TriBITS Core

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These are the Passing level criteria. You can also view the Silver or Gold level criteria.

        

 Basics 13/13

  • Identification

    The Tribal Build, Integrate, and Test System (TriBITS) is a framework designed to handle large software development projects involving multiple independent development teams and multiple source repositories which is built on top of the open-source CMake set of tools. TriBITS also defines a complete software development, testing, and deployment system supporting processes consistent with modern agile software development best practices. TriBITS Core is a set of macros and functions written in CMake that provides a framework for large complex CMake projects and enhances the flexibility and power of CMake.

    What programming language(s) are used to implement the project?
  • Basic project website content


    The project website MUST succinctly describe what the software does (what problem does it solve?). [description_good]

    The project website MUST provide information on how to: obtain, provide feedback (as bug reports or enhancements), and contribute to the software. [interact]

    The information on how to contribute MUST explain the contribution process (e.g., are pull requests used?) (URL required) [contribution]

    The information on how to contribute SHOULD include the requirements for acceptable contributions (e.g., a reference to any required coding standard). (URL required) [contribution_requirements]

    Must have tests. Must mention Issue IDs. Must have documentation. Must be reviewed. See https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md


  • FLOSS license

    What license(s) is the project released under?



    The software produced by the project MUST be released as FLOSS. [floss_license]

    https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/blob/master/tribits/Copyright.txt The BSD-3-Clause license is approved by the Open Source Initiative (OSI).



    It is SUGGESTED that any required license(s) for the software produced by the project be approved by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). [floss_license_osi]

    BSD 3-clause The BSD-3-Clause license is approved by the Open Source Initiative (OSI).



    The project MUST post the license(s) of its results in a standard location in their source repository. (URL required) [license_location]
  • Documentation


    The project MUST provide basic documentation for the software produced by the project. [documentation_basics]

    The project MUST provide reference documentation that describes the external interface (both input and output) of the software produced by the project. [documentation_interface]
  • Other


    The project sites (website, repository, and download URLs) MUST support HTTPS using TLS. [sites_https]

    The sites https://tribits.org and https://github.com all use HTTPs.



    The project MUST have one or more mechanisms for discussion (including proposed changes and issues) that are searchable, allow messages and topics to be addressed by URL, enable new people to participate in some of the discussions, and do not require client-side installation of proprietary software. [discussion]

    The project SHOULD provide documentation in English and be able to accept bug reports and comments about code in English. [english]

    The project MUST be maintained. [maintained]

    It is maintained primarily by Roscoe A. Bartlett but it has received contributions from 29 other people and there are currently 35 forks of of the GitHub project.



(Advanced) What other users have additional rights to edit this badge entry? Currently: []



  • Public version-controlled source repository


    The project MUST have a version-controlled source repository that is publicly readable and has a URL. [repo_public]

    Repository on GitHub, which provides public git repositories with URLs.



    The project's source repository MUST track what changes were made, who made the changes, and when the changes were made. [repo_track]

    Repository on GitHub, which uses git. git can track the changes, who made them, and when they were made.



    To enable collaborative review, the project's source repository MUST include interim versions for review between releases; it MUST NOT include only final releases. [repo_interim]

    The 'master' branch is pushed to frequently and PRs are used to allow review of any non-trivial changes.



    It is SUGGESTED that common distributed version control software be used (e.g., git) for the project's source repository. [repo_distributed]

    Repository on GitHub, which uses git. git is distributed.


  • Unique version numbering


    The project results MUST have a unique version identifier for each release intended to be used by users. [version_unique]

    TriBITS customers use git snapshots and git repo forks and the git commit SHAs uniquely identify versions. Some projects that use TriBITS and keep their own fork will tag their forks when they release. Every usage of TriBITS can be traced back to a specific git commit.



    It is SUGGESTED that the Semantic Versioning (SemVer) or Calendar Versioning (CalVer) version numbering format be used for releases. It is SUGGESTED that those who use CalVer include a micro level value. [version_semver]

    TriBITS has not put out any official releases. Customers instead use almost-continuous integration to get updates of TriBITS. In the future, official releases may be put out.



    It is SUGGESTED that projects identify each release within their version control system. For example, it is SUGGESTED that those using git identify each release using git tags. [version_tags]

    Projects that have their own fork of TriBITS (like VERA) use git tags specific for their project's release.


  • Release notes


    The project MUST provide, in each release, release notes that are a human-readable summary of major changes in that release to help users determine if they should upgrade and what the upgrade impact will be. The release notes MUST NOT be the raw output of a version control log (e.g., the "git log" command results are not release notes). Projects whose results are not intended for reuse in multiple locations (such as the software for a single website or service) AND employ continuous delivery MAY select "N/A". (URL required) [release_notes]

    The release notes MUST identify every publicly known run-time vulnerability fixed in this release that already had a CVE assignment or similar when the release was created. This criterion may be marked as not applicable (N/A) if users typically cannot practically update the software themselves (e.g., as is often true for kernel updates). This criterion applies only to the project results, not to its dependencies. If there are no release notes or there have been no publicly known vulnerabilities, choose N/A. [release_notes_vulns]

    This is software written in CMake and Python. It does not manage websites or manage anything related to user accounts.


  • Bug-reporting process


    The project MUST provide a process for users to submit bug reports (e.g., using an issue tracker or a mailing list). (URL required) [report_process]

    Submit an issue to https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/issues and the 'bug' label is applied.



    The project SHOULD use an issue tracker for tracking individual issues. [report_tracker]

    All non-trivial changes to the software are tracked in GitHub Issues in https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/issues or related public GitHub projects.



    The project MUST acknowledge a majority of bug reports submitted in the last 2-12 months (inclusive); the response need not include a fix. [report_responses]

    Hard to prove this but every bug reported to https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/issues gets a comment/response pretty quickly. (But some "bugs" may persist to years if there are workarounds.)



    The project SHOULD respond to a majority (>50%) of enhancement requests in the last 2-12 months (inclusive). [enhancement_responses]

    Again, hard to prove this but every feature request submitted to https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/issues gets some response pretty quickly.



    The project MUST have a publicly available archive for reports and responses for later searching. (URL required) [report_archive]

    All issues can be searched in https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/issues.


  • Vulnerability report process


    The project MUST publish the process for reporting vulnerabilities on the project site. (URL required) [vulnerability_report_process]

    If private vulnerability reports are supported, the project MUST include how to send the information in a way that is kept private. (URL required) [vulnerability_report_private]

    A private contact with the reporter and a TriBITS developer is to be used. (As this has never happened since of the beginning of the TriBITS project in 2008, this seems reasonable.)

    https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/wiki/Kanban-Process-for-Issue-Tracking#vulnerability_reports



    The project's initial response time for any vulnerability report received in the last 6 months MUST be less than or equal to 14 days. [vulnerability_report_response]

    There has never been a vulnerability of any type reported for TriBITS since the beginning of the project in 2008.


  • Working build system


    If the software produced by the project requires building for use, the project MUST provide a working build system that can automatically rebuild the software from source code. [build]

    TriBITS provides the tools for creating a CMake-based build system but it also uses CMake/CTest for defining and running its tests.



    It is SUGGESTED that common tools be used for building the software. [build_common_tools]

    CMake is pretty common these days.



    The project SHOULD be buildable using only FLOSS tools. [build_floss_tools]

    TriBITS-based projects depend only on TriBITS itself and CMake 3.17+. Not even Python is needed to configure, build, test, and install projects using TriBITS.


  • Automated test suite


    The project MUST use at least one automated test suite that is publicly released as FLOSS (this test suite may be maintained as a separate FLOSS project). The project MUST clearly show or document how to run the test suite(s) (e.g., via a continuous integration (CI) script or via documentation in files such as BUILD.md, README.md, or CONTRIBUTING.md). [test]

    Uses CMake/CTest/CDash to define, run, and report the native TriBITS test suite. For details, see the base TriBITS/README.md file.



    A test suite SHOULD be invocable in a standard way for that language. [test_invocation]

    The TriBITS test suite just uses raw CMake and CTest so just 'cmake', then 'make', then 'ctest'. https://tribits.org/doc/TribitsBuildReference.html#testing-with-ctest



    It is SUGGESTED that the test suite cover most (or ideally all) the code branches, input fields, and functionality. [test_most]

    Functional testing of TriBITS CMake code is pretty high. There are no coverage analysis tools for CMake that I now of so this is based on functionality tested, not lines of code or branches covered.



    It is SUGGESTED that the project implement continuous integration (where new or changed code is frequently integrated into a central code repository and automated tests are run on the result). [test_continuous_integration]

    All pushes to 'master' are performed using the checkin-test.py script. https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#process-details


  • New functionality testing


    The project MUST have a general policy (formal or not) that as major new functionality is added to the software produced by the project, tests of that functionality should be added to an automated test suite. [test_policy]

    https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md

    • Automated Tests: Any change in behavior or new behavior needs to be accompanied with automated tests to define and protect these changes. If automated tests are not possible or too difficult, this can be discussed in the Github Issue or Pull-Request (see below).


    The project MUST have evidence that the test_policy for adding tests has been adhered to in the most recent major changes to the software produced by the project. [tests_are_added]

    The git logs themselves show that any new functionality or change to behavior also update the test suite.



    It is SUGGESTED that this policy on adding tests (see test_policy) be documented in the instructions for change proposals. [tests_documented_added]

    https://github.com/TriBITSPub/TriBITS/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md

    • Automated Tests: Any change in behavior or new behavior needs to be accompanied with automated tests to define and protect these changes. If automated tests are not possible or too difficult, this can be discussed in the Github Issue or Pull-Request (see below).

  • Warning flags


    The project MUST enable one or more compiler warning flags, a "safe" language mode, or use a separate "linter" tool to look for code quality errors or common simple mistakes, if there is at least one FLOSS tool that can implement this criterion in the selected language. [warnings]

    CMake does emit warnings and the TriBITS test suite emits no CMake warnings (except if the test is designed to do that).



    The project MUST address warnings. [warnings_fixed]

    When a new version of CMake comes out, the native TriBITS test suite is run and if any new CMake warnings are shown, they are quickly fixed.



    It is SUGGESTED that projects be maximally strict with warnings in the software produced by the project, where practical. [warnings_strict]

    Warnings in TriBITS core code are addressed as soon as they are identified.


  • Secure development knowledge


    The project MUST have at least one primary developer who knows how to design secure software. (See ‘details’ for the exact requirements.) [know_secure_design]

    The main developer does not claim to "know how to design secure software" so I can't check this. But it is hard to see how a framework for CMake build systems could open up these types of security vulnerabilities.



    At least one of the project's primary developers MUST know of common kinds of errors that lead to vulnerabilities in this kind of software, as well as at least one method to counter or mitigate each of them. [know_common_errors]

    I think I know CMake as well as just about anyone and I have never heard of any types of security vulnerabilities that can be created with CMakeLists.txt code.


  • Use basic good cryptographic practices

    Note that some software does not need to use cryptographic mechanisms. If your project produces software that (1) includes, activates, or enables encryption functionality, and (2) might be released from the United States (US) to outside the US or to a non-US-citizen, you may be legally required to take a few extra steps. Typically this just involves sending an email. For more information, see the encryption section of Understanding Open Source Technology & US Export Controls.

    The software produced by the project MUST use, by default, only cryptographic protocols and algorithms that are publicly published and reviewed by experts (if cryptographic protocols and algorithms are used). [crypto_published]

    There is no encryption associated with TriBITS code.



    If the software produced by the project is an application or library, and its primary purpose is not to implement cryptography, then it SHOULD only call on software specifically designed to implement cryptographic functions; it SHOULD NOT re-implement its own. [crypto_call]


    All functionality in the software produced by the project that depends on cryptography MUST be implementable using FLOSS. [crypto_floss]


    The security mechanisms within the software produced by the project MUST use default keylengths that at least meet the NIST minimum requirements through the year 2030 (as stated in 2012). It MUST be possible to configure the software so that smaller keylengths are completely disabled. [crypto_keylength]


    The default security mechanisms within the software produced by the project MUST NOT depend on broken cryptographic algorithms (e.g., MD4, MD5, single DES, RC4, Dual_EC_DRBG), or use cipher modes that are inappropriate to the context, unless they are necessary to implement an interoperable protocol (where the protocol implemented is the most recent version of that standard broadly supported by the network ecosystem, that ecosystem requires the use of such an algorithm or mode, and that ecosystem does not offer any more secure alternative). The documentation MUST describe any relevant security risks and any known mitigations if these broken algorithms or modes are necessary for an interoperable protocol. [crypto_working]


    The default security mechanisms within the software produced by the project SHOULD NOT depend on cryptographic algorithms or modes with known serious weaknesses (e.g., the SHA-1 cryptographic hash algorithm or the CBC mode in SSH). [crypto_weaknesses]

    There are no such algorithms in TriBITS.



    The security mechanisms within the software produced by the project SHOULD implement perfect forward secrecy for key agreement protocols so a session key derived from a set of long-term keys cannot be compromised if one of the long-term keys is compromised in the future. [crypto_pfs]


    If the software produced by the project causes the storing of passwords for authentication of external users, the passwords MUST be stored as iterated hashes with a per-user salt by using a key stretching (iterated) algorithm (e.g., Argon2id, Bcrypt, Scrypt, or PBKDF2). See also OWASP Password Storage Cheat Sheet. [crypto_password_storage]


    The security mechanisms within the software produced by the project MUST generate all cryptographic keys and nonces using a cryptographically secure random number generator, and MUST NOT do so using generators that are cryptographically insecure. [crypto_random]

  • Secured delivery against man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks


    The project MUST use a delivery mechanism that counters MITM attacks. Using https or ssh+scp is acceptable. [delivery_mitm]

    CTest handles the details of submitting data to CDash. TriBITS has nothing to do with this.



    A cryptographic hash (e.g., a sha1sum) MUST NOT be retrieved over http and used without checking for a cryptographic signature. [delivery_unsigned]

    That is never done with TriBITS.


  • Publicly known vulnerabilities fixed


    There MUST be no unpatched vulnerabilities of medium or higher severity that have been publicly known for more than 60 days. [vulnerabilities_fixed_60_days]


    Projects SHOULD fix all critical vulnerabilities rapidly after they are reported. [vulnerabilities_critical_fixed]

  • Other security issues


    The public repositories MUST NOT leak a valid private credential (e.g., a working password or private key) that is intended to limit public access. [no_leaked_credentials]

    There are no credentials of any type stored in the TriBITS repo.


  • Static code analysis


    At least one static code analysis tool (beyond compiler warnings and "safe" language modes) MUST be applied to any proposed major production release of the software before its release, if there is at least one FLOSS tool that implements this criterion in the selected language. [static_analysis]

    No such tool exists for CMake code.



    It is SUGGESTED that at least one of the static analysis tools used for the static_analysis criterion include rules or approaches to look for common vulnerabilities in the analyzed language or environment. [static_analysis_common_vulnerabilities]

    No such tool exists for CMake code.



    All medium and higher severity exploitable vulnerabilities discovered with static code analysis MUST be fixed in a timely way after they are confirmed. [static_analysis_fixed]

    No such tool exists for CMake code.



    It is SUGGESTED that static source code analysis occur on every commit or at least daily. [static_analysis_often]

    No such tool exists for CMake code.


  • Dynamic code analysis


    It is SUGGESTED that at least one dynamic analysis tool be applied to any proposed major production release of the software before its release. [dynamic_analysis]

    No such tool exists for CMake code and CMake code is memory safe.



    It is SUGGESTED that if the software produced by the project includes software written using a memory-unsafe language (e.g., C or C++), then at least one dynamic tool (e.g., a fuzzer or web application scanner) be routinely used in combination with a mechanism to detect memory safety problems such as buffer overwrites. If the project does not produce software written in a memory-unsafe language, choose "not applicable" (N/A). [dynamic_analysis_unsafe]

    There is no such tool for CMake code.



    It is SUGGESTED that the project use a configuration for at least some dynamic analysis (such as testing or fuzzing) which enables many assertions. In many cases these assertions should not be enabled in production builds. [dynamic_analysis_enable_assertions]

    There are no dynamic analysis tools for CMake code and therefore no assertions that would apply.



    All medium and higher severity exploitable vulnerabilities discovered with dynamic code analysis MUST be fixed in a timely way after they are confirmed. [dynamic_analysis_fixed]


This data is available under the Creative Commons Attribution version 3.0 or later license (CC-BY-3.0+). All are free to share and adapt the data, but must give appropriate credit. Please credit Roscoe A. Bartlett and the OpenSSF Best Practices badge contributors.

Project badge entry owned by: Roscoe A. Bartlett.
Entry created on 2021-04-29 15:45:12 UTC, last updated on 2022-05-26 16:11:01 UTC.

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