Re: [PATCH] Clarify that ssl_groups is for any key exchange groups - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From Ewan Young
Subject Re: [PATCH] Clarify that ssl_groups is for any key exchange groups
Date
Msg-id CAON2xHNVaUqd57cm9-roMmFfXVAWz7+qWSNYm=1JyQpEi4zVWw@mail.gmail.com
Whole thread
List pgsql-hackers
On Tue, Jun 2, 2026 at 4:05 AM Si, Evan <evsi@amazon.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> The ssl_groups parameter introduced in Postgres 18 decided to use a short_desc: "Sets the group(s) to use for
Diffie-Hellmankey exchange" [1]. The documentation still references curves [2]. 
>
> However, this parameter is just passed through to SSL_CTX_set1_groups_list. This means the parameter readily accepts
valueslike a pure `MLKEM768`, assuming the crypto lib supports it, which is true since OpenSSL 3.5. Yet these Shor-safe
groupsare not DH key exchange. 
>
> I think it makes sense to modify the documentation to a more generic one to reflect the capabilities of ssl_groups
moreaccurately, e.g. "Sets the named groups to use for TLS key exchange." 
>
> A more concrete patch suggestion is attached.
>
> Evan
Hi,

+1 for the idea. (I'm fairly new here, so please take my comments with
a grain of salt.)

I tried the patch on HEAD: it applies cleanly, and the new short_desc shows up
correctly in postgres --describe-config.

While reading it I noticed two small things:
1. The comment just above the renamed call in be_tls_init() still
   says "set up ephemeral DH and ECDH keys". Maybe it should be
   updated to match?

2. The SSLECDHCurve variable (and its "GUC variable for default ECDH
   curve" comment in be-secure.c) still uses the old naming. I wasn't
   sure if that was left out intentionally to keep the patch small --
   if not, would it make sense to rename it too, for consistency with
   the initialize_groups() rename?

Regards,
Ewan
>
> [1] https://www.postgresql.org/message-id/D44791DD-0CD9-48A7-9471-60593673A91B%40yesql.se
> [2] https://www.postgresql.org/docs/18/runtime-config-connection.html#GUC-SSL-GROUPS
>
>



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