security: decrypt and sign dApp approvals in the popup (closes #157)

The password no longer crosses the extension messaging boundary: the popup
decrypts and signs, and sends only the raw signed transaction or the signature.
The background re-derives the signer from the artifact and checks it against
the approval it holds before broadcasting, so it is not a blind relay.

src/background/index.js

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 const { DEFAULT_RPC_URL } = require("../shared/constants");
 const { SUPPORTED_CHAIN_IDS, networkByChainId } = require("../shared/networks");
 const { onChainSwitch } = require("../shared/chainSwitch");
-const { getBytes } = require("ethers");
 const {
     state,
     loadState,
@@ -14,8 +13,7 @@ const {
 } = require("../shared/state");
 const { refreshBalances, getProvider } = require("../shared/balances");
 const { debugFetch } = require("../shared/log");
-const { decryptWithPassword } = require("../shared/vault");
-const { getSignerForAddress } = require("../shared/wallet");
+const { verifySignedTx, verifySignature } = require("../shared/approvalVerify");
 const {
     isPhishingDomain,
     updatePhishingList,
@@ -725,39 +723,28 @@ runtime.onMessage.addListener((msg, sender, sendResponse) => {
             return true;
         }
 
+        // The popup signs; it reports back here when it could not. Fail the
+        // request the same way this handler used to when it did the signing.
+        if (msg.error) {
+            approval.resolve({ error: { message: msg.error } });
+            sendResponse({ error: msg.error });
+            return false;
+        }
+
         (async () => {
             try {
                 await loadState();
                 const activeAddress = await getActiveAddress();
-                let wallet, addrIndex;
-                for (const w of state.wallets) {
-                    for (let i = 0; i < w.addresses.length; i++) {
-                        if (w.addresses[i].address === activeAddress) {
-                            wallet = w;
-                            addrIndex = i;
-                            break;
-                        }
-                    }
-                    if (wallet) break;
-                }
-                if (!wallet) throw new Error("Wallet not found");
-                // TODO(security): Move decryption to popup to avoid sending password via runtime.sendMessage
-                let decrypted = await decryptWithPassword(
-                    wallet.encryptedSecret,
-                    msg.password,
+                // The popup holds the secret, but the background stays the
+                // authority on what is broadcast: the raw transaction must be
+                // the approved one, signed by the approved address.
+                verifySignedTx(
+                    msg.rawSignedTx,
+                    approval.txParams,
+                    activeAddress,
                 );
-                const signer = getSignerForAddress(
-                    wallet,
-                    addrIndex,
-                    decrypted,
-                );
-                // Best-effort: clear decrypted secret after use.
-                // Note: JS strings are immutable; this nulls the reference but
-                // the original string may persist in memory until GC.
-                decrypted = null;
                 const provider = getProvider(state.rpcUrl);
-                const connected = signer.connect(provider);
-                const tx = await connected.sendTransaction(approval.txParams);
+                const tx = await provider.broadcastTransaction(msg.rawSignedTx);
                 approval.resolve({ txHash: tx.hash });
                 sendResponse({ txHash: tx.hash });
             } catch (e) {
@@ -784,55 +771,23 @@ runtime.onMessage.addListener((msg, sender, sendResponse) => {
             return true;
         }
 
+        // The popup signs; it reports back here when it could not. Fail the
+        // request the same way this handler used to when it did the signing.
+        if (msg.error) {
+            approval.resolve({ error: { message: msg.error } });
+            sendResponse({ error: msg.error });
+            return false;
+        }
+
         (async () => {
             try {
-                await loadState();
                 const activeAddress = await getActiveAddress();
-                let wallet, addrIndex;
-                for (const w of state.wallets) {
-                    for (let i = 0; i < w.addresses.length; i++) {
-                        if (w.addresses[i].address === activeAddress) {
-                            wallet = w;
-                            addrIndex = i;
-                            break;
-                        }
-                    }
-                    if (wallet) break;
-                }
-                if (!wallet) throw new Error("Wallet not found");
-                // TODO(security): Move decryption to popup to avoid sending password via runtime.sendMessage
-                let decrypted = await decryptWithPassword(
-                    wallet.encryptedSecret,
-                    msg.password,
-                );
-                const signer = getSignerForAddress(
-                    wallet,
-                    addrIndex,
-                    decrypted,
-                );
-                // Best-effort: clear decrypted secret after use.
-                // Note: JS strings are immutable; this nulls the reference but
-                // the original string may persist in memory until GC.
-                decrypted = null;
-
-                const sp = approval.signParams;
-                let signature;
-
-                if (sp.method === "personal_sign" || sp.method === "eth_sign") {
-                    signature = await signer.signMessage(getBytes(sp.message));
-                } else {
-                    // eth_signTypedData_v4 / eth_signTypedData
-                    const typedData = JSON.parse(sp.typedData);
-                    const { domain, types, message } = typedData;
-                    // ethers handles EIP712Domain internally
-                    delete types.EIP712Domain;
-                    signature = await signer.signTypedData(
-                        domain,
-                        types,
-                        message,
-                    );
-                }
-
+                // The popup holds the secret, but the background stays the
+                // authority on what is handed back to the page: the signature
+                // must cover the approved payload and recover to the approved
+                // address.
+                const signature = msg.signature;
+                verifySignature(approval.signParams, signature, activeAddress);
                 approval.resolve({ signature });
                 sendResponse({ signature });
             } catch (e) {

src/popup/views/approval.js

@@ -9,10 +9,19 @@ const {
     attachCopyHandlers,
 } = require("./helpers");
 const { state, saveState, currentNetwork } = require("../../shared/state");
-const { formatEther, formatUnits, Interface, toUtf8String } = require("ethers");
+const {
+    formatEther,
+    formatUnits,
+    getBytes,
+    Interface,
+    toUtf8String,
+} = require("ethers");
 const { getPrice, formatUsd } = require("../../shared/prices");
 const { ERC20_ABI } = require("../../shared/constants");
 const { TOKEN_BY_ADDRESS } = require("../../shared/tokenList");
+const { decryptWithPassword } = require("../../shared/vault");
+const { getSignerForAddress } = require("../../shared/wallet");
+const { getProvider } = require("../../shared/balances");
 const txStatus = require("./txStatus");
 const uniswap = require("../../shared/uniswap");
 const runtime =
@@ -153,6 +162,8 @@ function showTxApproval(details) {
         details.isPhishingDomain,
     );
 
+    pendingTxParams = details.txParams;
+
     const toAddr = details.txParams.to;
     const token = toAddr ? TOKEN_BY_ADDRESS.get(toAddr.toLowerCase()) : null;
     const ethValue = formatEther(details.txParams.value || "0");
@@ -326,6 +337,7 @@ function showSignApproval(details) {
     );
 
     const sp = details.signParams;
+    pendingSignParams = sp;
 
     $("approve-sign-hostname").textContent = details.hostname;
     $("approve-sign-from").innerHTML = approvalAddressHtml(sp.from);
@@ -401,6 +413,36 @@ function show(id) {
 
 let approvalId = null;
 let pendingTxDetails = null;
+// The exact parameters shown to the user, kept so the popup signs what it
+// displayed rather than re-fetching anything at approval time. Both are
+// repopulated by show() when the popup is closed and reopened.
+let pendingTxParams = null;
+let pendingSignParams = null;
+
+// Approve buttons stay disabled and muted while the popup derives the key and
+// signs, which is slow enough (Argon2id) that a double click is likely.
+function setTxButtonBusy(busy) {
+    $("btn-approve-tx").disabled = busy;
+    $("btn-approve-tx").classList.toggle("text-muted", busy);
+}
+
+function setSignButtonBusy(busy) {
+    $("btn-approve-sign").disabled = busy;
+    $("btn-approve-sign").classList.toggle("text-muted", busy);
+}
+
+// Locate the wallet and the address index owning the currently active
+// address. Returns null when no wallet holds it.
+function findActiveWallet() {
+    for (const wallet of state.wallets) {
+        for (let i = 0; i < wallet.addresses.length; i++) {
+            if (wallet.addresses[i].address === state.activeAddress) {
+                return { wallet, addrIndex: i };
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return null;
+}
 
 function init(ctx) {
     $("approve-remember").addEventListener("change", async () => {
@@ -430,34 +472,86 @@ function init(ctx) {
         window.close();
     });
 
-    $("btn-approve-tx").addEventListener("click", () => {
-        const password = $("approve-tx-password").value;
+    $("btn-approve-tx").addEventListener("click", async () => {
+        let password = $("approve-tx-password").value;
         if (!password) {
             showError("approve-tx-error", "Please enter your password.");
             return;
         }
         hideError("approve-tx-error");
-        $("btn-approve-tx").disabled = true;
-        $("btn-approve-tx").classList.add("text-muted");
+        setTxButtonBusy(true);
 
-        runtime.sendMessage(
-            {
-                type: "AUTISTMASK_TX_RESPONSE",
-                id: approvalId,
-                approved: true,
-                // TODO(security): Move decryption to popup to avoid sending password via runtime.sendMessage
-                password: password,
-            },
-            (response) => {
-                if (response && response.txHash) {
-                    txStatus.showWait(pendingTxDetails, response.txHash);
-                } else {
-                    const msg =
-                        (response && response.error) || "Transaction failed.";
-                    txStatus.showError(pendingTxDetails, null, msg);
-                }
-            },
-        );
+        const active = findActiveWallet();
+        if (!active) {
+            password = null;
+            showError(
+                "approve-tx-error",
+                "No wallet was found for the active address.",
+            );
+            setTxButtonBusy(false);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Decrypt here, in the popup. The password must never cross the
+        // extension messaging boundary; only the signed transaction does.
+        let decryptedSecret;
+        try {
+            decryptedSecret = await decryptWithPassword(
+                active.wallet.encryptedSecret,
+                password,
+            );
+        } catch {
+            showError(
+                "approve-tx-error",
+                "That password is incorrect. Please try again.",
+            );
+            setTxButtonBusy(false);
+            return;
+        } finally {
+            // Best-effort: drop the password as soon as the key derivation
+            // is done. Note that JS strings are immutable; this clears the
+            // reference but the original string may persist until GC.
+            password = null;
+        }
+
+        const payload = {
+            type: "AUTISTMASK_TX_RESPONSE",
+            id: approvalId,
+            approved: true,
+        };
+        try {
+            const signer = getSignerForAddress(
+                active.wallet,
+                active.addrIndex,
+                decryptedSecret,
+            );
+            const provider = getProvider(state.rpcUrl);
+            const connected = signer.connect(provider);
+            // This is the sequence ethers' own sendTransaction() runs
+            // internally, so nonce, gas, fee and chain id population are
+            // identical to when the background did the signing.
+            const populated =
+                await connected.populateTransaction(pendingTxParams);
+            delete populated.from;
+            payload.rawSignedTx = await connected.signTransaction(populated);
+        } catch (e) {
+            payload.error =
+                e.shortMessage || e.message || "Transaction signing failed.";
+        } finally {
+            // Best-effort: clear the decrypted secret after use, with the
+            // same immutability caveat as the password above.
+            decryptedSecret = null;
+        }
+
+        runtime.sendMessage(payload, (response) => {
+            if (response && response.txHash) {
+                txStatus.showWait(pendingTxDetails, response.txHash);
+            } else {
+                const msg =
+                    (response && response.error) || "Transaction failed.";
+                txStatus.showError(pendingTxDetails, null, msg);
+            }
+        });
     });
 
     $("btn-reject-tx").addEventListener("click", () => {
@@ -469,36 +563,93 @@ function init(ctx) {
         window.close();
     });
 
-    $("btn-approve-sign").addEventListener("click", () => {
-        const password = $("approve-sign-password").value;
+    $("btn-approve-sign").addEventListener("click", async () => {
+        let password = $("approve-sign-password").value;
         if (!password) {
             showError("approve-sign-error", "Please enter your password.");
             return;
         }
         hideError("approve-sign-error");
-        $("btn-approve-sign").disabled = true;
-        $("btn-approve-sign").classList.add("text-muted");
+        setSignButtonBusy(true);
 
-        runtime.sendMessage(
-            {
-                type: "AUTISTMASK_SIGN_RESPONSE",
-                id: approvalId,
-                approved: true,
-                // TODO(security): Move decryption to popup to avoid sending password via runtime.sendMessage
-                password: password,
-            },
-            (response) => {
-                if (response && response.signature) {
-                    window.close();
-                } else {
-                    const msg =
-                        (response && response.error) || "Signing failed.";
-                    showError("approve-sign-error", msg);
-                    $("btn-approve-sign").disabled = false;
-                    $("btn-approve-sign").classList.remove("text-muted");
-                }
-            },
-        );
+        const active = findActiveWallet();
+        if (!active) {
+            password = null;
+            showError(
+                "approve-sign-error",
+                "No wallet was found for the active address.",
+            );
+            setSignButtonBusy(false);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Decrypt here, in the popup. The password must never cross the
+        // extension messaging boundary; only the signature does.
+        let decryptedSecret;
+        try {
+            decryptedSecret = await decryptWithPassword(
+                active.wallet.encryptedSecret,
+                password,
+            );
+        } catch {
+            showError(
+                "approve-sign-error",
+                "That password is incorrect. Please try again.",
+            );
+            setSignButtonBusy(false);
+            return;
+        } finally {
+            // Best-effort: drop the password as soon as the key derivation
+            // is done. Note that JS strings are immutable; this clears the
+            // reference but the original string may persist until GC.
+            password = null;
+        }
+
+        const payload = {
+            type: "AUTISTMASK_SIGN_RESPONSE",
+            id: approvalId,
+            approved: true,
+        };
+        try {
+            const signer = getSignerForAddress(
+                active.wallet,
+                active.addrIndex,
+                decryptedSecret,
+            );
+            const sp = pendingSignParams;
+            if (sp.method === "personal_sign" || sp.method === "eth_sign") {
+                payload.signature = await signer.signMessage(
+                    getBytes(sp.message),
+                );
+            } else {
+                // eth_signTypedData_v4 / eth_signTypedData
+                const typedData = JSON.parse(sp.typedData);
+                const { domain, types, message } = typedData;
+                // ethers handles EIP712Domain internally
+                delete types.EIP712Domain;
+                payload.signature = await signer.signTypedData(
+                    domain,
+                    types,
+                    message,
+                );
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            payload.error = e.shortMessage || e.message || "Signing failed.";
+        } finally {
+            // Best-effort: clear the decrypted secret after use, with the
+            // same immutability caveat as the password above.
+            decryptedSecret = null;
+        }
+
+        runtime.sendMessage(payload, (response) => {
+            if (response && response.signature) {
+                window.close();
+            } else {
+                const msg = (response && response.error) || "Signing failed.";
+                showError("approve-sign-error", msg);
+                setSignButtonBusy(false);
+            }
+        });
     });
 
     $("btn-reject-sign").addEventListener("click", () => {

src/shared/approvalVerify.js

@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+// Verification of the signed artifacts produced by the approval popup.
+//
+// Signing happens in the popup, where the password is entered; the background
+// only broadcasts the raw transaction and resolves the pending approval back
+// to the requesting page. So that moving the signing out of the background
+// does not turn the background into a blind relay, the background re-derives
+// the signer from the artifact and checks it against the approval it is
+// holding before acting on it. All recovery is delegated to ethers.
+//
+// Every failure message is a full sentence, because these strings are shown to
+// the user and returned to the dApp.
+
+const {
+    Transaction,
+    getAddress,
+    getBytes,
+    verifyMessage,
+    verifyTypedData,
+} = require("ethers");
+
+// Case-insensitive address comparison that tolerates absent values on either
+// side. Two absent addresses compare equal (contract creation has no `to`).
+function sameAddress(a, b) {
+    const aMissing = a === null || a === undefined || a === "";
+    const bMissing = b === null || b === undefined || b === "";
+    if (aMissing || bMissing) return aMissing && bMissing;
+    try {
+        return getAddress(a) === getAddress(b);
+    } catch {
+        return String(a).toLowerCase() === String(b).toLowerCase();
+    }
+}
+
+// Normalize a transaction value (hex string, decimal string, number or
+// bigint) to a bigint. An absent value is zero, matching ethers.
+function normalizeValue(v) {
+    if (v === null || v === undefined || v === "") return 0n;
+    return BigInt(v);
+}
+
+// Normalize call data to a lowercase hex string. Absent data is "0x".
+function normalizeData(v) {
+    if (v === null || v === undefined || v === "" || v === "0x") return "0x";
+    return String(v).toLowerCase();
+}
+
+// Assert that a raw signed transaction is the transaction the user approved,
+// signed by the address the approval was raised for. Returns the parsed
+// ethers Transaction on success, throws otherwise.
+function verifySignedTx(rawSignedTx, txParams, expectedFrom) {
+    if (typeof rawSignedTx !== "string" || !rawSignedTx.startsWith("0x")) {
+        throw new Error("The signed transaction is missing or malformed.");
+    }
+
+    let parsed;
+    try {
+        parsed = Transaction.from(rawSignedTx);
+    } catch {
+        throw new Error("The signed transaction could not be decoded.");
+    }
+
+    if (!parsed.from) {
+        throw new Error("The signed transaction carries no valid signature.");
+    }
+    if (!sameAddress(parsed.from, expectedFrom)) {
+        throw new Error(
+            "The signed transaction was signed by a different address than the one that was approved.",
+        );
+    }
+    if (!sameAddress(parsed.to, txParams.to)) {
+        throw new Error(
+            "The signed transaction does not go to the approved recipient.",
+        );
+    }
+    if (normalizeValue(parsed.value) !== normalizeValue(txParams.value)) {
+        throw new Error(
+            "The signed transaction does not carry the approved value.",
+        );
+    }
+    if (normalizeData(parsed.data) !== normalizeData(txParams.data)) {
+        throw new Error(
+            "The signed transaction does not carry the approved call data.",
+        );
+    }
+
+    return parsed;
+}
+
+// Assert that a signature over the approved message or typed data was
+// produced by the address the approval was raised for. Returns the recovered
+// address on success, throws otherwise.
+function verifySignature(signParams, signature, expectedFrom) {
+    if (typeof signature !== "string" || !signature.startsWith("0x")) {
+        throw new Error("The signature is missing or malformed.");
+    }
+
+    let recovered;
+    try {
+        if (
+            signParams.method === "personal_sign" ||
+            signParams.method === "eth_sign"
+        ) {
+            recovered = verifyMessage(getBytes(signParams.message), signature);
+        } else {
+            const typedData = JSON.parse(signParams.typedData);
+            const { domain, types, message } = typedData;
+            // ethers derives EIP712Domain itself and rejects it as an input.
+            delete types.EIP712Domain;
+            recovered = verifyTypedData(domain, types, message, signature);
+        }
+    } catch {
+        throw new Error("The signature could not be verified.");
+    }
+
+    if (!sameAddress(recovered, expectedFrom)) {
+        throw new Error(
+            "The signature was produced by a different address than the one that was approved.",
+        );
+    }
+
+    return recovered;
+}
+
+module.exports = { verifySignedTx, verifySignature, sameAddress };