Gaming Linux® From Scratch (System V Edition) - Version #8718

Chapter 6. Basic X11 Software

GnuTLS-3.8.10

Introduction to GnuTLS

The GnuTLS package contains libraries and userspace tools which provide a secure layer over a reliable transport layer. Currently the GnuTLS library implements the proposed standards by the IETF's TLS working group. Quoting from the TLS 1.3 protocol specification :

“ TLS allows client/server applications to communicate over the Internet in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, and message forgery. ”

GnuTLS provides support for TLS 1.3, TLS 1.2, TLS 1.1, TLS 1.0, and (optionally) SSL 3.0 protocols. It also supports TLS extensions, including server name and max record size. Additionally, the library supports authentication using the SRP protocol, X.509 certificates, and OpenPGP keys, along with support for the TLS Pre-Shared-Keys (PSK) extension, the Inner Application (TLS/IA) extension, and X.509 and OpenPGP certificate handling.

[Note]

Note

This may take a while to build. Feel free to do something else while this is building.

GnuTLS Dependencies

Required

Nettle-3.10.1

Recommended

make-ca-1.16.1, libunistring-1.3, libtasn1-4.20.0, and p11-kit-0.25.5

[Note]

Note

Note that if you do not install libtasn1-4.20.0, a version shipped in the GnuTLS tarball will be used instead.

Optional

leancrypto and Trousers (Trusted Platform Module support)

Installation of GnuTLS

Install GnuTLS by running the following commands: 

./configure --prefix=/usr \
            --docdir=/usr/share/doc/gnutls-3.8.10 \
            --with-default-trust-store-pkcs11="pkcs11:" &&
make

Now, as the root user: 

make install

Command Explanations

[Note]

Note

Run ./configure --help for a full list of options.

--with-default-trust-store-pkcs11="pkcs11:": This switch tells gnutls to use the PKCS #11 trust store as the default trust. Omit this switch if p11-kit-0.25.5 is not installed.

--with-default-trust-store-file=/etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt: This switch tells configure where to find the legacy CA certificate bundle and to use it instead of PKCS #11 module by default. Use this if p11-kit-0.25.5 is not installed.

--enable-openssl-compatibility: Use this switch if you wish to build the OpenSSL compatibility library.

--without-p11-kit: Use this switch if you have not installed p11-kit-0.25.5.

--with-included-unistring: This switch uses the bundled version of libunistring, instead of the system one. Use this switch if you have not installed libunistring-1.3.

--disable-dsa: This option completely disables DSA algorithm support.

Contents

Installed Programs: certtool, danetool, gnutls-cli, gnutls-cli-debug, gnutls-serv, ocsptool, p11tool, psktool, and srptool
Installed Libraries: libgnutls, libgnutls-dane, libgnutlsxx, libgnutls-openssl (optional), and /usr/lib/guile/3.0/extensions/guile-gnutls-v-2
Installed Directories: /usr/include/gnutls, /usr/lib/guile/3.0/site-ccache/gnutls, /usr/share/guile/site/3.0/gnutls, and /usr/share/doc/gnutls-3.8.10

Short Descriptions

certtool

is used to generate X.509 certificates, certificate requests, and private keys

danetool

is a tool used to generate and check DNS resource records for the DANE protocol

gnutls-cli

is a simple client program to set up a TLS connection to some other computer

gnutls-cli-debug

is a simple client program to set up a TLS connection to some other computer and produces very verbose progress results

gnutls-serv

is a simple server program that listens to incoming TLS connections

ocsptool

is a program that can parse and print information about OCSP requests/responses, generate requests and verify responses

p11tool

is a program that allows handling data from PKCS #11 smart cards and security modules

psktool

is a simple program that generates random keys for use with TLS-PSK

srptool

is a simple program that emulates the programs in the Stanford SRP (Secure Remote Password) libraries using GnuTLS

libgnutls

contains the core API functions and X.509 certificate API functions