rippled/doc/manifest-tool-guide.md

Manifest Tool Guide

This guide explains how to setup a validator so the key pairs used to sign and verify validations may safely change. This procedure does not require manual reconfiguration of servers that trust this validator.

Validators use two types of key pairs: master keys and ephemeral keys. Ephemeral keys are used to sign and verify validations. Master keys are used to sign and verify manifests that change ephemeral keys. The master secret key should be tightly controlled. The ephemeral secret key needs to be present in the config file.

Validator Keys

When first setting up a validator, use the manifest script to generate a master key pair:

  $ bin/manifest create

Sample output:

  [validator_keys]
  nHUSSzGw4A9zEmFtK2Q2NcWDH9xmGdXMHc1MsVej3QkLTgvDNeBr

  [master_secret]
  pnxayCakmZRQE2qhEVRbFjiWCunReSbN1z64vPL36qwyLgogyYc

The first value is the master public key. Add the public key to the config for this validator. A one-word comment must be added after the key (for example ThisServersName). Any other rippled trusting the validator needs to add the master public key to its config. Only add keys received from trusted sources.

The second value is the corresponding master secret key. DO NOT INSTALL THIS IN THE CONFIG. The master secret key will be used to sign manifests that change validation keys. Put the master secret key in a secure but recoverable location.

Validation Keys

When first setting up a validator, or when changing the ephemeral keys, use the rippled program to create a new ephemeral key pair:

  $ rippled validation_create

Sample output:

  Loading: "/Users/alice/.config/ripple/rippled.cfg"
  Securely connecting to 127.0.0.1:5005
  {
     "result" : {
      "status" : "success",
      "validation_key" : "TOO EDNA SHUN FEUD STAB JOAN BIAS FLEA WISE BOHR LOSS WEEK",
      "validation_public_key" : "n9JzKV3ZrcZ3DW5pwjakj4hpijJ9oMiyrPDGJc3mpsndL6Gf3zwd",
      "validation_seed" : "sahzkAajS2dyhjXg2yovjdZhXmjsx"
     }
  }

Add the validation_seed value (the ephemeral secret key) to this validator's config. It is recommended to add the ephemeral public key and the sequence number as a comment as well (sequence numbers are be explained below):

  [validation_seed]
  sahzkAajS2dyhjXg2yovjdZhXmjsx
  # validation_public_key: n9JzKV3ZrcZ3DW5pwjakj4hpijJ9oMiyrPDGJc3mpsndL6Gf3zwd
  # sequence number: 1

A manifest is a signed message used to inform other servers of this validator's ephemeral public key. A manifest contains a sequence number, the new ephemeral public key, and it is signed with the master secret key. The sequence number should be higher than the previous sequence number (if it is not, the manifest will be ignored). Usually the previous sequence number will be incremented by one. Use the manifest script to create a manifest. It has the form:

 $ bin/manifest sign sequence_number validation_public_key master_secret

For example:

  $ bin/manifest sign 1 n9JzKV3Z...L6Gf3zwd pnxayCak...yLgogyYc

Sample output:

  [validation_manifest]
  JAAAAAFxIe2PEzNhe996gykB1PJQNoDxvr/Y0XhDELw8d/i
  Fcgz3A3MhAjqhKsgZTmK/3BPEI+kzjV1p9ip7pl/AtF7CKd
  NSfAH9dkCxezV6apS4FLYzAcQilONx315HvebwAB/pLPaM4
  2sWCEppSuLNKN/JJjTABOo9tmAiNnnstF83yvecKMJzniwN

Copy this to the config for this validator. Don't forget to update the comment noting the sequence number.

Revoking a key

If a master key is compromised, the key may be revoked permanently. To revoke a master key, sign a manifest with the highest possible sequence number: 4,294,967,295