Monday, August 11, 2008

Activity Log : GSoC Week #16 (4.VIII - 10.VIII)

I'll detail in this blog entry the changes made last week, regarding the GUI part of the ZRTP integration. Part of these are related with the GoClear-GoSecure added feature (about which I got feedback from Werner related to some issues present in the ZRTP protocol - which I actually encountered myself too - and consequently I must say that for the moment even if it's working, it's state is provisional).

One of the main changes done regarding the previous GUI implementation is removing the padlock (secure) button from the SC sources (QuickMenu class) along with the modifications done for access in the SC packages, and moving it in the plugin where the SAS label was already present. The button is moved together with the previous label inside a JPanel which is now the object returned by the getComponent method requested by the implemented PluginComponent interface. This panel, and it's components are obtained in the SCCallback class, which represents the ZRTP GUI callback class, and there are implemented the main modifications on the GUI triggered by various ZRTP actions.

The bundle activator class for the ZRTP GUI plugin implements getter methods for the ResourceManagement service in order to obtain the resources needed for the GUI elements, and also for the Media service in order to trigger the secure change events through the padlock button. You may wonder if this button commands won't actually be more appropriate to be handled more directly from the ZRTP user callback (SCCallback) class, by deriving it from ActionListener, this class after all having the purpose to update the state of the GUI elements. Well, I actually gave a thought before the current approach, and even it may seem a bit convoluted I decided to leave it this way. The main reason is that I thought at the button as a general secure button - not necessarilly a ZRTP related one. This means, that in the future, the current ZRTP GUI plugin, could be extended for other types of securing protocols by maintaining the current GUI elements (which might be common for more than one protocol, at least the button is as main way of toggleing secure mode) and eventually adding other needed elements (and changing the name of the plugin to a more general SecureGUI). The button, consequently maintains the role - as actually specified some time ago when I first designed the GUI part, of toggleing general security on and off for the established call sessions, even if it is placed in the ZRTP GUI plugin. Based on the static security parameter - usingSRTP - a type of securing algorithm is used - now ZRTP is the only available (actually I described all this in the blog entry for week 7, so I won't repeat it here).

Regarding the needs for the provisional addition of GoClear-GoSecure and also the general securing usage of the button, as mentioned in the last paragraph, I decided to establish a basic state model also for the button actions, by associating them specific commands according to the moment it can be pressed.

So, for start the button has associated the "startSecureMode" command - this is the action command specific for the general secure status changing for the CallSessionImpl, having the effect of setting or unsetting the usingSRTP flag; the command associated with the button (and of course the action) remain the same until a call session is started with secure mode on (usingSRTP true) and a securing algorithm usage is initiated

Since the only current secure algorithm solution is represented by ZRTP, further commands for
the button (states) and associated actions (transitions) apply only for ZRTP for now. In case a future securing algorithm will be implemented, specific commands and actions should be added. The current approach practically provides this means of extension (that's why the button starts in a general secure toggle on-off mode, and all may seem a bit complicated).

When a call session starts (or was started - the case of late secure activation), ZRTP is the securing algorithm to be used, and secure mode is set on - the button is toggled - the ZRTPTransformEngine is initialized. This has the effect of calling init from SCCallback (the ZRTP user callback implementation). Init sets the command for the button as "firstZRTPTrigger". You may call this the point where the button "becomes" a ZRTP securing button, by changing it's command (state) from it's previous status of general secure mode toggle button. The action associated with "firstZRTPTrigger" is doing nothing when clicked (actually it should display a forced warning tooltip but for some yet unknown reasons it doesn't seem to work). This is a measure of avoiding crash for the case when only one peer started the call with secure mode on, and the other didn't and will activate it later. So, if the peer will click again the button at this moment attempting to untoggle secure mode this won't be allowed (after all the call is still in unsecure mode). This case is possible only at first ZRTP activation (there's where the command name comes from).

When the other peer toggles secure mode on, or when both peers start the call with secure mode on, after the ZRTP exchange finally takes place with success, when SCCallback calls secureOn, the button command is set (for both peers of course) to "defaultZRTPAction". This command has the same action associated as the general secure mode command "startSecureMode" - changing the secure mode status for CallSessionImpl. This secure mode change event handling will have the effect of generating alternately GoClear and GoSecure requests from the GUI to the state engine when the user toggles the button.

If an user toggles the button off, generating a GoClear request, this will have the effect at the other peer of a SCCallback call to confirmGoClear. In this case the button command (state) is set to "goClearRemoteToggle" and the button is pressed programatically. The action for this case is to switch the secure mode off in the CallSessionImpl the same as usual, but the event sent has (as a new parameter added in the current version) the source set as being remote, not local. This causes the event not to be handled as the user has pressed the button himself, which would normally sent another GoClear request from the GUI to the ZRTP state engine (we don't want that, the other peer initiated the GoClear procedure). Imediatelly after the programatically button press in SCCallback returns the button command state is switched back to "defaultZRTPAction", so a further click on the button will generate a normal GoSecure request.

If an user toggles the button on, generating a GoSecure request, this will be handled in terms of button command (state), and associated action pretty similar with the above case. We got after all the same issue, toggleing the peer button's on programatically but without initiating a GoSecure procedure too at the peer. This button programatically toggleing is done in the showSAS method of SCCallback (probably I should move it to secureOn; I left it there because the SAS is computed only for the first stream in case of more, but if the GoSecure mode will be based on multistream as it should the change is necessary). The programatically toggle on is done with respect to two flags, one indicating that this is not the first call securing (so it is a consequence of a subsequent GoSecure request) and the second telling that the change was generated by peer (this flag is set default as true, and is switched off for itself by the local peer only at a GoClear or GoSecure request and reset back on when the procedure is over).

There is one more command (state) for the button generated by the ZRTP exchange, this being "revertFromAllowClearFailure", and set in the SCCallback when a warning message is received from the state engine, following a GoClear user request which is denied because the peer doesn't support the mode. This causes the button to generate an secure state change event sent to the CallSessionImpl with the source set as revert in order to switch back the previously modified usingSRTP flag, but without further secure change event processing. Also the button is set back as toggled and remains with that command (in this state) set until the end of the call (if the peer doesn't support GoClear at the first attempt of course it won't support it at next attempts either).

Finally, when the call ends the button command (state) is switched back to the general secure mode toggle "startSecureMode".

This is the main detailed description of how the GUI works now - actually mainly the button (the label is change pretty simple). However, like I said, even the implementation works now (if all exchange goes well), according to Werner's feedback, and also with some issues encountered by me also related to the error handling part, GoClear - GoSecure and the related GUI remains after all in a provisional state.

1 comment:

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