Package Signatures
Overview
This guide covers RabbitMQ release packages signing and how to verify the signatures on downloaded release artifacts.
Release signing allows users to verify that the artifacts they have downloaded
were published by a trusted party (such as a team or package distribution
service). This can be done using GPG command line tools. Package management tools such as apt and yum
also verify repository signatures.
Signing Keys
RabbitMQ release artifacts, both binary and source, are signed using GnuPG and our release signing key.
Services that distribute packages can do signing on behalf of the publisher. Package Cloud is one such service used by RabbitMQ. Users who provision packages from Package Cloud must import the Package Cloud-provided signing keys instead of those used by the RabbitMQ team.
Importing Signing Keys
With GPG
Before signatures can be verified, RabbitMQ signing key must be downloaded. The key can be obtained directly or using keys.openpgp.org. The direct download method is recommended because most key servers are prone to overload, abuse and attacks.
Direct Download
The key is distributed via GitHub and rabbitmq.com:
curl -L https://github.com/rabbitmq/signing-keys/releases/download/3.0/rabbitmq-release-signing-key.asc --output rabbitmq-release-signing-key.asc
gpg --import rabbitmq-release-signing-key.asc
Using a Key Server
The key can be imported from keys.openpgp.org:
gpg --keyserver "hkps://keys.openpgp.org" --recv-keys "0x0A9AF2115F4687BD29803A206B73A36E6026DFCA"
Alternative keyservers:
gpg --keyserver "keyserver.ubuntu.com" --recv-keys "0x0A9AF2115F4687BD29803A206B73A36E6026DFCA"
gpg --keyserver "pgp.surfnet.nl" --recv-keys "0x0A9AF2115F4687BD29803A206B73A36E6026DFCA"
gpg --keyserver "pgp.mit.edu" --recv-keys "0x0A9AF2115F4687BD29803A206B73A36E6026DFCA"
With apt
On Debian and Ubuntu systems, assuming that apt repositories are used for installation, trusted repository signing keys must be added to the system before any packages can be installed.
This can be done using key servers or (for the RabbitMQ main signing key) a direct download.
Direct Download
Main RabbitMQ signing key is distributed via GitHub and rabbitmq.com:
curl -1sLf https://github.com/rabbitmq/signing-keys/releases/download/3.0/rabbitmq-release-signing-key.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor > /usr/share/keyrings/com.rabbitmq.team.gpg
Using a Key Server
The same main RabbitMQ signing key can be imported from keys.openpgp.org:
curl -1sLf "https://keys.openpgp.org/vks/v1/by-fingerprint/0A9AF2115F4687BD29803A206B73A36E6026DFCA" | sudo gpg --dearmor > /usr/share/keyrings/com.rabbitmq.team.gpg
When using the Team RabbitMQ modern Erlang PPA and PackageCloud apt repository, two more keys need to be added:
## Team RabbitMQ's main signing key
curl -1sLf "https://keys.openpgp.org/vks/v1/by-fingerprint/0A9AF2115F4687BD29803A206B73A36E6026DFCA" | sudo gpg --dearmor > /usr/share/keyrings/com.rabbitmq.team.gpg
## Launchpad PPA that provides modern Erlang releases
curl -1sLf "https://keyserver.ubuntu.com/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xf77f1eda57ebb1cc" | sudo gpg --dearmor > /usr/share/keyrings/net.launchpad.ppa.rabbitmq.erlang.gpg
## PackageCloud RabbitMQ repository
curl -1sLf "https://packagecloud.io/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/gpgkey" | sudo gpg --dearmor > /usr/share/keyrings/io.packagecloud.rabbitmq.gpg
With RPM
On RPM-based systems (RHEL, Fedora, CentOS), assuming that yum repositories are used for installation,
rpm --import should be used to import the key.
Direct Download
The key is distributed via GitHub and rabbitmq.com:
rpm --import https://github.com/rabbitmq/signing-keys/releases/download/3.0/rabbitmq-release-signing-key.asc
Verifying Signatures
To check signatures for the packages, download the RabbitMQ signing key
and a signature file. Signature files use the .asc extension that follows their artifact filename,
e.g. the signature file of rabbitmq-server-generic-unix-3.9.3.tar.xz would be rabbitmq-server-generic-unix-3.9.3.tar.xz.asc.
Then use gpg --verify:
gpg --verify [filename].asc [filename]
Here's an example session, after having retrieved a RabbitMQ source archive and its associated detached signature from the download area:
gpg --verify rabbitmq-server_3.9.3-1_all.deb.asc rabbitmq-server_3.9.3-1_all.deb
gpg: Signature made Wed Aug 11 16:20:14 2021 MSK
gpg: using RSA key 0A9AF2115F4687BD29803A206B73A36E6026DFCA
gpg: using subkey 0xEDF4AE3B59B046FA instead of primary key 0x6B73A36E6026DFCA
gpg: using PGP trust model
gpg: Good signature from "RabbitMQ Signing Key <info@rabbitmq.com>" [full]
Primary key fingerprint: 4E30 C634 2FB4 AF5C 6334 2330 79A1 D640 D80A 61F0
Subkey fingerprint: 5EC4 26E8 A6F3 523D D924 8FC8 EDF4 AE3B 59B0 46FA
gpg: binary signature, digest algorithm SHA512
If the signature is invalid, a "BAD signature" message will be emitted. If that's the case the origin of the package, the signature file and the signing key should be carefully verified. Packages that fail signature verification must not be used.
If the signature is valid, you should expect a "Good signature" message; if you've not signed our key, you will see a "Good signature" message along with a warning about our key being untrusted.
If you trust the RabbitMQ signing key you avoid the warning output by
GnuPG by signing it using your own key (to create your private key run gpg --gen-key):
gpg --sign-key 0x0A9AF2115F4687BD29803A206B73A36E6026DFCA
Cloudsmith
Cloudsmith.io is a hosted package distribution service that uses their own signing keys to sign the artifacts uploaded to it. The key(s) then must be added to the system.
Cloudsmith provides repository setup script that include signing key import. However, note that the script does not currently follow Debian best practices in terms of GPG key handling.
To import the key:
# import the Cloudsmith key
curl -1sLf https://github.com/rabbitmq/signing-keys/releases/download/3.0/cloudsmith.rabbitmq-server.9F4587F226208342.key -o cloudsmith-rabbitmq-key.asc
gpg --import cloudsmith-rabbitmq-key.asc
After importing the key please follow the installation instructions in the Debian or RPM-based Linux guides.
Package Cloud
Package Cloud is a hosted package distribution service that uses their own signing keys to sign the artifacts uploaded to it. The key(s) then must be added to the system.
Package Cloud provides repository setup script that include signing key import. However, note that the script does not currently follow Debian best practices in terms of GPG key handling.
To import the key:
# import the PackageCloud key
curl -1sLf https://packagecloud.io/rabbitmq/rabbitmq-server/gpgkey -o packagecloud-rabbitmq-key.asc
gpg --import packagecloud-rabbitmq-key.asc
After importing the key please follow the installation instructions in the Debian or RPM-based Linux guides.