feature: users and their certificates no longer need a P2S system enabled.

ADR.md

@@ -215,3 +215,20 @@ reaches the browser. The application checks the shape of every answer of the rou
 reaches the manager's port manages the router, so on another system it listens on `127.0.0.1`
 unless told otherwise. The router's firewall depends on whether the manager is installed, and a
 changed manager port needs `vpn-router-setup` to run again.
+
+## ADR-10: Users and their certificates do not depend on a P2S system being enabled
+
+Status: Accepted
+
+Context: The user directory and the CA were provisioned, and `/users` was served, only while
+OpenVPN or road-warrior access was enabled. Users could not be prepared before a P2S system was
+switched on, and the Router Manager could not manage them on a router without one.
+
+Decision: Once a platform is chosen, `vpn-router-setup` always provisions the user directory in
+slapd and the CA with its CRL; the server certificate follows once `wan.local_fqdn` is set.
+`/users` and `vpn-router-user` rely only on the directory and the CA. Only the OpenVPN client
+profile needs OpenVPN to be enabled.
+
+Consequences: slapd always holds the directory and the CA always exists on a configured router,
+even when no P2S system uses them. An operator who wants a CA of their own must place it before
+choosing the platform.

README.md

@@ -272,12 +272,12 @@ ca_cert.pem  ca_key.pem  ca_bundle.pem  <label>_cert.pem  <label>_key.pem  crl.p
 `<label>` is the first component of the router FQDN, so `router.example.com` gives
 `router_cert.pem`.
 
-If road-warrior or OpenVPN access is enabled and this directory is empty, a certificate
-authority, a server certificate and a CRL valid for ten years are created there
-automatically; a CA without a CRL gets one. User certificates are issued by
-`vpn-router-user` into `users/`. To use your own instead, place the
-files in that layout before enabling the feature; nothing is generated or overwritten when
-material is already present.
+Once a platform is chosen and while this directory is empty, a certificate authority and a CRL
+valid for ten years are created there automatically, whether or not road-warrior or OpenVPN
+access is enabled. A CA of the router's own (with `ca_key.pem`) without a CRL gets one, and
+without a server certificate gets one once `wan.local_fqdn` is set. User certificates are issued
+by `vpn-router-user` into `users/`. To use your own CA instead, place the files in that layout
+before choosing the platform; nothing present is overwritten.
 
 Either way, the package copies what each consumer needs into place: the CA into
 `/etc/swanctl/x509ca/`, the server certificate and key into `/etc/swanctl/x509/` and
@@ -314,8 +314,9 @@ certificate names:
 
 ### The user directory
 
-While OpenVPN or road-warrior access is configured, `vpn-router-setup` keeps a directory of
-users in the local slapd:
+Once a platform is chosen, `vpn-router-setup` keeps a directory of users in the local slapd,
+whether or not OpenVPN or road-warrior access is enabled, so users can be managed before either
+is switched on:
 
 - its own database, `dc=vpn-router,dc=local` in `/var/lib/ldap/vpn-router`, next to the one the
   slapd package creates; root manages it through the local socket, with no administrator
@@ -328,7 +329,7 @@ users in the local slapd:
   (`pwdAccountLockedTime`);
 - slapd listens on its local socket only (`SLAPD_SERVICES` in `/etc/default/slapd`).
 
-The directory is kept when OpenVPN and road-warrior access are switched off, and on purge.
+The directory is kept on purge.
 
 ### Managing users
 
@@ -484,8 +485,8 @@ and answer bodies are JSON; a request body is at most 4096 bytes.
 | `GET /users/<name>/profile` | | `{"name", "profile"}`, the OpenVPN client profile |
 
 A failure is `{"error": ...}` with 400 for an invalid request, 404 for a user that does not
-exist, 409 for a user that exists and 500 otherwise. While neither OpenVPN nor road-warrior
-access is configured, `/users` answers 404. Passwords and private keys cross the internal
+exist, 409 for a user that exists and 500 otherwise. `/users` works whether or not OpenVPN or
+road-warrior access is enabled; the profile needs OpenVPN. Passwords and private keys cross the internal
 network in plain HTTP, like the token.
 
 ```bash

debian-package/debian/changelog

@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+vpn-router (0.5.5-1) unstable; urgency=medium
+
+  feature: users and their certificates no longer need a P2S system enabled.
+
+  * vpn-router-setup provisions the user directory, the CA and its CRL once
+    a platform is chosen, whether or not OpenVPN or road-warrior access is
+    enabled. The server certificate is issued once wan.local_fqdn is set,
+    also for an existing CA that has none.
+  * /users and vpn-router-user manage users and issue and revoke their
+    certificates without a P2S system; only the OpenVPN client profile
+    needs OpenVPN.
+
+ -- Slawomir Koszewski <slawek@koszewscy.waw.pl>  Sat, 24 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0200
+
 vpn-router (0.5.4-1) unstable; urgency=medium
 
   feature: the firewall lets the Router Manager in on the internal interface.

debian-package/src/usr/lib/vpn-router/setup

@@ -347,13 +347,8 @@ def manage_wireguard(ctx, changed):
         run(['systemctl', 'restart', unit], check=False)
 
 
-def manage_directory(ctx):
-    """Provision the user directory in slapd while a P2S system that has users is configured.
-
-    The directory is left in place when they are switched off, so the users are kept.
-    """
-    if not (vpnrouter.p2s_ready(ctx) or vpnrouter.openvpn_ready(ctx)):
-        return
+def manage_directory():
+    """Provision the user directory in slapd, whether or not a P2S system is configured."""
     if vpnrouter_ldap.ensure_services() or not unit_is_active('slapd'):
         run(['systemctl', 'restart', 'slapd'])
     try:
@@ -422,7 +417,6 @@ def refresh_web(cfg, ctx):
         'p2s': bool(vpnrouter.p2s_ready(ctx)),
         'wireguard': bool(vpnrouter.wg_ready(ctx)),
         'openvpn': bool(vpnrouter.openvpn_ready(ctx)),
-        'users': bool(vpnrouter.p2s_ready(ctx) or vpnrouter.openvpn_ready(ctx)),
         'configuration': public,
         'network': {
             'external_interface': ctx['wan_iface'],
@@ -469,7 +463,7 @@ def main():
     elif rules_changed:
         run(['ufw', 'reload'], check=False)
 
-    manage_directory(ctx)
+    manage_directory()
     manage_strongswan(ctx, changed)
     manage_wireguard(ctx, changed)
     manage_openvpn(ctx, changed)

debian-package/src/usr/lib/vpn-router/vpnrouter.py

@@ -565,24 +565,28 @@ def _simple_ca(*args):
 
 
 def provision_pki(ctx):
-    """Create the CA, server certificate and CRL when the PKI directory is empty; a CA without a CRL gets one."""
+    """Create the CA and CRL when the PKI directory is empty, and the server certificate once wan.local_fqdn is set.
+
+    A CA of the router's own (ca_key.pem present) without a CRL gets one, and without a
+    certificate for wan.local_fqdn gets one too; nothing present is overwritten.
+    """
     PKI_DIR.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     os.chmod(PKI_DIR, 0o700)
-
-    if any(PKI_DIR.iterdir()):
-        if (PKI_DIR / 'ca_key.pem').is_file() and not (PKI_DIR / 'crl.pem').is_file():
-            _simple_ca('make-crl', '--ca-dir', str(PKI_DIR), '--days', str(CRL_DAYS))
-        return
-    if not ctx['p2s_ca_name']:
-        warn('p2s.ca_name is empty, not creating a local CA')
-        return
     if not SIMPLE_CA.is_file():
         fail(f'{SIMPLE_CA} is missing')
 
-    _simple_ca('make-ca', '--ca-dir', str(PKI_DIR), ctx['p2s_ca_name'])
-    _simple_ca('make-cert', '--ca-dir', str(PKI_DIR),
-               ctx['local_fqdn'], ctx['local_fqdn'])
-    _simple_ca('make-crl', '--ca-dir', str(PKI_DIR), '--days', str(CRL_DAYS))
+    if not any(PKI_DIR.iterdir()):
+        if not ctx['p2s_ca_name']:
+            warn('p2s.ca_name is empty, not creating a local CA')
+            return
+        _simple_ca('make-ca', '--ca-dir', str(PKI_DIR), ctx['p2s_ca_name'])
+    if not (PKI_DIR / 'ca_key.pem').is_file():
+        return
+    if not (PKI_DIR / 'crl.pem').is_file():
+        _simple_ca('make-crl', '--ca-dir', str(PKI_DIR), '--days', str(CRL_DAYS))
+    label = ctx['local_fqdn'].split('.', 1)[0] if ctx['local_fqdn'] else ''
+    if label and not (PKI_DIR / f'{label}_cert.pem').is_file():
+        _simple_ca('make-cert', '--ca-dir', str(PKI_DIR), ctx['local_fqdn'], ctx['local_fqdn'])
 
 
 def distribute_pki(ctx):
@@ -628,8 +632,7 @@ def configure(cfg=None, local_id_override=None):
 
     changed = set()
 
-    if p2s_ready(ctx) or openvpn_ready(ctx):
-        provision_pki(ctx)
+    provision_pki(ctx)
     if distribute_pki(ctx):
         changed.add('swanctl')
 

debian-package/src/usr/lib/vpn-router/web

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Pages:
   /status  the status as JSON
   /config  the configuration without its secrets, and what the router resolved and
            runs, as JSON
-  /users   the users of the P2S systems: list, add, set the password, disable, enable,
+  /users   the users in the router's directory, whether or not a P2S system is enabled: list, add, set the password, disable, enable,
            remove, and the OpenVPN client profile (see users())
 
 /config and /users need an HS256 JWT in an Authorization: Bearer header that is signed
@@ -433,8 +433,6 @@ def users(state, method, path, body):
       DELETE /users/<name>            remove the user and revoke the certificate
       GET    /users/<name>/profile    the OpenVPN client profile
     """
-    if not state.get('users'):
-        return 404, {'error': 'no P2S system with users is configured'}
     if body == 'invalid' or (body is not None and not isinstance(body, dict)):
         return 400, {'error': 'the body must be a JSON object'}
     body = body or {}

debian-package/src/usr/sbin/vpn-router-user

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python3
-"""Manage the users of the router's P2S systems.
+"""Manage the users of the router's directory, whether or not a P2S system is enabled.
 
 A user is an entry in the router's directory, whose password OpenVPN checks, and a client
 certificate of the router CA with the user name as its common name, which OpenVPN and
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def list_users(connection):
 def add(connection, name):
     secret = password()
     if not (vpnrouter.PKI_DIR / 'ca_key.pem').is_file():
-        raise Failure('the router CA does not exist; enable OpenVPN or IKEv2 road-warrior access first')
+        raise Failure('the router CA does not exist; vpn-router-setup creates it once a platform is chosen')
     try:
         connection.add_s(dn_of(name), ldap.modlist.addModlist({
             'objectClass': [b'inetOrgPerson'], 'uid': [name.encode()], 'cn': [name.encode()], 'sn': [name.encode()],