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URL shell

Shell script downloader with built-in PGP signature verification.

How many times have you seen instructions to download and install some thing using curl and shell:

curl -L https://someshellscript.sh | sh (please don't run this, I do not own this domain)

Some may even be on clear text http. It is quick and easy to get scripts from web pages and run them in your shell.

This way is convenient, but yet scary, given that HTTP can be intercepted using MITM attack, web servers can be compromised, company privacy and security policies can change like the hosting provider, etc...

As you have seen many software companies provide checksums and PGP signatures with their software. They expect you to have GPG-suite installed and full keyring be present on every computer you download the software to.

What I am offering here is less convenient, but hopefully more secure way to do curl | sh.

As a script author I can produce:

  • a script someshellscript.sh (again: don't run this, I do not own this domain)
  • PGP signature someshellscript.sh.asc
  • Embed my public key into url-shell, and do downloads using this script instead of cURL

Given that you distribute your version of url-shell in advance, when your users can verify your identity once. They can download your present and future scripts without worrying it beign compromised when its delivered from author's development environment to your destination computer. I rely on author to take good care of the PGP private key.

Build your own

To build your own downloader & shell script runner:

  • Get your public key: gpg -a --export yourname@youremail.com
  • Paste value in key.go
  • Compile: go build -o urlsh .

Next time you create shell script, and expose it on the Internet, also produce detached signature, and expose it too: gpg --detach-sign -a someshellscript.sh

Result

The following:

curl -s -L https://someshellscript.sh | sh

can now be replaced with this:

urlsh https://someshellscript.sh

given https://someshellscript.sh is original script, and https://someshellscript.sh.asc its detached PGP signature

Yes, it requires end users to get urlsh in advance, but gives them piece of mind in a long term.

Compiled binary

Binary with my key built-in mac be obtained at keybase:

Example

I posted my dotfiles online along side with the shell scripts to install them:

What was previously: curl -s -L 'https://git.io/all.files' | bash

is now: urlsh https://git.io/all.files