing issues to consider before starting to 
	implement WS-Security. All contributors must sign an agreement with 
	Microsoft before commiting anything related to WS-Security into CVS.
	</b>

*** Namespace: Microsoft.Web.Services.Security [*]
*** Namespace: Microsoft.Web.Services.Timestamp [*]

**** Status
	<ul>
		* Nothing (yet) commited in CVS <b>[*]</b>.
	</ul>

*** Namespace: Microsoft.Web.Services.Security.X509

**** Status
	<ul>
		* Nothing (yet) commited in CVS. However the classes in this 
		  namespace are outside WS-Security scope. So development, for 
		  those classes, could be done without signing this agreement.
	</ul>

**** TODO
	<ul>
		* We need to define certificate stores (for both users and
		  machines). These sames stores must be linked with asymmetric
		  keypairs. This could also be used to store the SPC roots.
	</ul>

*** Notes
	<ul>
		* Microsoft has <a href="http://microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=21FB9B9A-C5F6-4C95-87B7-FC7AB49B3EDD&displaylang=en">released</a>
		a technical preview of WSE 2.
	</ul>

<hr>
** Tools

	There are many tools in the .NET framework that indirectly interacts 
	with some cryptographic classes. Mono will eventually need these tools.
	Unless noted the tools should work on any CLR (tested with both Mono 
	and Microsoft).

**** Status

	The following tools are complete (mostly complete):
	<ul>
		* <code>secutil</code> is a tool to extract certificates and 
		  strongnames from assemblies in a format that can be easily 
		  re-used in source code (C# or VB.NET syntax).

		* <code>cert2spc</code> is a tool to transform multiple X.509 
		   certificates and CRLs into a Software Publisher Certificate
		  (SPC) file - which is a long name for a simple PKCS#7 file.

		* <code>makecert</code> to create X.509 test certificates that 
		  can be used (once transformed in SPC) to sign assemblies. It's
		  now possible to generate SSL certificates for web servers.
	</ul>

	Somewhat usable, somewhat incomplete:
	<ul>
		* <code>certview</code> is a certificate viewer for 
		  <code>System.Windows.Forms</code> (right now only working on 
		  Windows), while <code>gcertview</code> is the same viewer 
		  implemented for GTK# (working on both Windows and Linux).

		* <code>sn</code> is a clone of the <code>sn</code> to manage
		  strongnames. Current version is limited to creating new keypairs
		  and converting values.

		* <code>monosn</code> is a clone of the <code>sn</code> to manage
		  strongnames. This tools is part of the runtime (not the class
		  library) and as such is written in C and won't run without Mono.
	</ul>


**** TODO
	The following tools are still missing or largely incomplete:
	<ul>

		* <code>signcode</code> and <code>chktrust</code> (in progress)
		  for signing and validating Authenticode(tm) signatures on 
		  assemblies (or any PE file).

		* Other tools like a, GUI-based, certificate manager...
	</ul>

	Note that many of the tools requires the class library and/or the
	runtime to be ready for them. E.g. StrongName and Authenticode signatures
	tools are of limited use until supported by the runtime.

<hr>
** Other stuff

	<ul>
		* SSL/TLS for secure communication (a prototype is under way).
		  Some work is already visible in Mono.Security assembly (e.g. 
		  RC4, RSAManaged ...).
	</ul>

<hr>	
** How to Help

	<ul>
		* Complete any of the TODO (and feel good about it ;-).

		* Analyse the current coverage of the unit tests on the 
		  cryptographic classes and complete the unit tests. <b><code>
		  monocov</code> does a great job at this! Now we just need to
		  complete the missing unit tests.</b>

		* Optimization can also be done on most algorithms as crypto 
		  is never fast enough. Some have been done using the 
		  Community Edition of BoundChecker (a free VisualStudio 
		  addon) - recommanded! Just be sure to test every optimization
		  (using the unit tests) carefully - it's so fast to break an
		  algorithm ;-).

		* Write some documentation on the cryptographic classes for 
		  <b>monodoc</b> as I'm not a very good writer (at least in English).
	</ul>

	Contact Sebastien Pouliot (<a href="mailto:spouliot@videotron.ca">home</a>
	, <a href="mailto:spouliot@motus.com">work</a>) if you need additional
	informations about the status of the cryptographic classes.

<hr>
Last reviewed: August 9, 2003 (post mono 0.25)