GNU bug report logs - #38341
webauthn support?

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From: Jack Hill <jackhill <at> jackhill.us>
To: Chris Marusich <cmmarusich <at> gmail.com>
Cc: mhw <at> netris.org, 38341 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#38341: webauthn support?
Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2019 11:10:22 -0500 (EST)

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2019, Chris Marusich wrote:

> Chris Marusich <cmmarusich <at> gmail.com> writes:
> I have successfully built IceCat using the Guix preview source (guix
> build -S icecat) on a foreign GNU/Linux distro.  Things I noticed:
>
> - When IceCat 68 is built from source on this foreign distro (without
>  using any software from Guix to do the build), the built IceCat 68
>  works.  The "Unknown U2F Error" does not occur.  This means that the
>  system is configured correctly to allow me to use my security token,
>  and IceCat is built correctly to use it.
>
> - However, on the same foreign distro, when I install IceCat 68 from
>  Guix, it doesn't work.  I get an "Unknown U2F Error".
>
> - Reminder: Firefox also works on this foreign distro.  The "Unknown U2F
>  Error" does not occur.

Great work. What dependencies did you have to provide on the non-Guix 
system?

[…]
> If anyone has any advice about how to determine what code is actually 
> emitting the "Unknown U2F Error", that would really help me narrow down 
> the possibilities quite a bit.

I don't know if this will be helpful, but as I understand webauthn, 
browsers provide a new JavaScript API for interacting with security 
tokens. I suspect that the error is being generated some code the browser 
calls a JavaScript program it has loaded calls that API. The text may not 
be in the IceCat source, but presented by the JavaScript program in 
response to and error in its API call. I was thinking, but haven't had the 
time, to set up my own webauthn-using app, so I can control the 
JavaScript.

That's my best guess at least, but it could be wrong, so don't let me lead 
you astray :)

Best,
Jack

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