source: flexoentity/org/certificates.org

* Flex-O Cross-Platform Signing System

This document defines how Flex-O performs cryptographic signing across Linux, Windows, and macOS using a single interoperable workflow.

** Requirements

- PKCS#7 / CMS signatures
- RSA-4096
- DER output format (Windows/macOS native)
- No Python crypto libraries
- OS-native signing tooling

* 1. Key and Certificate Creation (Universal)

** 1.1 Generate a private key (recommended: RSA-4096)

#+begin_src bash
openssl genrsa -out mykey.pem 4096
#+end_src

** 1.2 Generate an X.509 certificate

#+begin_src bash
openssl req -new -x509 -key mykey.pem -out mycert.pem -days 3650 -sha256
#+end_src

Result:
- mykey.pem → private key
- mycert.pem → certificate (public key)

* 2. Import Certificates into Each Platform

** 2.1 Linux

No import required. Use PEM files directly.

** 2.2 Windows (PKCS#12 required)

Create PKCS#12 bundle:

#+begin_src bash
openssl pkcs12 -export -out flexo.pfx -inkey mykey.pem -in mycert.pem
#+end_src

Import into user certificate store:

#+begin_src bash
certutil -user -p PASSWORD -importpfx flexo.pfx
#+end_src

** 2.3 macOS (PKCS#12)

#+begin_src bash
openssl pkcs12 -export -out flexo.p12 -inkey mykey.pem -in mycert.pem
#+end_src

Import:

#+begin_src bash
security import flexo.p12 -k ~/Library/Keychains/login.keychain-db
#+end_src


* 3. Cross-Platform Signing Commands

** 3.1 Linux (OpenSSL CMS / DER)

#+begin_src bash
openssl cms -sign \
    -binary \
    -in data.txt \
    -signer mycert.pem \
    -inkey mykey.pem \
    -outform DER \
    -out signature.p7s
#+end_src

** 3.2 Windows (certutil)

#+begin_src bash
certutil -sign data.txt signature.p7s
#+end_src

** 3.3 macOS (`security cms`)

#+begin_src bash
security cms -S \
    -N "Common Name of Cert" \
    -i data.txt \
    -o signature.p7s
#+end_src

All three platforms produce binary DER PKCS#7 signatures.

* 4. Cross-Platform Verification

** 4.1 Linux (OpenSSL)

#+begin_src bash
openssl cms -verify \
    -in signature.p7s \
    -inform DER \
    -content data.txt \
    -CAfile mycert.pem \
    -purpose any \
    -out /dev/null
#+end_src

** 4.2 Windows

#+begin_src bash
certutil -verify signature.p7s data.txt
#+end_src

** 4.3 macOS

#+begin_src bash
security cms -D -i signature.p7s > verified.txt
#+end_src

* 5. Flex-O Signing Specification

** 5.1 Key Requirements
- RSA-4096
- X.509 certificate
- Valid for ≥ 10 years

** 5.2 Signature Format Requirements
- PKCS#7/CMS
- Binary DER form
- Signing certificate must be embedded

** 5.3 Verification Requirements
- Must work with OpenSSL CMS
- No dependency on OS certificate stores
- Must accept DER PKCS#7 signatures

** 5.4 Flex-O Signature Entity Schema
Required fields:
- signed_entity: FlexOID
- signer_id: UUID
- signature_data: base64(PKCS7 DER blob)
- signature_type: "PKCS7-DER"
- certificate_thumbprint: SHA-1 thumbprint
- comment: optional

** 5.5 Security Assumptions
- Flex-O never stores private keys
- OS handles private key protection
- Only public certificates embedded in signatures

* 6. Refer to certificates 

** Linux

#+BEGIN_SRC python
cert_ref = CertificateReference(
    platform="LINUX",
    identifier="/etc/flexo/certs/mycert.pem",
    private_key_path="$HOME/.flexo/mykey.pem",
    public_cert_path="/etc/flexo/certs/mycert.pem",
)
backend = create_backend(cert_ref)
signature_bytes = backend.sign(b"hello world")
#+END_SRC


** Windows

#+BEGIN_SRC python
cert_ref = CertificateReference(
    platform="WINDOWS",
    identifier="E1A2B3C4D5F6A7B8C9D0E1F2A3B4C5D6E7F8A9B",   # Thumbprint
)

backend = create_backend(cert_ref)
signature_bytes = backend.sign(b"hello world")
#+END_SRC

** MacOS

#+BEGIN_SRC python
cert_ref = CertificateReference(
    platform="MACOS",
    identifier="FlexOSigner", # Common Name (CN)
    public_cert_path="/Users/enno/certs/FlexOSigner.pem"
)

backend = create_backend(cert_ref)
signature_bytes = backend.sign(b"hello world")
#+END_SRC

* 8. Flex-O Signature Entity

#+begin_src python
@dataclass
class Signature(FlexoEntity):
    ENTITY_TYPE = EntityType.OUTPUT

    signed_entity: Optional[FlexOID] = None
    signer_id: Optional[UUID] = None
    signature_data: str = ""          # Base64 of PKCS#7 DER
    signature_type: str = "PKCS7-DER"
    certificate_thumbprint: str = ""
    comment: Optional[str] = None

    @property
    def text_seed(self) -> str:
        return f"{self.signed_entity}:{self.signer_id}:{self.certificate_thumbprint}"
#+end_src