Add SmartBFT consensus support

.github/workflows/verify-build.yml

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        INTEGRATION_TEST_SUITE: ["raft","pvtdata","pvtdatapurge","ledger","lifecycle","e2e","discovery gossip devmode pluggable","gateway idemix pkcs11 configtx configtxlator","sbe nwo msp"]
+        INTEGRATION_TEST_SUITE: ["raft","pvtdata","pvtdatapurge","ledger","lifecycle","e2e smartbft","discovery gossip devmode pluggable","gateway idemix pkcs11 configtx configtxlator","sbe nwo msp"]
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
     steps:
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v3

common/channelconfig/util.go

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	mspprotos "github.com/hyperledger/fabric-protos-go/msp"
 	ab "github.com/hyperledger/fabric-protos-go/orderer"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric-protos-go/orderer/etcdraft"
+	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric-protos-go/orderer/smartbft"
 	pb "github.com/hyperledger/fabric-protos-go/peer"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/bccsp"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/protoutil"
@@ -327,3 +328,12 @@ func MarshalEtcdRaftMetadata(md *etcdraft.ConfigMetadata) ([]byte, error) {
 	}
 	return proto.Marshal(copyMd)
 }
+
+// MarshalBFTOptions serializes smartbft options.
+func MarshalBFTOptions(op *smartbft.Options) ([]byte, error) {
+	if copyMd, ok := proto.Clone(op).(*smartbft.Options); ok {
+		return proto.Marshal(copyMd)
+	} else {
+		return nil, errors.New("consenter options type mismatch")
+	}
+}

common/crypto/sanitize.go

@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/*
+Copyright IBM Corp. All Rights Reserved.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+*/
+
+package crypto
+
+import (
+	"crypto/ecdsa"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"crypto/x509/pkix"
+	"encoding/asn1"
+	"encoding/pem"
+	"math/big"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
+	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric-protos-go/msp"
+	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/bccsp/utils"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+)
+
+// SanitizeIdentity sanitizes the signature scheme of the identity
+func SanitizeIdentity(identity []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	sID := &msp.SerializedIdentity{}
+	if err := proto.Unmarshal(identity, sID); err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed unmarshaling identity %s", string(identity))
+	}
+
+	finalPEM, err := SanitizeX509Cert(sID.IdBytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	sID.IdBytes = finalPEM
+
+	return proto.Marshal(sID)
+}
+
+func SanitizeX509Cert(initialPEM []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	der, _ := pem.Decode(initialPEM)
+	if der == nil {
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("failed to PEM decode identity bytes: %s", string(initialPEM))
+	}
+	cert, err := x509.ParseCertificate(der.Bytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed parsing certificate %s", string(initialPEM))
+	}
+
+	r, s, err := utils.UnmarshalECDSASignature(cert.Signature)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed unmarshaling ECDSA signature on identity: %s", string(initialPEM))
+	}
+
+	// We assume that the consenter and the CA use the same signature scheme.
+	curveOrderUsedByCryptoGen := cert.PublicKey.(*ecdsa.PublicKey).Curve.Params().N
+	halfOrder := new(big.Int).Rsh(curveOrderUsedByCryptoGen, 1)
+	// Low S, nothing to do here!
+	if s.Cmp(halfOrder) != 1 {
+		return initialPEM, nil
+	}
+	// Else it's high-S, so shift it below half the order.
+	s.Sub(curveOrderUsedByCryptoGen, s)
+
+	var newCert certificate
+	_, err = asn1.Unmarshal(cert.Raw, &newCert)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed unmarshaling certificate")
+	}
+
+	newSig, err := utils.MarshalECDSASignature(r, s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed marshaling ECDSA signature")
+	}
+	newCert.SignatureValue = asn1.BitString{Bytes: newSig, BitLength: len(newSig) * 8}
+
+	newCert.Raw = nil
+	newRaw, err := asn1.Marshal(newCert)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed marshaling new certificate")
+	}
+
+	finalPEM := pem.EncodeToMemory(&pem.Block{Type: "CERTIFICATE", Bytes: newRaw})
+	return finalPEM, nil
+}
+
+type certificate struct {
+	Raw                asn1.RawContent
+	TBSCertificate     tbsCertificate
+	SignatureAlgorithm pkix.AlgorithmIdentifier
+	SignatureValue     asn1.BitString
+}
+
+type tbsCertificate struct {
+	Raw                asn1.RawContent
+	Version            int `asn1:"optional,explicit,default:0,tag:0"`
+	SerialNumber       *big.Int
+	SignatureAlgorithm pkix.AlgorithmIdentifier
+	Issuer             asn1.RawValue
+	Validity           validity
+	Subject            asn1.RawValue
+	PublicKey          publicKeyInfo
+	UniqueId           asn1.BitString   `asn1:"optional,tag:1"`
+	SubjectUniqueId    asn1.BitString   `asn1:"optional,tag:2"`
+	Extensions         []pkix.Extension `asn1:"optional,explicit,tag:3"`
+}
+
+type validity struct {
+	NotBefore, NotAfter time.Time
+}
+
+type publicKeyInfo struct {
+	Raw       asn1.RawContent
+	Algorithm pkix.AlgorithmIdentifier
+	PublicKey asn1.BitString
+}

common/policies/bft.go

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+Copyright IBM Corp. All Rights Reserved.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+*/
+
+package policies
+
+import (
+	"math"
+
+	cb "github.com/hyperledger/fabric-protos-go/common"
+	mspa "github.com/hyperledger/fabric-protos-go/msp"
+	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/common/policydsl"
+	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/protoutil"
+)
+
+const (
+	BlockValidationPolicyKey = "BlockValidation"
+)
+
+func EncodeBFTBlockVerificationPolicy(consenterProtos []*cb.Consenter, ordererGroup *cb.ConfigGroup) {
+	n := len(consenterProtos)
+	f := (n - 1) / 3
+
+	var identities []*mspa.MSPPrincipal
+	var pols []*cb.SignaturePolicy
+	for i, consenter := range consenterProtos {
+		pols = append(pols, &cb.SignaturePolicy{
+			Type: &cb.SignaturePolicy_SignedBy{
+				SignedBy: int32(i),
+			},
+		})
+		identities = append(identities, &mspa.MSPPrincipal{
+			PrincipalClassification: mspa.MSPPrincipal_IDENTITY,
+			Principal:               protoutil.MarshalOrPanic(&mspa.SerializedIdentity{Mspid: consenter.MspId, IdBytes: consenter.Identity}),
+		})
+	}
+
+	quorumSize := ComputeBFTQuorum(n, f)
+	sp := &cb.SignaturePolicyEnvelope{
+		Rule:       policydsl.NOutOf(int32(quorumSize), pols),
+		Identities: identities,
+	}
+	ordererGroup.Policies[BlockValidationPolicyKey] = &cb.ConfigPolicy{
+		// Inherit modification policy
+		ModPolicy: ordererGroup.Policies[BlockValidationPolicyKey].ModPolicy,
+		Policy: &cb.Policy{
+			Type:  int32(cb.Policy_SIGNATURE),
+			Value: protoutil.MarshalOrPanic(sp),
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func ComputeBFTQuorum(totalNodes, faultyNodes int) int {
+	return int(math.Ceil(float64(totalNodes+faultyNodes+1) / 2))
+}

docs/source/metrics_reference.rst

@@ -61,6 +61,16 @@ The following orderer metrics are exported for consumption by Prometheus.
 |                                              |           |                                                            +-----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                                              |           |                                                            | channel   |                                                                    |
 +----------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| consensus_BFT_cluster_size                   | gauge     | Number of nodes in this channel.                           | channel   |                                                                    |
++----------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| consensus_BFT_committed_block_number         | gauge     | The number of the latest committed block.                  | channel   |                                                                    |
++----------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| consensus_BFT_is_leader                      | gauge     | The leadership status of the current node according to the | channel   |                                                                    |
+|                                              |           | latest committed block: 1 if it is the leader else 0.      |           |                                                                    |
++----------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| consensus_BFT_leader_id                      | gauge     | The id of the current leader according to the latest       | channel   |                                                                    |
+|                                              |           | committed block.                                           |           |                                                                    |
++----------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
 | consensus_etcdraft_active_nodes              | gauge     | Number of active nodes in this channel.                    | channel   |                                                                    |
 +----------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
 | consensus_etcdraft_cluster_size              | gauge     | Number of nodes in this channel.                           | channel   |                                                                    |
@@ -214,6 +224,16 @@ associated with the metric.
 +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+
 | cluster.comm.msg_send_time.%{host}.%{channel}                             | histogram | The time it takes to send a message in seconds.            |
 +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+
+| consensus.BFT.cluster_size.%{channel}                                     | gauge     | Number of nodes in this channel.                           |
++---------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+
+| consensus.BFT.committed_block_number.%{channel}                           | gauge     | The number of the latest committed block.                  |
++---------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+
+| consensus.BFT.is_leader.%{channel}                                        | gauge     | The leadership status of the current node according to the |
+|                                                                           |           | latest committed block: 1 if it is the leader else 0.      |
++---------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+
+| consensus.BFT.leader_id.%{channel}                                        | gauge     | The id of the current leader according to the latest       |
+|                                                                           |           | committed block.                                           |
++---------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+
 | consensus.etcdraft.active_nodes.%{channel}                                | gauge     | Number of active nodes in this channel.                    |
 +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+------------------------------------------------------------+
 | consensus.etcdraft.cluster_size.%{channel}                                | gauge     | Number of nodes in this channel.                           |

go.mod

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ require (
 	code.cloudfoundry.org/clock v1.0.0
 	github.com/IBM/idemix v0.0.0-20220112103229-701e7610d405
 	github.com/Knetic/govaluate v3.0.1-0.20171022003610-9aa49832a739+incompatible
+	github.com/SmartBFT-Go/consensus v0.0.0-20230212211744-e5a79afcea81
 	github.com/VictoriaMetrics/fastcache v1.9.0
 	github.com/bits-and-blooms/bitset v1.2.1
 	github.com/cheggaaa/pb v1.0.29
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ require (
 	go.etcd.io/etcd/client/pkg/v3 v3.5.1
 	go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/v3 v3.5.1
 	go.etcd.io/etcd/server/v3 v3.5.1
-	go.uber.org/zap v1.17.0
+	go.uber.org/zap v1.19.0
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20210921155107-089bfa567519
 	golang.org/x/tools v0.1.12
 	google.golang.org/grpc v1.47.0
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ require (
 	go.uber.org/multierr v1.6.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/mod v0.6.0-dev.0.20220419223038-86c51ed26bb4 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/net v0.7.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20220722155255-886fb9371eb4 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.5.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.7.0 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20210602131652-f16073e35f0c // indirect

go.sum

@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ github.com/Microsoft/hcsshim v0.8.25/go.mod h1:4zegtUJth7lAvFyc6cH2gGQ5B3OFQim01
 github.com/OneOfOne/xxhash v1.2.2/go.mod h1:HSdplMjZKSmBqAxg5vPj2TmRDmfkzw+cTzAElWljhcU=
 github.com/Shopify/sarama v1.19.0/go.mod h1:FVkBWblsNy7DGZRfXLU0O9RCGt5g3g3yEuWXgklEdEo=
 github.com/Shopify/toxiproxy v2.1.4+incompatible/go.mod h1:OXgGpZ6Cli1/URJOF1DMxUHB2q5Ap20/P/eIdh4G0pI=
+github.com/SmartBFT-Go/consensus v0.0.0-20230212211744-e5a79afcea81 h1:yiyJRAf/rsEu3Sl0ATWu1zREfyaj01i9VsPbGiXzZZw=
+github.com/SmartBFT-Go/consensus v0.0.0-20230212211744-e5a79afcea81/go.mod h1:ZOD/ZiAdH9HpqdsJLlUTlbzYBr/qYEzyYx7wClbrH+w=
 github.com/VictoriaMetrics/fastcache v1.9.0 h1:oMwsS6c8abz98B7ytAewQ7M1ZN/Im/iwKoE1euaFvhs=
 github.com/VictoriaMetrics/fastcache v1.9.0/go.mod h1:otoTS3xu+6IzF/qByjqzjp3rTuzM3Qf0ScU1UTj97iU=
 github.com/VividCortex/gohistogram v1.0.0 h1:6+hBz+qvs0JOrrNhhmR7lFxo5sINxBCGXrdtl/UvroE=
@@ -84,6 +86,8 @@ github.com/aws/aws-lambda-go v1.13.3/go.mod h1:4UKl9IzQMoD+QF79YdCuzCwp8VbmG4VAQ
 github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go v1.27.0/go.mod h1:KmX6BPdI08NWTb3/sm4ZGu5ShLoqVDhKgpiN924inxo=
 github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2 v0.18.0/go.mod h1:JWVYvqSMppoMJC0x5wdwiImzgXTI9FuZwxzkQq9wy+g=
 github.com/benbjohnson/clock v1.0.3/go.mod h1:bGMdMPoPVvcYyt1gHDf4J2KE153Yf9BuiUKYMaxlTDM=
+github.com/benbjohnson/clock v1.1.0 h1:Q92kusRqC1XV2MjkWETPvjJVqKetz1OzxZB7mHJLju8=
+github.com/benbjohnson/clock v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J11/hYXuz8f4ySSvYwY0FKfm+ezbsZBKZxNJlLklBHA=
 github.com/beorn7/perks v0.0.0-20180321164747-3a771d992973/go.mod h1:Dwedo/Wpr24TaqPxmxbtue+5NUziq4I4S80YR8gNf3Q=
 github.com/beorn7/perks v1.0.0/go.mod h1:KWe93zE9D1o94FZ5RNwFwVgaQK1VOXiVxmqh+CedLV8=
 github.com/beorn7/perks v1.0.1 h1:VlbKKnNfV8bJzeqoa4cOKqO6bYr3WgKZxO8Z16+hsOM=
@@ -715,6 +719,7 @@ go.uber.org/atomic v1.6.0/go.mod h1:sABNBOSYdrvTF6hTgEIbc7YasKWGhgEQZyfxyTvoXHQ=
 go.uber.org/atomic v1.7.0 h1:ADUqmZGgLDDfbSL9ZmPxKTybcoEYHgpYfELNoN+7hsw=
 go.uber.org/atomic v1.7.0/go.mod h1:fEN4uk6kAWBTFdckzkM89CLk9XfWZrxpCo0nPH17wJc=
 go.uber.org/goleak v1.1.10/go.mod h1:8a7PlsEVH3e/a/GLqe5IIrQx6GzcnRmZEufDUTk4A7A=
+go.uber.org/goleak v1.1.12 h1:gZAh5/EyT/HQwlpkCy6wTpqfH9H8Lz8zbm3dZh+OyzA=
 go.uber.org/goleak v1.1.12/go.mod h1:cwTWslyiVhfpKIDGSZEM2HlOvcqm+tG4zioyIeLoqMQ=
 go.uber.org/multierr v1.1.0/go.mod h1:wR5kodmAFQ0UK8QlbwjlSNy0Z68gJhDJUG5sjR94q/0=
 go.uber.org/multierr v1.3.0/go.mod h1:VgVr7evmIr6uPjLBxg28wmKNXyqE9akIJ5XnfpiKl+4=
@@ -727,8 +732,9 @@ go.uber.org/zap v1.10.0/go.mod h1:vwi/ZaCAaUcBkycHslxD9B2zi4UTXhF60s6SWpuDF0Q=
 go.uber.org/zap v1.12.0/go.mod h1:zwrFLgMcdUuIBviXEYEH1YKNaOBnKXsx2IPda5bBwHM=
 go.uber.org/zap v1.13.0/go.mod h1:zwrFLgMcdUuIBviXEYEH1YKNaOBnKXsx2IPda5bBwHM=
 go.uber.org/zap v1.16.0/go.mod h1:MA8QOfq0BHJwdXa996Y4dYkAqRKB8/1K1QMMZVaNZjQ=
-go.uber.org/zap v1.17.0 h1:MTjgFu6ZLKvY6Pvaqk97GlxNBuMpV4Hy/3P6tRGlI2U=
 go.uber.org/zap v1.17.0/go.mod h1:MXVU+bhUf/A7Xi2HNOnopQOrmycQ5Ih87HtOu4q5SSo=
+go.uber.org/zap v1.19.0 h1:mZQZefskPPCMIBCSEH0v2/iUqqLrYtaeqwD6FUGUnFE=
+go.uber.org/zap v1.19.0/go.mod h1:xg/QME4nWcxGxrpdeYfq7UvYrLh66cuVKdrbD1XF/NI=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20180904163835-0709b304e793/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20181029021203-45a5f77698d3/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
@@ -843,6 +849,8 @@ golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20200625203802-6e8e738ad208/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJ
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20201020160332-67f06af15bc9/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20201207232520-09787c993a3a/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20210220032951-036812b2e83c/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20220722155255-886fb9371eb4 h1:uVc8UZUe6tr40fFVnUP5Oj+veunVezqYl9z7DYw9xzw=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20220722155255-886fb9371eb4/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180823144017-11551d06cbcc/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180830151530-49385e6e1522/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180905080454-ebe1bf3edb33/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=

integration/chaincode/simple/chaincode.go

@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ func (t *SimpleChaincode) Invoke(stub shim.ChaincodeStubInterface) pb.Response {
 		return t.mspid(args)
 	case "event":
 		return t.event(stub, args)
+	case "issue":
+		return t.issue(stub, args)
 	default:
 		return shim.Error(`Invalid invoke function name. Expecting "invoke", "delete", "query", "respond", "mspid", or "event"`)
 	}
@@ -243,3 +245,32 @@ func (t *SimpleChaincode) event(stub shim.ChaincodeStubInterface, args []string)
 
 	return shim.Success(nil)
 }
+
+// Issue asset holding. Can only be done once.
+func (t *SimpleChaincode) issue(stub shim.ChaincodeStubInterface, args []string) pb.Response {
+	fmt.Printf("Entry: issue\n")
+
+	if len(args) != 2 {
+		return shim.Error("Incorrect number of arguments. Expecting 2")
+	}
+
+	A := args[0]
+	val, err := stub.GetState(A)
+	if !(val == nil && err == nil) {
+		return shim.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Asset already exists: %s", A))
+	}
+
+	Aval, err := strconv.Atoi(args[1])
+	if err != nil {
+		return shim.Error("Expecting integer value for asset holding")
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("Issue: %s = %d\n", A, Aval)
+
+	err = stub.PutState(A, []byte(strconv.Itoa(Aval)))
+	if err != nil {
+		return shim.Error(err.Error())
+	}
+
+	return shim.Success(nil)
+}

integration/channelparticipation/channel_participation.go

@@ -42,11 +42,12 @@ func Join(n *nwo.Network, o *nwo.Orderer, channel string, block *common.Block, e
 	if n.TLSEnabled {
 		client = authClient
 	}
-	body := doBody(client, req)
-	c := &ChannelInfo{}
-	err = json.Unmarshal(body, c)
-	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-	Expect(*c).To(Equal(expectedChannelInfo))
+
+	doBody(client, req)
+
+	Eventually(func() ChannelInfo {
+		return ListOne(n, o, channel)
+	}, n.EventuallyTimeout).Should(Equal(expectedChannelInfo))
 }
 
 func GenerateJoinRequest(url, channel string, blockBytes []byte) *http.Request {