OpenSSH incompatible with `mkdir(mode=0o700)` on Windows with `OWNER RIGHTS`
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Description
Bug report
Bug description:
On Windows, when a directory is created using Python's os.mkdir with mode=0o700, permissions for the OWNER RIGHTS group are attached. Files written to the directory inherit these permissions, unless explicitly disabled. This causes incompatibility with the OpenSSH client when attempting to pass a private key file stored in the created directory because permissions are "too open".
Although this can be avoided by calling os.mkdir with mode=0o400, there's no available workaround when using tempfile.TemporaryDirectory since the mode is hardcoded to 0o700.
To reproduce:
# Create a temporary directory
import tempfile
# Take note of `temp_dir.name`
temp_dir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
# Place a private key file into `temp_dir.name`
In Windows Command Prompt:
> ssh -p port -i C:\Path\To\TempDir\Keyfile destination
Bad permissions. Try removing permissions for user: \\OWNER RIGHTS (S-1-3-4) on file C:\Path\To\TempDir\Keyfile.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@ WARNING: UNPROTECTED PRIVATE KEY FILE! @
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Permissions for 'C:\Path\To\TempDir\Keyfile' are too open.
It is required that your private key files are NOT accessible by others.
This private key will be ignored.
Load key "C:\Path\To\TempDir\Keyfile": bad permissions
destination: Permission denied (publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic).
Based on the related CPython issue and PR linked below, I understand switching to OWNER RIGHTS was intentionally done to address a CVE. However, this has created friction between tempfile.TemporaryDirectory and OpenSSH.
Related:
- https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/118486
- https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/118515
- https://github.com/aws/aws-cli/issues/9114
CPython versions tested on:
3.12
Operating systems tested on:
Windows
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with the hardcoded 0o700 mode in Lib/tempfile.py around line 384, then review related issue 118486 and pull request 118515 for the security rationale. Reproduce the TemporaryDirectory and OpenSSH private-key interaction on Windows; done means the incompatibility is addressed without regressing the OWNER RIGHTS protection.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- operating-systems, security
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100