SECURITY-LOGIN(2) SECURITY-LOGIN(2) NAME login - verify credentials SYNOPSIS include "keyring.m"; include "security.m"; login := load Login Login->PATH; login: fn(name, password, addr: string): (string, ref Keyring->Authinfo); DESCRIPTION The Login module is provided for use by a client of a certi- fying authority (CA) or `signer'. The login function commu- nicates with a certifying authority (CA) in order to create a Keyring->Authinfo adt which contains a public/private key pair and a certificate signed by the CA (see keyring- intro(2)). The public/private key pair is generated by login using the same parameters as those in the signer's key (eg, algorithm and key length); see keyring-gensk(2). The proce- dure assumes a secret, i.e. a password, has already been established between the user and the CA. See changelogin(8) and keyfs(4) for how this password is managed at the CA. Login connects, using dial(2), to the signer at network address addr, which is any form accepted by cs(8), including the special address $SIGNER, which cs will translate to the client's default signer (if there is one). Normally the incoming call will be given to logind(8) by svc(8). Login sends the user name and password, using the protocol described in login(6), to justify the server's issuing a certificate, which is returned in a Keyring->Authinfo adt on success. The certificate can if desired be stored by Keyring->writeauthinfo; see keyring-auth(2). The password is used by the encrypted key exchange protocol to establish a secure channel between user and CA. SOURCE /appl/lib/login.b SEE ALSO getauthinfo(8), keyring-auth(2), login(6), createsignerkey(8), logind(8) DIAGNOSTICS Login returns nil in the string component on success and a diagnostic string on error (with a nil Keyring->Authinfo reference). Page 1 Plan 9 (printed 9/8/24)