Merge #385: Randomize context on creation

8339ca5 Add documentation guiding users towards randomization (Tobin Harding)
cf1496b Add documentation about rand-std feature (Tobin Harding)
1693d51 Randomize context on creation (Tobin Harding)
a0465ea Remove feature global-context-less-secure (Tobin Harding)

Pull request description:

  Currently it is easy for users to mis-use our API because they may not know that `randomize()` should be called after context creation for maximum defence against side channel attacks.

  This PR entails the first two parts of the plan outlined in #388. The commit messages are a bit light of information as to _why_ we are doing this so please see #388 for more context.

  In light of @real-or-random's [comment](#388 (comment)) about verification contexts the randomization is done in `gen_new` i.e., for _all_ contexts not just signing ones.

  Also, I think we should add some docs about exactly _what_ randomization buys the user and what it costs. I do not know exactly what this is, can someone please write a sentence or two that we can include in the docs to `gen_new`?

  @TheBlueMatt please review patch 4.

  Resolves: #225

  **Note**: This is a total re-write of the original PR, most of the discussion below is stale. Of note, the additional API that takes a seed during construction is not implemented here.

ACKs for top commit:
  apoelstra:
    ACK 8339ca5

Tree-SHA512: e74fe9a6eaf8ac40e4e06997602006eb8ca95216b5bc6dca3f5f96b5b4d3bf8610d851d8f1ef5c199ab7fbe85b34d162f2ee0073647f45105a486d20d8c0722a

Author: apoelstra

Cargo.toml

@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@ alloc = []
 rand-std = ["rand/std"]
 recovery = ["secp256k1-sys/recovery"]
 lowmemory = ["secp256k1-sys/lowmemory"]
-global-context = ["std", "rand-std", "global-context-less-secure"]
-global-context-less-secure = []
+global-context = ["std"]
 
 [dependencies]
 secp256k1-sys = { version = "0.4.2", default-features = false, path = "./secp256k1-sys" }

src/context.rs

@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ use Secp256k1;
 #[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(any(feature = "std", feature = "alloc"))))]
 pub use self::alloc_only::*;
 
-#[cfg(all(feature = "global-context-less-secure", feature = "std"))]
-#[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(any(feature = "global-context", feature = "global-context-less-secure"))))]
+#[cfg(all(feature = "global-context", feature = "std"))]
+#[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(all(feature = "global-context", feature = "std"))))]
 /// Module implementing a singleton pattern for a global `Secp256k1` context
 pub mod global {
-    #[cfg(feature = "global-context")]
+    #[cfg(feature = "rand-std")]
     use rand;
 
     use std::ops::Deref;
@@ -26,22 +26,29 @@ pub mod global {
         __private: (),
     }
 
-    /// A global, static context to avoid repeatedly creating contexts where one can't be passed
+    /// A global static context to avoid repeatedly creating contexts.
     ///
-    /// If the global-context feature is enabled (and not just the global-context-less-secure),
-    /// this will have been randomized.
+    /// If `rand-std` feature is enabled, context will have been randomized using `thread_rng`.
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// # #[cfg(all(feature = "global-context", feature = "rand-std"))] {
+    /// use secp256k1::{PublicKey, SECP256K1};
+    /// use secp256k1::rand::thread_rng;
+    /// let _ = SECP256K1.generate_keypair(&mut thread_rng());
+    /// # }
+    /// ```
     pub static SECP256K1: &GlobalContext = &GlobalContext { __private: () };
 
     impl Deref for GlobalContext {
         type Target = Secp256k1<All>;
 
-        #[allow(unused_mut)]    // Unused when "global-context" is not enabled.
+        #[allow(unused_mut)]    // Unused when `rand-std` is not enabled.
         fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
             static ONCE: Once = Once::new();
             static mut CONTEXT: Option<Secp256k1<All>> = None;
             ONCE.call_once(|| unsafe {
                 let mut ctx = Secp256k1::new();
-                #[cfg(feature = "global-context")]
+                #[cfg(feature = "rand-std")]
                 {
                     ctx.randomize(&mut rand::thread_rng());
                 }
@@ -108,6 +115,9 @@ mod alloc_only {
     #[cfg(not(feature = "std"))]
     use alloc::alloc;
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "rand-std")]
+    use rand;
+
     impl private::Sealed for SignOnly {}
     impl private::Sealed for All {}
     impl private::Sealed for VerifyOnly {}
@@ -167,38 +177,73 @@ mod alloc_only {
     }
 
     impl<C: Context> Secp256k1<C> {
-        /// Lets you create a context in a generic manner(sign/verify/all)
+        /// Lets you create a context in a generic manner (sign/verify/all).
+        ///
+        /// If `rand-std` feature is enabled, context will have been randomized using `thread_rng`.
+        /// If `rand-std` feature is not enabled please consider randomizing the context as follows:
+        /// ```
+        /// # #[cfg(all(feature = "rand-std", any(feature = "alloc", feature = "std")))] {
+        /// # use secp256k1::Secp256k1;
+        /// # use secp256k1::rand::{thread_rng, RngCore};
+        /// let mut ctx = Secp256k1::new();
+        /// # let mut rng = thread_rng();
+        /// # let mut seed = [0u8; 32];
+        /// # rng.fill_bytes(&mut seed);
+        /// // let seed = <32 bytes of random data>
+        /// ctx.seeded_randomize(&seed);
+        /// # }
+        /// ```
+        #[allow(unused_mut)]    // Unused when `rand-std` is not enabled.
         pub fn gen_new() -> Secp256k1<C> {
             #[cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")]
             ffi::types::sanity_checks_for_wasm();
 
             let size = unsafe { ffi::secp256k1_context_preallocated_size(C::FLAGS) };
             let layout = alloc::Layout::from_size_align(size, ALIGN_TO).unwrap();
             let ptr = unsafe {alloc::alloc(layout)};
-            Secp256k1 {
+            let mut ctx = Secp256k1 {
                 ctx: unsafe { ffi::secp256k1_context_preallocated_create(ptr as *mut c_void, C::FLAGS) },
                 phantom: PhantomData,
                 size,
+            };
+
+            #[cfg(feature = "rand-std")]
+            {
+                ctx.randomize(&mut rand::thread_rng());
             }
+
+            ctx
         }
     }
 
     impl Secp256k1<All> {
-        /// Creates a new Secp256k1 context with all capabilities
+        /// Creates a new Secp256k1 context with all capabilities.
+        ///
+        /// If `rand-std` feature is enabled, context will have been randomized using `thread_rng`.
+        /// If `rand-std` feature is not enabled please consider randomizing the context (see docs
+        /// for `Secp256k1::gen_new()`).
         pub fn new() -> Secp256k1<All> {
             Secp256k1::gen_new()
         }
     }
 
     impl Secp256k1<SignOnly> {
-        /// Creates a new Secp256k1 context that can only be used for signing
+        /// Creates a new Secp256k1 context that can only be used for signing.
+        ///
+        /// If `rand-std` feature is enabled, context will have been randomized using `thread_rng`.
+        /// If `rand-std` feature is not enabled please consider randomizing the context (see docs
+        /// for `Secp256k1::gen_new()`).
         pub fn signing_only() -> Secp256k1<SignOnly> {
             Secp256k1::gen_new()
         }
     }
 
     impl Secp256k1<VerifyOnly> {
-        /// Creates a new Secp256k1 context that can only be used for verification
+        /// Creates a new Secp256k1 context that can only be used for verification.
+        ///
+        /// If `rand-std` feature is enabled, context will have been randomized using `thread_rng`.
+        /// If `rand-std` feature is not enabled please consider randomizing the context (see docs
+        /// for `Secp256k1::gen_new()`).
         pub fn verification_only() -> Secp256k1<VerifyOnly> {
             Secp256k1::gen_new()
         }

src/key.rs

@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ impl Ord for PublicKey {
 /// feature active. This is due to security considerations, see the [`serde_keypair`] documentation
 /// for details.
 ///
-/// If the `serde` and `global-context[-less-secure]` features are active `KeyPair`s can be serialized and
+/// If the `serde` and `global-context` features are active `KeyPair`s can be serialized and
 /// deserialized by annotating them with `#[serde(with = "secp256k1::serde_keypair")]`
 /// inside structs or enums for which [`Serialize`] and [`Deserialize`] are being derived.
 ///
@@ -1320,7 +1320,7 @@ impl<'de> ::serde::Deserialize<'de> for XOnlyPublicKey {
 ///
 /// [`SecretKey`]: crate::SecretKey
 /// [global context]: crate::SECP256K1
-#[cfg(all(feature = "global-context-less-secure", feature = "serde"))]
+#[cfg(all(feature = "global-context", feature = "serde"))]
 pub mod serde_keypair {
     use serde::{Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
     use key::KeyPair;
@@ -1924,7 +1924,7 @@ mod test {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[cfg(all(feature = "global-context-less-secure", feature = "serde"))]
+    #[cfg(all(feature = "global-context", feature = "serde"))]
     fn test_serde_keypair() {
         use serde::{Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
         use serde_test::{Configure, Token, assert_tokens};

src/lib.rs

@@ -20,9 +20,13 @@
 //! and its derivatives.
 //!
 //! To minimize dependencies, some functions are feature-gated. To generate
-//! random keys or to re-randomize a context object, compile with the "rand"
-//! feature. To de/serialize objects with serde, compile with "serde".
-//! **Important**: `serde` encoding is **not** the same as consensus encoding!
+//! random keys or to re-randomize a context object, compile with the
+//! `rand-std` feature. If you are willing to use the `rand-std` feature, we
+//! have enabled an additional defense-in-depth sidechannel protection for
+//! our context objects, which re-blinds certain operations on secret key
+//! data. To de/serialize objects with serde, compile with "serde".
+//! **Important**: `serde` encoding is **not** the same as consensus
+//! encoding!
 //!
 //! Where possible, the bindings use the Rust type system to ensure that
 //! API usage errors are impossible. For example, the library uses context
@@ -125,9 +129,7 @@
 //! * `rand-std` - use `rand` library with its `std` feature enabled. (Implies `rand`.)
 //! * `recovery` - enable functions that can compute the public key from signature.
 //! * `lowmemory` - optimize the library for low-memory environments.
-//! * `global-context` - enable use of global secp256k1 context. (Implies `std`, `rand-std` and
-//!                      `global-context-less-secure`.)
-//! * `global-context-less-secure` - enables global context without extra sidechannel protection.
+//! * `global-context` - enable use of global secp256k1 context (implies `std`).
 //! * `serde` - implements serialization and deserialization for types in this crate using `serde`.
 //!           **Important**: `serde` encoding is **not** the same as consensus encoding!
 //! * `bitcoin_hashes` - enables interaction with the `bitcoin-hashes` crate (e.g. conversions).
@@ -195,8 +197,8 @@ use core::marker::PhantomData;
 use core::{mem, fmt, str};
 use ffi::{CPtr, types::AlignedType};
 
-#[cfg(feature = "global-context-less-secure")]
-#[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(any(feature = "global-context", feature = "global-context-less-secure"))))]
+#[cfg(feature = "global-context")]
+#[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(any(feature = "global-context", feature = "global-context"))))]
 pub use context::global::SECP256K1;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "bitcoin_hashes")]
@@ -955,7 +957,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     }
 
-    #[cfg(feature = "global-context-less-secure")]
+    #[cfg(feature = "global-context")]
     #[test]
     fn test_global_context() {
         use super::SECP256K1;