nim-libp2p Auto TLS

vac:p2p:ift:2025q2-nimlibp2p-autotls

Implement a process that automates the issuance of Let’s Encrypt wilcard TLS certificates for nim-libp2p nodes. This would enable reliable browser-based clients to connect to libp2p nodes, regardless of the network topology which improves resilience and opens up a window to more capable browser clients. This task is limited to the client functionality; Server functionality could be implemented on a separate commitment. AutoTLS

Task List §

ACME registration §

• fully qualified name: vac:p2p:ift:2025q2-nimlibp2p-autotls:acme-registration
• owner: gabriel
• status: 95%
• start-date: 2025-04-14
• end-date:

Description §

Register new account on ACME server

Deliverables §

• Generate key
• Register to ACME server using generated key

Challenge request §

• fully qualified name: vac:p2p:ift:2025q2-nimlibp2p-autotls:certificate-request-challenge
• owner: gabriel
• status: 95%
• start-date: 2025-04-14
• end-date:

Description §

Request challenge from the ACME server (typically Let’s Encrypt)

Deliverables §

• Base36 encode our peerId
• Send certificate request for *.{base36PeerId}.libp2p.direct domain

Notify AutoTLS broker §

• fully qualified name: vac:p2p:ift:2025q2-nimlibp2p-autotls:notify-autotls-broker
• owner: gabriel
• status: 95%
• start-date: 2025-04-14
• end-date:

Description §

Send DNS-01 challenge received from ACME server to the AutoTLS broker (registration.libp2p.direct)

Deliverables §

• Authenticate with AutoTLS broker using PeerId Auth
• Send DNS-01 challenge to AutoTLS broker
• Successfully receive and respond to a dial from AutoTLS broker
• Query the broker’s DNS registry until the TXT _acme-challenge.{peerID}.libp2p.direct record is set

Notify challenge completion §

• fully qualified name: vac:p2p:ift:2025q2-nimlibp2p-autotls:notify-challenge-completion
• owner: gabriel
• status: 95%
• start-date: 2025-04-14
• end-date:

Description §

Notify the ACME server that we’re done with DNS-01 challenge

Deliverables §

• Send message to ACME server notifying that we’re ready to be test
• Query the ACME server until it responds saying the challenge was fulfilled

Finalize certificate §

• fully qualified name: vac:p2p:ift:2025q2-nimlibp2p-autotls:finalize-cert
• owner: gabriel
• status: 95%
• start-date: 2025-04-14
• end-date:

Description §

Finalize certificate issuance with CSR

Deliverables §

• Generate CSR
• Send finalize message with CSR to ACME server
• Download certificate from ACME server

Certificate installation §

• fully qualified name: vac:p2p:ift:2025q2-nimlibp2p-autotls:cert-installation
• owner: gabriel
• status: 0%
• start-date: 2025-04-14
• end-date:

Description §

Install generated certificate and use it in TCP/WS/WSSS/Quic/Webtransport

Deliverables §

• Install certificate

Certificate renewal §

• fully qualified name: vac:p2p:ift:2025q2-nimlibp2p-autotls:cert-renewal
• owner: gabriel
• status: 95%
• start-date: 2025-04-14
• end-date:

Description §

Renew certificate before it expires

Deliverables §

• Send a request for the same certificate to the ACME server