gradido/docu/Concepts/TechnicalRequirements/Federation.md

Federation

This document contains the concept and technical details for the federation of gradido communities. The first idea of federation was to base on the ActivityPub specification and extend it for the gradido requirements.

But meanwhile the usage of a DHT like HyperSwarm promises more coverage of the gradido requirements out of the box. More details about HyperSwarm can be found here @hyperswarm/dht.

ActivityPub (deprecated)

The activity pub defines a server-to-server federation protocol to share information between decentralized instances and will be the main komponent for the gradido community federation.

At first we asume a gradido community as an ActivityPub user. A user is represented by "actors" via the users's accounts on servers. User's accounts on different servers corrsponds to different actors, which means community accounts on different servers corrsponds to different communities.

Every community (actor) has an:

• inbox: to get messages from the world
• outbox: to send messages to others

and are simple endpoints or just URLs, which are described in the ActivityStream of each ActivityPub community.

Open Decision:

It has to be decided, if the Federation will work with an internal or with external ActivityPub-Server, as shown in the picture below:

The Variant A with an internal server contains the benefit to be as independent as possible from third party service providers and will not cause additional hosting costs. But this solution will cause the additional efforts of impementing an ActivityPub-Server in the gradido application and the responsibility for this component.

The Varaint B with an external server contains the benefit to reduce the implementation efforts and the responsibility for an own ActivitPub-Server. But it will cause an additional dependency to a third party service provider and the growing hosting costs.

HyperSwarm

The decision to switch from ActivityPub to HyperSwarm base on the arguments, that the hyperswarm/dht library will satify the most federation requirements out of the box. It is now to design the business requirements of the gradido community communication in a technical conception.

The challenge for the decentralized communities of gradido will be how to become a new community aquainted with an existing community ?

To enable such a relationship between an existing community and a new community several stages has to run through:

1. Federation
   • join&connect
   • direct exchange
2. Authentication
3. Autorized Communication

Overview

At first the following diagramm gives an overview of the three stages and shows the handshake between an existing community-A and a new created community-B including the data exchange for buildup such a federated, authenticated and autorized relationship.

Prerequisits

Before starting in describing the details of the federation handshake, some prerequisits have to be defined.

Database

With the federation additional data tables/entities have to be created.

Community-Entity

Create the new Community table to store attributes of the own community. This table is used more like a frame for own community data in the future like the list of federated foreign communities, own users, own futher accounts like AUF- and Welfare-account and the profile data of the own community:

Attributes	Type	Description
id	int	technical unique key of this entity
uuid	string	unique key for a community, which will never changed as long as the community exists
name	string	name of the community shown on UI e.g for selection of a community
description	string	description of the community shown on UI to present more community details
...		for the near future additional attributes like profile-info, trading-level, set-of-rights,... will follow with the next level of Multi-Community Readyness

CommunityFederation-Entity

Create the new CommunityFederation table to store at this point of time only the attributes used by the federation handshake:

Attributes	Type	Description
id	int	technical unique key of this entity
uuid	string	unique key for a community, which will never changed as long as the community exists
foreign	boolean	flag to mark the entry as a foreign or own community entry
createdAt	timestamp	the timestamp the community entry was created
privateKey	string	the private key of the community for asynchron encryption (only set for the own community)
pubKey	string	the public key of the community for asynchron encryption
pubKeyVerifiedAt	timestamp	the timestamp the pubkey of this foreign community is verified (for the own community its always null)
authenticatedAt	timestamp	the timestamp of the last successfull authentication with this foreign community
		for the near future additional attributes will follow with the next level of Multi-Community Readyness

CommunityApiVersion-Entity

Create the new CommunityApiVersion table to support several urls and apiversion of one community at once. It references the table CommunityFederation with the foreignkey communityFederationID (naming pattern foreignkea = <referred entityname>ID) for a 1:n relationship

Attributes	Type	Description
id	int	technical unique key of this entity
communityFederationID	int	the technical foreign key to the community entity
url	string	the URL the community will provide its services, could be changed during lifetime of the community
apiversion	string	the API version the community will provide its services, will increase with each release
validFrom	timestamp	the timestamp as of the url and api are provided by the community
verifiedAt	timestamp	the timestamp the url and apiversion of this foreign community is verified (for the own community its always null)

Configuration

The preparation of a community infrastructure needs some application-outside configuration, which will be read during the start phase of the gradido components. The configuration will be defined in a file based manner like key-value-pairs as properties or in a structured way like xml or json files.

Key	Value	Default-Value	Description
stage.name	dev stage1 stage2 prod	dev	defines the name of the stage this instance will serve
stage.host			the name of the host or ip this instance will run
stage.mode	test prod	test	the running mode this instance will work
federation.communityname		Gradido-Akademie	the name of this community
federation.apiversion	<versionNr>	current 1.7	defines the current api version this instance will provide its services
federation.apiversion.<versionNr>.url		gdd.gradido.net	defines the url on which this instance of a community will provide its services
federation.apiversion.<versionNr>.validFrom			defines the timestamp the apiversion is or will be valid
federation.dhtnode.topic		dht_gradido_topic	defines the name of the federation topic, which is used to join and connect as federation-channel
federation.dhtnode.host			defines the host where the DHT-Node is hosted, if outside apollo
federation.dhtnode.port			defines the port on which the DHT-node will provide its services, if outside apollo

1st Start of a community

The first time a new community infrastructure on a server is started, the start-phase has to check and prepair the own community database for federation. That means the application has to read the configuration and check against the database, if all current configured data is propagated in the database especially in the CommunityXXX entities.

• check if theCommunity table is empty or if an exisiting community entry is not equals the configured values, then update as follows:

  • community.id = next sequence value
  • community.uuid = generated UUID (version 4)
  • community.name = Configuration.federation.communityname
  • community.description = null

• prepare the CommunityFederation table

  • communityFederation.id = next sequence value
  • communityFederation.uuid = community.uuid
  • communityFederation.foreign = FALSE
  • communityFederation.createdAt = NOW
  • communityFederation.privateKey = null
  • communityFederation.pubKey = null
  • communityFederation.pubKeyVerifiedAt = null
  • communityFederation.authenticatedAt = null

• prepare the CommunityApiVersion table with all configured apiversions:

  • communityApiVersion.id = next sequence value
  • communityApiVersion.communityFederationID = communityFederation.id
  • communityApiVersion.url = Configuration.federation.apiversion.<versionNr>.url
  • communityApiVersion.apiversion = Configuration.federation.apiversion
  • communityApiVersion.validFrom = Configuration.federation.apiversion.<versionNr>.validFrom
  • communityApiVersion.verifiedAt = null

Stage1 - Federation

For the 1st stage the hyperswarm dht library will be used. It supports an easy way to connect a new community with other existing communities. As shown in the picture above the hyperswarm dht library will be part of the component DHT-Node separated from the apollo server component. The background for this separation is to keep off the federation activity from the business processes or to enable component specific scaling in the future. In consequence for the inter-component communication between DHT-Node, apollo server and other components like database the interface and security has to be defined during development on using technical standards.

For the first federation release the DHT-Node will be part of the apollo server, but internally designed and implemented as a logical saparated component.

Sequence join&connect

1. In the own database of community_A the entites Community, CommunityFederation and CommunityApiVersion are initialized
2. When starting the DHT-Node of community_A it search per apollo-ORM for the own community entry and check on existing keypair CommunityFederation.pubKey and CommunityFederation.privateKey in the database. If they not exist, the DHT-Node generates the keypair pubkey and privatekey and writes them per apollo-ORM in the database
3. For joining with the correct channel of hyperswarm dht a topic has to be used. The DHT-Node reads the configured value of the property federation.dhtnode.topic.
4. with the CommunityFederation.pubKey and the federation.dhtnode.topic the DHT-Node joins the hyperswarm dht and listen for other DHT-nodes on the topic.
5. As soon as a the hyperswarm dht notifies an additional node in the topic, the DHT-node reads the pubKey of this additional node and search it per apollo-ORM in the CommunityFederation table by filtering with CommunityFederation.foreign = TRUE
6. if an entry with the CommunityFederation.pubKey of the foreign node still exists and the CommunityFederation.pubKeyVerifiedAt is not NULL both the DHT-node and the foreign node had pass through the federation process before. Nevertheless the following steps and stages have to be processed for updating e.g the api versions or other meanwhile changed date.
7. if an entry with the CommunityFederation.pubKey of the additional node can't be found, the DHT-Node starts with the next step direct exchange of the federation handshake anyway.

Sequence direct exchange

1. if the CommunityFederation.pubKey of the additional node does not exists in the CommunityFederation table the DHT-node starts a direct exchange with this foreign node to gets the data the first time, otherwise to update previous exchanged data.
2. the DHT-node opens a direct connection per hyperswarm with the additional node and exchange respectively the url and apiversion between each other.

   1. to support the future feature that one community can provide several urls and apiversion at once the exchanged data should be in a format, which can represent structured information, like JSON (or simply CSV - feel free how to implement, but be aware about security aspects to avoid possible attacks during parsing the exchanged data and the used parsers for it)

      { 
         "API": 
         { 
            "url"       : "comB.com", 
            "version"   : "1.0", 
            "validFrom" : "2022.01.01" 
         }
         "API" :
         { 
            "url"       : "comB.com", 
            "version"   : "1.1", 
            "validFrom" : "2022.04.15" 
         }
         "API" :
         { 
            "url"       : "comB.de", 
            "version"   : "2.0", 
            "validFrom" : "2022.06.01" 
         }
      }
      

   2. the DHT-Node writes per apollo-ORM the received and parsed data from the foreign node in the database

      1. For the future an optimization step will be introduced here to avoid possible attacks of a foreign node by polute our database with mass of data.

         1. before the apollo-ORM writes the data in the database, the apollo-graphQL invokes for all received urls and apiversions at the foreign node the request https.//<url>/<apiversion>/getPubKey().
         2. Normally the foreign node will response in a very short time with its publicKey, because there will be nothing to en- or decrypt or other complex processing steps.
         3. if such a request runs in a timeout anyhow, the previous exchanged data with the foreign node will be almost certainly a fake and can be refused without storing in database. Break the further federation processing steps and stages and return back to stage1 join&connect.
         4. if the response is in time the received publicKey must be equals with the pubKey of the foreign node the DHT-Node gets from hyperswarm dht per topic during the join&connect stage before
         5. if both keys are the same, the writing of the exchanged data per apollo-ORM can go on.
         6. if both keys will not match the exchanged data during the direct connection will be almost certainly a fake and can be refused without storing in database. Break the further federation processing steps and stages and return back to stage1 join&connect.

      2. the apollo-ORM inserts / updates or deletes the received data as follow

         • insert/update in the CommunityFederation table for this foreign node:

           Column	insert	update
           communityFederation.id	next sequence value	keep existing value
           communityFederation.uuid	null	keep existing value
           communityFederation.foreign	TRUE	keep existing value
           communityFederation.createdAt	NOW	keep existing value
           communityFederation.privateKey	null	keep existing value
           communityFederation.pubKey	exchangedData.pubKey	keep existing value
           communityFederation.pubKeyVerifiedAt	null	keep existing value
           communityFederation.authenticatedAt	null	keep existing value

         • for each exchangedData API

           if API not exists in database then insert in the CommunityApiVersion table:

           Column	insert
           communityApiVersion.id	next sequence value
           communityApiVersion.communityFederationID	communityFederation.id
           communityApiVersion.url	exchangedData.API.url
           communityApiVersion.apiversion	exchangedData.API.version
           communityApiVersion.validFrom	exchangedData.API.validFrom
           communityApiVersion.verifiedAt	null

           if API exists in database but was not part of the last data exchange, then delete it from the CommunityApiVersion table

           if API exists in database and was part of the last data exchange, then update it in the CommunityApiVersion table

           Column	update
           communityApiVersion.id	keep existing value
           communityApiVersion.communityFederationID	keep existing value
           communityApiVersion.url	keep existing value
           communityApiVersion.apiversion	keep existing value
           communityApiVersion.validFrom	exchangedData.API.validFrom
           communityApiVersion.verifiedAt	keep existing value

   3. After all received data is stored successfully, the DHT-Node starts the stage2 - Authentication of the federation handshake

Stage2 - Authentication

The 2nd stage of federation is called authentication, because during the 1st stage the hyperswarm dht only ensures the knowledge that one node is the owner of its keypairs pubKey and privateKey. The exchanged data between two nodes during the direct exchange on the hyperswarm dht channel must be verified, means ensure if the proclaimed url(s) and apiversion(s) of a node is the correct address to reach the same node outside the hyperswarm infrastructure.

As mentioned before the DHT-node invokes the authentication stage on apollo server graphQL with the previous stored data of the foreign node.

Sequence - view of existing Community

1. the authentication stage starts by reading for the foreignNode from the previous federation step all necessary data
   1. select with the foreignNode.pubKey from the tables CommunityFederation and CommunityApiVersion where CommunityApiVersion.validFrom <= NOW and CommunityApiVersion.verifiedAt = null
   2. the resultSet will be a list of data with the following attributes
      • foreignNode.pubKey
      • foreignNode.url
      • foreignNode.apiVersion
2. read the own keypair and uuid by select uuid, privateKey, pubKey from CommunityFederation cf where cf.foreign = FALSE
3. for each entry of the resultSet from step 1 do
   1. encryptedURL = encrypting the foreignNode.url and foreignNode.apiVersion with the foreignNode.pubKey
   2. signedAndEncryptedURL = sign the result of the encryption with the own privateKey
   3. invoke the request https://<foreignNode.url>/<foreignNode.apiVersion>/openConnection(own.pubKey, signedAndEncryptedURL )
   4. the foreign node will response immediately with an empty response OK, otherwise break the authentication stage with an error
4. the foreign node will process the request on its side - see [description below](#Sequence - view of new Community) - and invokes a redirect request base on the previous exchanged data during stage1 - Federation. This could be more than one redirect request depending on the amount of supported urls and apiversions we propagate to the foreignNode before.
   1. if the other community will not react with an openConnectionRedirect-request, ther will be an error like missmatching data and the further federation processing will end and go back to join&connect.
5. for each received request https://<own.url>/<own.apiVersion>/openConnectionRedirect(onetimecode, foreignNode.url, encryptedRedirectURL ) do
   1. with the given parameter the following steps will be done
      1. search for the foreignNode.pubKey by select cf.pubKey from CommunityApiVersion cav, CommunityFederation cf where cav.url = foreignNode.url and cav.communityFederationID = cf.id
      2. decrypt with the own.privateKey the received encryptedRedirectURL parameter, which contains a full qualified url inc. apiversion and route
      3. verify signature of encryptedRedirectURL with the previous found foreignNode.pubKey from the own database
      4. if the decryption and signature verification are successful then encrypt the own.uuid with the own.privateKey to encryptedOwnUUID
      5. invoke the redirect request with https://<redirect.URL>(onetimecode, encryptedOwnUUID) and
      6. wait for the response with the encryptedForeignUUID
      7. decrypt the encrpytedForeignUUID with the foreignNode.pubKey
      8. write the encrypted foreignNode.UUID in the database by updating the CommunityFederation table per update CommunityFederation cf set values (cf.uuid = foreignNode.UUID, cf.pubKeyVerifiedAt = NOW) where cf.pubKey = foreignNode.pubkey

After all redirect requests are process, all relevant authentication data of the new community are well know here and stored in the database.

Sequence - view of new Community

This chapter contains the description of the Authentication Stage on the new community side as the request openConnection(pubKey, signedAndEncryptedURL)

As soon the openConnection request is invoked:

1. decrypted the 2nd parameter.signedAndEncryptedURL with the own privatKey
2. with the 1st parameter pubKey search in the own database select uuid, url, pubKey from CommunityFederation cf where cf.foreign = TRUE and cf.pubKey = parameter.pubKey
3. check if the decrypted parameter.signedAndEncryptedURL is equals the selected url from the previous selected CommunityFederationEntry
   1. if not then break the further processing of this request by only writing an error-log event. There will be no answer to the invoker community, because this community will only go on with a openConnectionRedirect-request from this community.
   2. if yes then verify the signature of parameter.signedAndEncryptedURL with the cf.pubKey read in step 2 before

Stage3 - Autorized Business Communication

ongoing

Review von Ulf

Communication concept

The communication happens in 4 stages.

• Stage1: Federation
• Stage2: Direct-Connection
• Stage3: GraphQL-Verification
• Stage4: GraphQL-Content

Stage1 - Federation

Using the hyperswarm dht library we can find eachother easily and exchange a pubKey and data of which we know that the other side owns the private key of.

ComA ---- announce ----> DHT
ComB <--- listen ------- DHT

Each peer will know the pubKey of the other participants. Furthermore a direct connection is possible.

ComB ---- connect -----> ComA
ComB ---- data --------> ComA

Stage2 - Direct-Connection

The hyperswarm dht library offers a secure channel based on the exchanged pubKey so we do not need to verify things.

The Idea is now to exchange the GraphQL Endpoints and their corresponding versions API versions in form of json

{
    "API": {
        "1.0": "https://comB.com/api/1.0/",
        "1.1": "https://comB.com/api/1.1/",
        "2.4": "https://comB.de/api/2.4/"
    }
}

Stage3 - GraphQL-Verification

The task of Stage3 is to verify that the collected data through the two Federation Stages are correct, since we did not verify yet that the proclaimed URL is actually the guy we talked to in the federation. Furthermore the sender must be verified to ensure the queried community does not reveal things to a third party not authorized.

ComA ----- verify -----> ComB
ComA <---- authorize --- ComB

Assuming this Dataset on ComA after a federation (leaving out multiple API endpoints to simplify things):

| PubKey | API-Endpoint  | PubKey Verified On |  
|--------|---------------|--------------------|
| PubA*  | ComA.com/api/ | NULL               |
| PubB   | ComB.com/api/ | NULL               |
| PubC   | ComB.com/api/ | NULL               |

* = self

using the GraphQL Endpoint to query things:

ComA ---- getPubKey ---> ComB.com
ComA <--- PubB --------- ComB.com

ComA UPDATE database SET pubKeyVerifiedOn = now WHERE API-Endpoint=queryURL AND PubKey=QueryResult 

resulting in:

| PubKey | API-Endpoint  | PubKey Verified On | 
|--------|---------------|--------------------|
| PubA*  | ComA.com/api/ | 1.1.1970           |
| PubB   | ComB.com/api/ | NOW                |
| PubC   | ComB.com/api/ | NULL               |

Furthermore we use the Header to transport a proof of who the caller is when calling and when answering:

ComA ---- getPubKey, sign({pubA, crypt(timeToken,pubB)},privA) --> ComB.com
ComB: is pubA known to me?
ComB: is the signature correct?
ComB: can I decrypt payload?
ComB: is timeToken <= 10sec?
ComA <----- PubB, sign({timeToken}, privB) ----------------------- ComB.com 
ComA: is timeToken correct?
ComA: is signature correct?

This process we call authentication and can result in several errors:

1. Your pubKey was not known to me
2. Your signature is incorrect
3. I cannot decrypt your payload
4. Token Timeout (recoverable)
5. Result token was incorrect
6. Result signature was incorrect

| PubKey | API-Endpoint  | PubKey Verified On |  AuthenticationLastSuccess |
|--------|---------------|--------------------|----------------------------|
| PubA*  | ComA.com/api/ | 1.1.1970           | 1.1.1970                   |
| PubB   | ComB.com/api/ | NOW                | NOW                        |
| PubC   | ComB.com/api/ | NULL               | NULL                       |

The next process is the authorization. This happens on every call on the receiver site to determine which call is allowed for the other side.

ComA ---- getPubKey, sign({pubA, crypt(timeToken,pubB)},privA) --> ComB.com
ComB: did I verify pubA? SELECT PubKeyVerifiedOn FROm database WHERE PubKey = pubA
ComB: is pubA allowed to query this?