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authorEli Zaretskii2014-11-24 20:07:51 +0200
committerEli Zaretskii2014-11-24 20:07:51 +0200
commita6248f13906a2846bdae7eefe3b97e605944bdec (patch)
tree2f57b6214a062cb6f06be5884077f3717686a192
parente22f5c07d8bf514283221f337afb1ef7ca1cd2b8 (diff)
downloademacs-a6248f13906a2846bdae7eefe3b97e605944bdec.tar.gz
emacs-a6248f13906a2846bdae7eefe3b97e605944bdec.zip
doc/emacs/misc.texi (Network Security): Improve wording and indexing.
-rw-r--r--doc/emacs/ChangeLog5
-rw-r--r--doc/emacs/misc.texi70
2 files changed, 41 insertions, 34 deletions
diff --git a/doc/emacs/ChangeLog b/doc/emacs/ChangeLog
index 198de4f2636..3db0e851603 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/emacs/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
12014-11-24 Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
2
3 * misc.texi (Network Security): Improve wording and indexing of
4 last change.
5
12014-11-24 Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org> 62014-11-24 Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org>
2 7
3 * misc.texi (Gnus Summary Buffer): Move the Network Security 8 * misc.texi (Gnus Summary Buffer): Move the Network Security
diff --git a/doc/emacs/misc.texi b/doc/emacs/misc.texi
index 2295414aa55..f2828c5426b 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/misc.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/misc.texi
@@ -252,27 +252,30 @@ Exit the summary buffer and return to the group buffer.
252 252
253@node Network Security 253@node Network Security
254@section Network Security 254@section Network Security
255@cindex Network Security Manager 255@cindex network security manager
256@cindex NSM
256@cindex encryption 257@cindex encryption
257@cindex SSL 258@cindex SSL
258@cindex TLS 259@cindex TLS
259@cindex STARTTLS 260@cindex STARTTLS
260 261
261After establishing a network connection, the connection is then passed 262Whenever Emacs establishes any network connection, it passes the
262on to the Network Security Manager (@acronym{NSM}). 263established connection to the @dfn{Network Security Manager}
264(@acronym{NSM}). @acronym{NSM} is responsible for enforcing the
265network security under your control.
263 266
264@vindex network-security-level 267@vindex network-security-level
265The @code{network-security-level} variable determines the security 268The @code{network-security-level} variable determines the security
266level. If this is @code{low}, no security checks are performed. 269level that @acronym{NSM} enforces. If its value is @code{low}, no
270security checks are performed.
267 271
268If this variable is @code{medium} (which is the default), a number of 272If this variable is @code{medium} (which is the default), a number of
269checks will be performed. If the @acronym{NSM} determines that the 273checks will be performed. If as result @acronym{NSM} determines that
270network connection might be unsafe, the user is made aware of this, 274the network connection might be unsafe, it will make you aware of
271and the @acronym{NSM} will ask the user what to do about the network 275that, and will ask you what to do about the network connection.
272connection.
273 276
274The user is given the choice of registering a permanent security 277You can decide to register a permanent security exception for an
275exception, a temporary one, or whether to refuse the connection 278unsafe connection, a temporary exception, or refuse the connection
276entirely. 279entirely.
277 280
278Below is a list of the checks done on the @code{medium} level. 281Below is a list of the checks done on the @code{medium} level.
@@ -281,24 +284,23 @@ Below is a list of the checks done on the @code{medium} level.
281 284
282@item unable to verify a @acronym{TLS} certificate 285@item unable to verify a @acronym{TLS} certificate
283If the connection is a @acronym{TLS}, @acronym{SSL} or 286If the connection is a @acronym{TLS}, @acronym{SSL} or
284@acronym{STARTTLS} connection, the @acronym{NSM} will check whether 287@acronym{STARTTLS} connection, @acronym{NSM} will check whether
285the certificate used to establish the identity of the server we're 288the certificate used to establish the identity of the server we're
286connecting to can be verified. 289connecting to can be verified.
287 290
288While an invalid certificate is often the cause for concern (there may 291While an invalid certificate is often the cause for concern (there
289be a Man-in-the-Middle hijacking your network connection and stealing 292could be a Man-in-the-Middle hijacking your network connection and
290your password), there may be valid reasons for going ahead with the 293stealing your password), there may be valid reasons for going ahead
291connection anyway. 294with the connection anyway. For instance, the server may be using a
292 295self-signed certificate, or the certificate may have expired. It's up
293For instance, the server may be using a self-signed certificate, or 296to you to determine whether it's acceptable to continue with the
294the certificate may have expired. It's up to the user to determine 297connection.
295whether it's acceptable to continue the connection.
296 298
297@item a self-signed certificate has changed 299@item a self-signed certificate has changed
298If you've previously accepted a self-signed certificate, but it has 300If you've previously accepted a self-signed certificate, but it has
299now changed, that either means that the server has just changed the 301now changed, that could mean that the server has just changed the
300certificate, or this might mean that the network connection has been 302certificate, but it might also mean that the network connection has
301hijacked. 303been hijacked.
302 304
303@item previously encrypted connection now unencrypted 305@item previously encrypted connection now unencrypted
304If the connection is unencrypted, but it was encrypted in previous 306If the connection is unencrypted, but it was encrypted in previous
@@ -311,44 +313,44 @@ When connecting to an @acronym{IMAP} or @acronym{POP3} server, these
311should usually be encrypted, because it's common to send passwords 313should usually be encrypted, because it's common to send passwords
312over these connections. Similarly, if you're sending email via 314over these connections. Similarly, if you're sending email via
313@acronym{SMTP} that requires a password, you usually want that 315@acronym{SMTP} that requires a password, you usually want that
314connection to be encrypted. If the connection isn't encrypted, the 316connection to be encrypted. If the connection isn't encrypted,
315@acronym{NSM} will warn you. 317@acronym{NSM} will warn you.
316 318
317@end table 319@end table
318 320
319If @code{network-security-level} is @code{high}, the following checks 321If @code{network-security-level} is @code{high}, the following checks
320will be made: 322will be made, in addition to the above:
321 323
322@table @asis 324@table @asis
323@item a validated certificate changes the public key 325@item a validated certificate changes the public key
324Servers change their keys occasionally, and that is normally nothing 326Servers change their keys occasionally, and that is normally nothing
325to be concerned about. However, if you are worried that your network 327to be concerned about. However, if you are worried that your network
326connections are being hijacked by agencies who have access to pliable 328connections are being hijacked by agencies who have access to pliable
327Certificate Authorities that issue new certificates for third-party 329Certificate Authorities which issue new certificates for third-party
328services, you may want to keep track of these changes. 330services, you may want to keep track of these changes.
329@end table 331@end table
330 332
331Finally, if @code{network-security-level} is @code{paranoid}, you will 333Finally, if @code{network-security-level} is @code{paranoid}, you will
332also be notified the first time the @acronym{NSM} sees any new 334also be notified the first time @acronym{NSM} sees any new
333certificate. This will allow you to inspect all the certificates from 335certificate. This will allow you to inspect all the certificates from
334all the connections that Emacs makes. 336all the connections that Emacs makes.
335 337
336The following additional variables can be used to control 338The following additional variables can be used to control details of
337@acronym{NSM} details. 339@acronym{NSM} operation:
338 340
339@table @code 341@table @code
340@item nsm-settings-file 342@item nsm-settings-file
341@vindex nsm-settings-file 343@vindex nsm-settings-file
342The @acronym{NSM} stores details on the connections in this file. It 344This is the file where @acronym{NSM} stores details about connections.
343defaults to @file{~/.emacs.d/network-security.data}. 345It defaults to @file{~/.emacs.d/network-security.data}.
344 346
345@item nsm-save-host-names 347@item nsm-save-host-names
346@vindex nsm-save-host-names 348@vindex nsm-save-host-names
347By default, host names will not be saved per non-@code{STARTTLS} 349By default, host names will not be saved for non-@code{STARTTLS}
348connection. Instead a host/port hash is used to identify connections. 350connections. Instead a host/port hash is used to identify connections.
349This means that one can't casually read the settings file to see what 351This means that one can't casually read the settings file to see what
350servers the user has connected to. If this variable is @code{t}, host 352servers the user has connected to. If this variable is @code{t},
351names will be saved in the file, too. 353@acronym{NSM} will also save host names in the nsm-settings-file.
352@end table 354@end table
353 355
354 356