1 This document describes the multiplexing protocol used by ssh(1)'s
2 ControlMaster connection-sharing.
4 Most messages from the client to the server contain a "request id" field.
5 This field is returned in replies as "client request id" to facilitate
6 matching of responses to requests.
10 When a multiplexing connection is made to a ssh(1) operating as a
11 ControlMaster from a ssh(1) in multiplex slave mode, the first
12 action of each is to exchange hello messages:
15 uint32 protocol version
16 string extension name [optional]
17 string extension value [optional]
20 The current version of the mux protocol is 4. A slave should refuse
21 to connect to a master that speaks an unsupported protocol version.
22 Following the version identifier are zero or more extensions
23 represented as a name/value pair. No extensions are currently
28 To open a new multiplexed session, a client may send the following
31 uint32 MUX_C_NEW_SESSION
35 bool want X11 forwarding flag
41 string environment string 0 [optional]
44 To disable the use of an escape character, "escape char" may be set
45 to 0xffffffff. "terminal type" is generally set to the value of
46 $TERM. zero or more environment strings may follow the command.
48 The client then sends its standard input, output and error file
49 descriptors (in that order) using Unix domain socket control messages.
51 The contents of "reserved" are currently ignored.
53 If successful, the server will reply with MUX_S_SESSION_OPENED
55 uint32 MUX_S_SESSION_OPENED
56 uint32 client request id
59 Otherwise it will reply with an error: MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED or
62 Once the server has received the fds, it will respond with MUX_S_OK
63 indicating that the session is up. The client now waits for the
64 session to end. When it does, the server will send an exit status
67 uint32 MUX_S_EXIT_MESSAGE
71 The client should exit with this value to mimic the behaviour of a
72 non-multiplexed ssh(1) connection. Two additional cases that the
73 client must cope with are it receiving a signal itself and the
74 server disconnecting without sending an exit message.
76 A master may also send a MUX_S_TTY_ALLOC_FAIL before MUX_S_EXIT_MESSAGE
77 if remote TTY allocation was unsuccessful. The client may use this to
78 return its local tty to "cooked" mode.
80 uint32 MUX_S_TTY_ALLOC_FAIL
85 The client may request a health check/PID report from a server:
87 uint32 MUX_C_ALIVE_CHECK
90 The server replies with:
93 uint32 client request id
96 4. Remotely terminating a master
98 A client may request that a master terminate immediately:
100 uint32 MUX_C_TERMINATE
103 The server will reply with one of MUX_S_OK or MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED.
105 5. Requesting establishment of port forwards
107 A client may request the master to establish a port forward:
109 uint32 MUX_C_OPEN_FWD
111 uint32 forwarding type
117 forwarding type may be MUX_FWD_LOCAL, MUX_FWD_REMOTE, MUX_FWD_DYNAMIC.
119 If listen port is (unsigned int) -2, then the listen host is treated as
120 a unix socket path name.
122 If connect port is (unsigned int) -2, then the connect host is treated
123 as a unix socket path name.
125 A server may reply with a MUX_S_OK, a MUX_S_REMOTE_PORT, a
126 MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED or a MUX_S_FAILURE.
128 For dynamically allocated listen port the server replies with
130 uint32 MUX_S_REMOTE_PORT
131 uint32 client request id
132 uint32 allocated remote listen port
134 6. Requesting closure of port forwards
136 Note: currently unimplemented (server will always reply with MUX_S_FAILURE).
138 A client may request the master to close a port forward:
140 uint32 MUX_C_CLOSE_FWD
142 uint32 forwarding type
148 A server may reply with a MUX_S_OK, a MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED or a
151 7. Requesting stdio forwarding
153 A client may request the master to establish a stdio forwarding:
155 uint32 MUX_C_NEW_STDIO_FWD
161 The client then sends its standard input and output file descriptors
162 (in that order) using Unix domain socket control messages.
164 The contents of "reserved" are currently ignored.
166 A server may reply with a MUX_S_SESSION_OPENED, a MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED
169 8. Requesting shutdown of mux listener
171 A client may request the master to stop accepting new multiplexing requests
172 and remove its listener socket.
174 uint32 MUX_C_STOP_LISTENING
177 A server may reply with a MUX_S_OK, a MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED or a
182 The MUX_S_OK message is empty:
185 uint32 client request id
187 The MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED and MUX_S_FAILURE include a reason:
189 uint32 MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED
190 uint32 client request id
194 uint32 client request id
199 #define MUX_MSG_HELLO 0x00000001
200 #define MUX_C_NEW_SESSION 0x10000002
201 #define MUX_C_ALIVE_CHECK 0x10000004
202 #define MUX_C_TERMINATE 0x10000005
203 #define MUX_C_OPEN_FWD 0x10000006
204 #define MUX_C_CLOSE_FWD 0x10000007
205 #define MUX_C_NEW_STDIO_FWD 0x10000008
206 #define MUX_C_STOP_LISTENING 0x10000009
207 #define MUX_S_OK 0x80000001
208 #define MUX_S_PERMISSION_DENIED 0x80000002
209 #define MUX_S_FAILURE 0x80000003
210 #define MUX_S_EXIT_MESSAGE 0x80000004
211 #define MUX_S_ALIVE 0x80000005
212 #define MUX_S_SESSION_OPENED 0x80000006
213 #define MUX_S_REMOTE_PORT 0x80000007
214 #define MUX_S_TTY_ALLOC_FAIL 0x80000008
216 #define MUX_FWD_LOCAL 1
217 #define MUX_FWD_REMOTE 2
218 #define MUX_FWD_DYNAMIC 3
221 XXX extended status (e.g. report open channels / forwards)
223 XXX watch in/out traffic (pre/post crypto)
224 XXX inject packet (what about replies)
225 XXX server->client error/warning notifications
226 XXX send signals via mux
228 $OpenBSD: PROTOCOL.mux,v 1.10 2015/07/17 03:04:27 djm Exp $