Zowe DocsZowe API Mediation Layer Security
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Email- How API ML transport security works
- Certificate management in Zowe API Mediation Layer
- Running on localhost
- Zowe runtime on z/OS
How API ML transport security works#
Security within the API Mediaiton Layer (API ML) is performed on several levels. This article describes how API ML uses Transport Layer Security (TLS). As a system administrator or API developer, use this guide to familiarize yourself with the following security concepts:
Transport layer security#
Secure data during data-transport by using the TLS protocol for all connections to API Mediation Layer services. While it is possible to disable the TLS protocol for debugging purposes or other use-cases, the enabled TLS protocol is the default mode.
Authentication#
Authentication is the method of how an entity, whether it be a user (API Client) or an application (API Service), proves its true identity.
API ML uses the following authentication methods:
- User ID and password
- The user ID and password are used to retreive authentication tokens.
- Requests originate from a user.
- The user ID and password are validated by a z/OS security manager and a token is issued that is then used to access the API service.
- TLS client certificates
- Certificates are for service-only requests.
Zowe API ML services#
The following range of service types apply to the Zowe API ML:
Zowe API ML services
- Gateway Service (GW) The Gateway is the access point for API clients that require access to API services. API services can be accessed through the Gateway by API Clients. The Gateway receives information about an API Service from the Discovery Service.
- Discovery Service (DS) The Discovery Service collects information about API services and provides this information to the Gateway and other services. API ML internal services are also registered to the Discovery Service.
- API Catalog (AC) The Catalog displays information about API services through a web UI. The Catalog receives information about an API service from the Discovery Service.
Authentication and Authorization Service (AAS)
AAS provides authentication and authorization functionality to check user access to resources on z/OS. The API ML uses z/OSMF API for authentication. For more information, see: APIML wiki
API Clients
External applications, users, or other API services that are accessing API services via the API Gateway
API Services
Applications that are accessed through the API Gateway. API services register themselves to the Discovery Service and can access other services through the Gateway. If an API service is installed in such a way that direct access is possible, API services can access other services without the Gateway. When APIs access other services, they can also function as API clients.
Zowe API ML TLS requirements#
The API ML TLS requires servers to provide HTTPS ports. Each of the API ML services has the following specific requirements:
API Client
- The API Client is not a server
- Requires trust of the API Gateway
- Has a truststore that contains certificates required to trust the Gateway
Gateway Service
- Provides an HTTPS port
- Has a keystore with a server certificate
- The certificate needs to be trusted by API Clients
- This certificate should be trusted by web browsers because the API Gateway can be used to display web UIs
- Has a truststore that contains certificates needed to trust API Services
API Catalog
- Provides an HTTPS port
- Has a keystore with a server certificate
- The certificate needs to be trusted by the API Gateway
- This certificate does not need to be trusted by anyone else
Discovery Service
- Provides an HTTPS port
- Has a keystore with a server certificate
- The certificate needs to be trusted by API Clients
- Has a truststore that contains certificates needed to trust API services
API Service
- Provides an HTTPS port
- Has a keystore with a server and client certificate
- The server certificate needs to be trusted by the Gateway
- The client certificate needs to be trusted by the Discovery Service
- The client and server certificates can be the same
- These certificates do not need to be trusted by anyone else
- Has a truststore that contains one or more certificates that are required to trust the Gateway and Discovery Service
Authentication for API ML services#
API Gateway
- API Gateway currently does not handle authentication.
- Requests are sent to the API services that need to handle authentication
API Catalog
- API Catalog is accessed by users and requires protection by a login
- Protected access is performed by the Authentication and Authorization Service
Discovery Service
- Discovery Service is accessed by API Services
- This access (reading information and registration) requires protection needs by a client certificate
- (Optional) Access can be granted to users (administrators)
API Services
- Authentication is service-dependent
- Recommended to use the Authentication and Authorization Service for authentication
Authorization#
Authorization is a method used to determine access rights of an entity.
In the API ML, authorization is performed by the z/OS security manager (CA ACF2, IBM RACF, CA Top Secret). An authentication token is used as proof of valid authentication. The authorization checks, however, are always performed by the z/OS security manager.
API ML truststore and keystore#
A keystore is a repository of security certificates consisting of either authorization certificates or public key certificates with corresponding private keys (PK), used in TLS encryption. A keystore can be stored in Java specific format (JKS) or use the standard format (PKCS12). The Zowe API ML uses PKCS12 to enable the keystores to be used by other technologies used in Zowe (Node.js).
The API ML local certificate authority (CA)
- The API ML local CA contains a local CA certificate and a private key that needs to be securely stored
- Used to sign certificates of services
- The API ML local CA certificate is trusted by API services and clients
The API ML keystore
- Server certificate of the Gateway (with PK). This can be signed by the local CA or an external CA
- Server certificate of the Discovery Service (with PK). This can be signed by the local CA
- Server certificate of the Catalog (with PK). This can be signed by the local CA
- The API ML keystore is used by API ML services
The API ML truststore
- The API ML truststore contains a local CA public certificate
- Contains an external CA public certificate (optional)
- Can contain self-signed certificates of API Services that are not signed by the local or external CA
- Used by API ML services
Zowe core services
- Services can use the same keystore and truststore as APIML for simpler installation and management
- Alternatively, services can have individual stores for higher security
API service keystore (for each service)
- Contains a server and client certificate signed by the local CA
API service truststore (for each service)
- (Optional) Contains a local CA and external CA certificates
Client certificates
- A client certificate is a certificate that is used for validation of the HTTPS client. The client certificate of a Discovery Service client can be the same certificate as the server certificate of the services which the Discovery Service client uses.
Authentication to the Discovery Service#
The Discovery Service has the following types of users that require authentication:
Administrators and developers who need to log in to the homepage of the Discovery Service
These users need to provide valid user ID and password to the z/OS system where Zowe is installed
Services that need to register to the Discovery Service
These services are not users that have a user ID and password but are other services. They authenticate using client certificate. The client certificate is the same TLS certificate that the service uses for HTTPS communication.
Certificate management in Zowe API Mediation Layer#
Running on localhost#
How to start API ML on localhost with full HTTPS#
The https://github.com/zowe/api-layer repository already contains pre-generated certificates that can be used to start API ML with HTTPS on your computer. The certificates are not trusted by your browser so you can either ignore the security warning or generate your own certificates and add them to the truststore of your browser or system.
The certificates are described in more detail in the https://github.com/zowe/api-layer/blob/master/keystore/README.md.
Certificate management script#
Zowe API Mediation Layer provides a script that can used on Windows, Mac, Linux, and z/OS to generate a certificate and keystore for the local CA, API Mediation Layer, and services.
This script is stored in scripts/apiml_cm.sh. It is a UNIX shell script that can be executed by Bash or z/OS Shell. For Windows, install Bash by going to the following link: cmder.
Generate certificates for localhost#
Use the following script in the root of the api-layer repository to generate certificates for localhost:
scripts/apiml_cm.sh --action setup
This script creates the certificates and keystore for the API Mediation Layer in your current workspace.
Generate a certificate for a new service on localhost#
To generate a certificate for a new service on localhost, see https://github.com/zowe/api-layer/blob/master/keystore/README.md#generating-certificate-for-a-new-service-on-localhost
Add a service with an existing certificate to API ML on localhost#
The instructions are described at: https://github.com/zowe/api-layer/blob/master/keystore/README.md#trust-certificates-of-other-services
Log in to Discovery Service on localhost#
To access Discovery Service on localhost provide a valid client certificate.
The certificate is stored in the keystore/localhost/localhost.keystore.p12 keystore.
Some utilities including HTTPie require the certificate to be in PEM format. You can find it in keystore/localhost/localhost.pem.
Since the Discovery Service is using HTTPS, your client also requires verification of the validity of its certificate. Verification is performed by trusting the local CA certificate which is store at keystore/local_ca/localca.cer.
The following is an example of how to access Discovery Service from CLI with full certificate validation:
http --cert=keystore/localhost/localhost.pem --verify=keystore/local_ca/localca.cer -j GET https://localhost:10011/eureka/apps/
Zowe runtime on z/OS#
Certificates for z/OS installation from the Zowe PAX file#
Certificates for the API ML local CA and API ML service are automatically generated by installing the Zowe runtime on z/OS from the PAX file. Following the instructions in Installing the Zowe runtime on z/OS
These certificates are generated by the certificate management script apiml_cm.sh that is installed to $ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/scripts/apiml_cm.sh.
$ZOWE_ROOT_DIR is the directory where you installed the Zowe runtime.
The certificates are generated to the directory $ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/keystore.
API ML keystore and truststore:
$ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/keystore/local/localhost.keystore.p12- used for the HTTPS servers
- contains the APIML server certificate signed by the local CA and private key for the server
$ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/keystore/local/localhost.truststore.p12- use to validate trust when communicating with the services that are registered to the APIML
- contains the root certificate of the local CA (not the server certificate)
- contains the local CA public certificate
- can contain additional certificate to trust services that are not signed by local CA
API ML keystores and truststores needs be accessible by the user ID that executes the Zowe runtime.
Local CA:
$ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/keystoree/local_ca/localca.cer- public certificate of local CA
$ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/keystore/local_ca/localca.keystore.p12- private key of the local CA
The local CA keystore is only accessible by the user that is installs and manages the Zowe runtime.
Import the local CA certificate to your browser#
Trust in the API ML server is a necessary precondition to properly encrypt traffic between web browsers and REST API client applications. Ensure this trust through the installation of a Certificate Authority (CA) public certificate. By default, API ML creates a local CA. Import the CA public certificate to the truststore for REST API clients and to your browser. You can also import the certificate to your root certificate store.
Note: The public certificate in the PEM format is stored at $ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/keystore/local_ca/localca.cer where $ZOWE_ROOT_DIR is the directory that was used for the Zowe runtime during installation.
The certificate is stored in UTF-8 encoding so you need to transfer it as a binary file. Since this is the certificate that your browser is going to trust, it is recommended to use a secure connection for transfer.
Follow these steps:
Download the local CA certificate to your computer. Use one of the following methods to download the local CA certificate to your computer:
- Use Zowe CLI (Recommended) Issue teh following command:
zowe zos-files download uss-file --binary $ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/keystore/local_ca/localca.cer- Use
sftpIssue the following command:
To verify that the file has been transferred correctly, open the file. The following heading and closing shoulf appear:
Import the certificate to your root certificate store and trust it.
- For Windows Run the following command:
certutil -enterprise -f -v -AddStore "Root" localca.cerNote: Ensure that you open the terminal as administrator. This will install the certificate to the Trusted Root Certification Authorities.
- For macOS Run the following command:
$ sudo security add-trusted-cert -d -r trustRoot -k /Library/Keychains/System.keychain localca.cer- For Firefox You can manually import your root certificate via the Firefox settings, or force Firefox to use the Windows truststore:
Note: Firefox uses its own certificate truststore.
Create a new Javascript file firefox-windows-truststore.js at
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\prefwith the following content:
Generate a keystore and truststore for a new service on z/OS#
You can generate a keystore and truststore for a new service by calling the apiml_cm.sh script in the directory with API Mediation Layer:
The service-alias is an unique string to identify the key entry. All keystore entries (key and trusted certificate entries) are accessed via unique aliases. Since the keystore will have only one certificate, you can omit this parameter and use the default value localhost.
The service-keystore is a repository of security certificates plus corresponding private keys. The <keystore_path> is the path excluding the extension to the keystore that will be generated. It can be an absolute path or a path relative to the current working directory. The key store is generated in PKCS12 format with .p12 extension. It should be path in an existing directory where your service expects the keystore. For example: /opt/myservice/keystore/service.keystore.
The service-truststore contains certificates from other parties that you expect to communicate with, or from Certificate Authorities that you trust to identify other parties. The <truststore_path> is the path excluding the extension to the trust store that will be generated. It can be an absolute path or a path relative to the current working directory. The truststore is generated in PKCS12 format.
The service-ext specifies the X.509 extension that should be the Subject Alternate Name (SAN). The SAN has contain host names that are used to access the service. You need specify the same hostname that is used by the service during API Mediation Layer registration. For example:
"SAN=dns:localhost.localdomain,dns:localhost,ip:127.0.0.1"
Note: For more information about SAN, see SAN or SubjectAlternativeName at Java Keytool - Common Options.
The service-dname is the X.509 Distinguished Name and is used to identify entities, such as those which are named by the subject and issuer (signer) fields of X.509 certificates. For example:
"CN=Zowe Service, OU=API Mediation Layer, O=Zowe Sample, L=Prague, S=Prague, C=CZ"
The service-validity is the number of days after that the certificate will expire.
The service-password is the keystore password. The purpose of the password is the integrity check. The access protection for the keystore and keystore need to be achieved by making them accessible only by the ZOVESVR user ID and the system administrator.
The local-ca-filename is the path to the keystore that is used to sign your new certificate with the local CA private key. If you an in the $ZOWE_RUNTIME/api-mediation-directory, you can omit this parameter. It should point to the $ZOWE_ROOT_DIR/api-mediation/keystore/local_ca/localca.
Add a service with an existing certificate to API ML on z/OS#
The API Mediation Layer requires validatation of the certificate of each service that it accessed by the API Mediation Layer. The API Mediation Layer requires validatation of the full certificate chain. Use one of the following methods:
Import the public certificate of the root CA that has signed the certificate of the service to the APIML truststore.
Ensure that your service has its own certificate. If it was signed by intermediate CA all intermediate CA certificates ensure that all certificates are in its keystore.
Note: If the service does not provide intermediate CA certificates to the APIML then the validation fails. This can be circumvented by importing the intermediate CA certificates to the API ML truststore.
Import a public certificate to the APIML truststore by calling in the directory with API Mediation Layer:
Procedure if the service is not trusted#
If you access a service that is not trusted, for example, by issuing a REST API request to it:
http --verify=keystore/local_ca/localca.cer GET https://<gatewayHost>:<port></port>/api/v1/<untrustedService>/greeting
You will receive a similar response:
The response has the HTTP status code 502 Bad Gateway and a JSON response in the standardized format for error messages. The message has key apiml.common.tlsError and the message number AML0105 and content that explains details about the message.
If you receive this message, import the certificate of your service or the CA that has signed it to the truststore of the API Mediation Layer as described above.
Trust a z/OSMF certificate#
The Zowe installation script tries to import z/OSMF public certificates to the truststore of API Mediation Layer automatically. This requires the user ID that is doing the installation to be able to read the z/OSMF keyring.
If it is not possible, you will see following error message:
WARNING: z/OSMF is not trusted by the API Mediation Layer.
To allow apiml_cm.sh to run, it should be sufficient to give CONTROL access for the user of IRR.DIGTCERT.LIST (needed for a SITE certificate) and UPDATE access for the user of IRR.DIGTCERT.LISTRING, but in some cases (for example, you have already created a certificate), you might have to permit the user CONTROL access to IRR.DIGTCERT.**.
Follow these steps:
- Add z/OSMF to the truststore manually as a user that has access rights to read the z/OSMF keyring. The read access to z/OSMF keyring can be granted by the following commands:
RACF:
Top Secret:
ACF2:
where:
acidis the user ID of the user that is installing Zowe.
Issue the following command to find the name of the z/OSMF keyring:
cat /var/zosmf/configuration/servers/zosmfServer/bootstrap.properties | grep izu.ssl.key.store.saf.keyringThis will return a line like the following one:
izu.ssl.key.store.saf.keyring=IZUKeyring.IZUDFLTRun following commands as a superuser to import z/OSMF certificates:
Note: This should be the same keyring name as specified in the PARMLIB member for z/OSMF. For example, in SYS1.PARMLIB(IZUPRMxx) you will see a line like this:
KEYRING_NAME('IZUKeyring.IZUDFLT')Substitute the value of the z/OSMF keyring that is obtained above from
bootstrap.propertiesin the value of the--zosmf-keyringparameter:
If the import is successful, restart the Zowe server to make the changes effective.
If the import is not successful, you may receive an error such as the following error:
Verify that you receive these messages in the log:
If you receive these messages, permit the user to have CONTROL access to IRR.DIGTCERT.** with the following RACF command or the equivalent command for ACF2 or Top Secret:
If the import is successful, restart the Zowe server to make the changes effective.
Disable certificate validation#
To use Zowe without setting up certificates, disable the validation of the TLS/SSL certificates by the API Mediation Layer.
Update the following property:
-Dapiml.security.verifySslCertificatesOfServices=false
in following shell scripts:
$ZOWE_RUNTIME/api-mediation/scripts/api-mediation-start-catalog.sh$ZOWE_RUNTIME/api-mediation/scripts/api-mediation-start-discovery.sh$ZOWE_RUNTIME/api-mediation/scripts/api-mediation-start-gateway.sh