Files
wraith/docs/architecture/client.md
glm-5.1 13b0991fb8 Resolve all architecture open questions, add 13 ADRs, update specs
Resolved all 11 open questions based on project guidance:

Transport:
- OQ-01/OQ-07: ACME/Let's Encrypt with domain + IP paths (ADR-008)
- OQ-02: Default to n0 relay, --iroh-relay override (ADR-009)
- OQ-05: Transport chaining supported natively (ADR-010)

Client:
- OQ-06: Programmatic-first API, no ~/.ssh/config (ADR-011)

Server:
- OQ-04: Ed25519 + OpenSSH cert-authority, no password auth (ADR-012)
- OQ-08: fail2ban-friendly logging + built-in rate limiting (ADR-013)

TUN:
- OQ-03/OQ-09: Deferred entirely, recommend tun2proxy (ADR-014)
- tun-shim.md marked deprecated

NAPI:
- OQ-10: Expose both connect() and serve() (ADR-016)
- OQ-11: Use napi-rs for FFI bridge (ADR-015)

Additional ADRs created during review:
- ADR-006: No logging of tunnel destinations (was phantom reference)
- ADR-017: Stealth mode protocol multiplexing
- ADR-018: Control channel for pubsub over SSH

Fixed: ADR-002 status → Superseded, ADR-007 title typo,
WRAUTH_SERVER typo, ADR-005 stale wraith-tun refs,
undefined ACL feature removed from server.md,
--proxy semantic difference documented.
2026-06-01 17:31:28 +00:00

168 lines
8.9 KiB
Markdown

---
status: draft
last_updated: 2026-06-01
---
# Client
## What
The wraith client establishes an SSH session to a server (via pluggable transport) and exposes a local SOCKS5 proxy for routing traffic through that session. Port forwarding (`-L` / `-R` style) covers specific service access like Postgres or Redis.
## Why
Users need a way to route traffic through the SSH tunnel. SOCKS5 is the primary interface — it's standard, well-supported by browsers and CLI tools, and needs no privileges. Port forwarding covers specific service access. For VPN-like "route all traffic" behavior, users run `tun2proxy` alongside wraith (ADR-014).
## Architecture
### Client Components
```
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ wraith connect │
│ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ SOCKS5 │ │ Port │ │ Remote │ │
│ │ Server │ │ Forward │ │ Forward │ │
│ │ :1080 │ │ -L spec │ │ -R spec │ │
│ └────┬─────┘ └────┬─────┘ └────┬─────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Channel Manager │ │
│ │ (opens direct-tcpip, │ │
│ │ forwarded-tcpip streams) │ │
│ └──────────────┬──────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌──────────────▼──────────────────┐ │
│ │ SSH Client (russh) │ │
│ │ Handle<ClientHandler> │ │
│ └──────────────┬──────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌──────────────▼──────────────────┐ │
│ │ Transport │ │
│ │ (Tcp / Tls / Iroh) │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────┘ │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
### SOCKS5 Server
The primary client interface. Listens on a local port (default `127.0.0.1:1080`), accepts SOCKS5 connections, and for each connection:
1. Reads the SOCKS5 handshake (auth method negotiation, target address)
2. Opens a `channel_open_direct_tcpip(target_host, target_port, originator_addr, originator_port)` on the SSH session
3. Converts the SSH channel to a stream via `channel.into_stream()`
4. Runs `tokio::io::copy_bidirectional(&mut local_socket, &mut ssh_stream)` to proxy data
Supports SOCKS5h (domain names resolved server-side) by default. This prevents DNS leaks.
### Port Forwarding
Local port forwards (`-L local_addr:local_port:remote_host:remote_port`):
1. Bind `TcpListener` on `local_addr:local_port`
2. For each accepted connection, open `channel_open_direct_tcpip(remote_host, remote_port, ...)`
3. Proxy bytes bidirectionally via `copy_bidirectional`
Remote port forwards (`-R remote_addr:remote_port:local_host:local_port`):
1. Send `tcpip_forward(remote_addr, remote_port)` to request the server listen on a port
2. When the handler receives `server_channel_open_forwarded_tcpip`, connect to `local_host:local_port`
3. Proxy bytes bidirectionally
### Channel Manager
The channel manager owns the `Arc<client::Handle<ClientHandler>>` and provides methods:
- `open_direct_tcpip(host, port)` — open a tunnel channel to a remote host
- `open_streamlocal(socket_path)` — open a tunnel to a Unix socket
- `request_tcpip_forward(addr, port)` — request remote listening
- `cancel_tcpip_forward(addr, port)` — cancel remote listening
It also handles reconnection: if `handle.is_closed()` returns true, attempt reconnection with exponential backoff.
### Reconnection
On transport failure:
1. Detect via `handle.is_closed()` or transport read error
2. Exponential backoff reconnect (1s, 2s, 4s, ... max 30s)
3. Re-establish transport connection
4. Re-authenticate SSH session
5. Notify SOCKS5 server and port forwards (in-flight connections fail, new connections work)
Existing TCP connections through the tunnel are lost on reconnect. This is acceptable — same as any VPN.
### Programmatic Configuration (ADR-011)
The client uses programmatic configuration — no `~/.ssh/config` parsing, no custom config files. Configuration comes from:
1. **CLI flags**: `--server`, `--identity`, `--transport`, etc.
2. **Library API**: `ConnectOptions` and `ServeOptions` structs in `wraith-core`, constructable programmatically
3. **Environment variables**: `WRAITH_SERVER`, `WRAITH_IDENTITY` as convenience defaults
This approach avoids cross-platform path issues (`~` expansion, Windows `USERPROFILE`) and makes the library API clean for programmatic consumers like the NAPI wrapper. Keys can be provided as file paths or in-memory data.
### CLI Interface
```bash
# Basic connection (TCP, default port 22)
wraith connect --server example.com --identity ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
# With TLS
wraith connect --server example.com:443 --transport tls --identity ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
# With TLS + insecure (self-signed certs)
wraith connect --server example.com:443 --transport tls --identity ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 --insecure
# With iroh (no public IP needed)
wraith connect --peer <endpoint-id> --transport iroh --identity ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
# With iroh + custom relay
wraith connect --peer <endpoint-id> --transport iroh --identity ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 --iroh-relay https://relay.example.com
# With iroh + proxy (transport chaining)
wraith connect --peer <endpoint-id> --transport iroh --identity ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 --proxy socks5://127.0.0.1:1080
# SOCKS5 on custom port
wraith connect --server example.com --socks5 127.0.0.1:1080 --identity ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
# With port forwards
wraith connect --server example.com --forward 5432:db.internal:5432 --forward 6379:redis.internal:6379
# All options
wraith connect \
--server <addr> \ # TCP/TLS server address (required for tcp/tls)
--peer <endpoint-id> \ # iroh peer ID (required for iroh)
--transport tcp|tls|iroh \ # Transport mode
--identity <path-or-buffer> \ # SSH private key (path or in-memory)
--socks5 <addr:port> \ # SOCKS5 listen address (default: 127.0.0.1:1080)
--forward <spec> \ # Port forward spec (repeatable)
--remote-forward <spec> \ # Remote port forward spec (repeatable)
--proxy <url> \ # Upstream proxy (socks5:// or http://)
--iroh-relay <url> \ # iroh relay URL (default: n0 relay)
--tls-server-name <host> \ # SNI hostname for TLS
--insecure # Accept self-signed TLS certs
```
## Constraints
- SOCKS5 is always enabled when `wraith connect` runs (it's the primary interface). Port forwards are optional.
- The client does not log tunnel destinations. The SOCKS5 server connects and proxies — no logging of SOCKS5 request targets.
- Authentication is Ed25519 public key or OpenSSH certificate (ADR-012). No password authentication over SSH.
- Only one SSH session per `wraith connect` process. Multiple sessions = multiple processes (or a future multiplexer).
- No `~/.ssh/config` parsing. Configuration is programmatic via CLI flags, env vars, or library API structs (ADR-011).
- VPN-like "route all traffic" behavior is provided by running `tun2proxy --proxy socks5://127.0.0.1:1080` alongside the client, not by a built-in TUN interface (ADR-014).
## Open Questions
None — all resolved.
## Design Decisions
| ADR | Decision | Summary |
|-----|----------|---------|
| [005](decisions/005-socks5-before-tun.md) | SOCKS5 first | SOCKS5 is the primary interface; TUN is external (tun2proxy) |
| [011](decisions/011-no-ssh-config-programmatic-api.md) | Programmatic-first API | No file-based config; options are structs, env vars, or CLI flags |
| [012](decisions/012-auth-ed25519-and-cert-authority.md) | Key + cert-authority | No password auth; OpenSSH cert-authority for multi-user |