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Diffstat (limited to 'doc')
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/guix.texi | 35 |
1 files changed, 27 insertions, 8 deletions
diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi index 06b40fac59..dbb2ae8ad3 100644 --- a/doc/guix.texi +++ b/doc/guix.texi @@ -485,18 +485,20 @@ The following dependencies are optional: @itemize @item +Installing @uref{http://gnutls.org/, GnuTLS-Guile} will allow you to +access @code{https} URLs for substitutes, which is highly recommended +(@pxref{Substitutes}). It also allows you to access HTTPS URLs with the +@command{guix download} command (@pxref{Invoking guix download}), the +@command{guix import pypi} command, and the @command{guix import cpan} +command. @xref{Guile Preparations, how to install the GnuTLS bindings +for Guile,, gnutls-guile, GnuTLS-Guile}. + +@item Installing @url{http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/guile-json/, Guile-JSON} will allow you to use the @command{guix import pypi} command (@pxref{Invoking guix import}). It is of interest primarily for developers and not for casual users. -@item -Installing @uref{http://gnutls.org/, GnuTLS-Guile} will -allow you to access @code{https} URLs with the @command{guix download} -command (@pxref{Invoking guix download}), the @command{guix import pypi} -command, and the @command{guix import cpan} command. This is primarily -of interest to developers. @xref{Guile Preparations, how to install the -GnuTLS bindings for Guile,, gnutls-guile, GnuTLS-Guile}. @end itemize Unless @code{--disable-daemon} was passed to @command{configure}, the @@ -1703,6 +1705,13 @@ or to client tools such as @command{guix package} (@pxref{client-substitute-urls,, client @option{--substitute-urls} option}). +Substitute URLs can be either HTTP or HTTPS@footnote{For HTTPS access, +the Guile bindings of GnuTLS must be installed. @xref{Requirements}.} +HTTPS is recommended because communications are encrypted; conversely, +using HTTP makes all communications visible to an eavesdropper, who +could use the information gathered to determine, for instance, whether +your system has unpatched security vulnerabilities. + @cindex security @cindex digital signatures To allow Guix to download substitutes from @code{hydra.gnu.org}, you @@ -1757,13 +1766,21 @@ one of the keys listed in the ACL. It also detects and raises an error when attempting to use a substitute that has been tampered with. @vindex http_proxy -Substitutes are downloaded over HTTP. The @code{http_proxy} environment +Substitutes are downloaded over HTTP or HTTPS. +The @code{http_proxy} environment variable can be set in the environment of @command{guix-daemon} and is honored for downloads of substitutes. Note that the value of @code{http_proxy} in the environment where @command{guix build}, @command{guix package}, and other client commands are run has @emph{absolutely no effect}. +When using HTTPS, the server's X.509 certificate is @emph{not} validated +(in other words, the server is not authenticated), contrary to what +HTTPS clients such as Web browsers usually do. This is because Guix +authenticates substitute information itself, as explained above, which +is what we care about (whereas X.509 certificates are about +authenticating bindings between domain names and public keys.) + The substitute mechanism can be disabled globally by running @code{guix-daemon} with @code{--no-substitutes} (@pxref{Invoking guix-daemon}). It can also be disabled temporarily by passing the @@ -1771,6 +1788,8 @@ guix-daemon}). It can also be disabled temporarily by passing the build}, and other command-line tools. +@unnumberedsubsec On Trusting Binaries + Today, each individual's control over their own computing is at the mercy of institutions, corporations, and groups with enough power and determination to subvert the computing infrastructure and exploit its |