Re: ‘core-updates’ merge is a squashed commit

[Mike Gerwitz <mtg@gnu.org>]

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On Thu, Aug 04, 2016 at 17:06:15 +0200, Andy Wingo wrote:
> What's the rationale for requiring non-HEAD commits to be signed when
> pushing?  For me a signed HEAD implicitly signs all parent comments, in
> my mental trust model anyway :)

That could be a potentially daunting/impossible task for the person
signing a commit.

Aside from asserting one's identity, GPG-signed commits also (can) help
in the event that the system of one of the Guix hackers with commit
access is compromised.  Attacking Savannah is one way to compromise the
repo, but compromising one of the many Guix hackers' systems is another.

If a commit is signed in the hacker's local repo, it cannot be
manipulated by an attacker, nor can an attacker sign a new malicious
commit.  Unless, of course, the GPG key resides on the same box, the
attacker can get a hold of it, and can use a keylogger/etc to get the
passphrase.  Smart cards help here.

I also recommend against auto-signing commmits on rebase unless you
first verify that each commit within that range has a valid signature
beforehand.

Not fool-proof, but nothing is. :)

-- 
Mike Gerwitz
Free Software Hacker+Activist | GNU Maintainer & Volunteer
https://mikegerwitz.com       | GPG Key ID: 0x8EE30EAB

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