1 files changed, 129 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/usb/authorization.rst b/Documentation/usb/authorization.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..150a14970e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/usb/authorization.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+==============================================================
+Authorizing (or not) your USB devices to connect to the system
+==============================================================
+
+Copyright (C) 2007 Inaky Perez-Gonzalez <inaky@linux.intel.com> Intel Corporation
+
+This feature allows you to control if a USB device can be used (or
+not) in a system. This feature will allow you to implement a lock-down
+of USB devices, fully controlled by user space.
+
+As of now, when a USB device is connected it is configured and
+its interfaces are immediately made available to the users.  With this
+modification, only if root authorizes the device to be configured will
+then it be possible to use it.
+
+Usage
+=====
+
+Authorize a device to connect::
+
+	$ echo 1 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/DEVICE/authorized
+
+De-authorize a device::
+
+	$ echo 0 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/DEVICE/authorized
+
+Set new devices connected to hostX to be deauthorized by default (ie:
+lock down)::
+
+	$ echo 0 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/usbX/authorized_default
+
+Remove the lock down::
+
+	$ echo 1 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/usbX/authorized_default
+
+By default, all USB devices are authorized.  Writing "2" to the
+authorized_default attribute causes the kernel to authorize by default
+only devices connected to internal USB ports.
+
+
+Example system lockdown (lame)
+------------------------------
+
+Imagine you want to implement a lockdown so only devices of type XYZ
+can be connected (for example, it is a kiosk machine with a visible
+USB port)::
+
+  boot up
+  rc.local ->
+
+   for host in /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb*
+   do
+      echo 0 > $host/authorized_default
+   done
+
+Hookup an script to udev, for new USB devices::
+
+ if device_is_my_type $DEV
+ then
+   echo 1 > $device_path/authorized
+ done
+
+
+Now, device_is_my_type() is where the juice for a lockdown is. Just
+checking if the class, type and protocol match something is the worse
+security verification you can make (or the best, for someone willing
+to break it). If you need something secure, use crypto and Certificate
+Authentication or stuff like that. Something simple for an storage key
+could be::
+
+ function device_is_my_type()
+ {
+   echo 1 > authorized		# temporarily authorize it
+                                # FIXME: make sure none can mount it
+   mount DEVICENODE /mntpoint
+   sum=$(md5sum /mntpoint/.signature)
+   if [ $sum = $(cat /etc/lockdown/keysum) ]
+   then
+        echo "We are good, connected"
+        umount /mntpoint
+        # Other stuff so others can use it
+   else
+        echo 0 > authorized
+   fi
+ }
+
+
+Of course, this is lame, you'd want to do a real certificate
+verification stuff with PKI, so you don't depend on a shared secret,
+etc, but you get the idea. Anybody with access to a device gadget kit
+can fake descriptors and device info. Don't trust that. You are
+welcome.
+
+
+Interface authorization
+-----------------------
+
+There is a similar approach to allow or deny specific USB interfaces.
+That allows to block only a subset of an USB device.
+
+Authorize an interface::
+
+	$ echo 1 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/INTERFACE/authorized
+
+Deauthorize an interface::
+
+	$ echo 0 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/INTERFACE/authorized
+
+The default value for new interfaces
+on a particular USB bus can be changed, too.
+
+Allow interfaces per default::
+
+	$ echo 1 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/usbX/interface_authorized_default
+
+Deny interfaces per default::
+
+	$ echo 0 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/usbX/interface_authorized_default
+
+Per default the interface_authorized_default bit is 1.
+So all interfaces would authorized per default.
+
+Note:
+  If a deauthorized interface will be authorized so the driver probing must
+  be triggered manually by writing INTERFACE to /sys/bus/usb/drivers_probe
+
+For drivers that need multiple interfaces all needed interfaces should be
+authorized first. After that the drivers should be probed.
+This avoids side effects.