Closes #138 IOS-XE certificate validation

[netgab]

Added the option to control certificate validation, to the device connection as:

devices:
  eWLC:
        os: iosxe
        type: eWLC
        custom:
          abstraction:
            order: [os]
        connections:
          rest:
            class: rest.connector.Rest
            ip: 198.51.100.3
            #verify: True                  # <-- Enable certificate validation (default)
            verify: False                  # <-- Disable certificate validation

This setting is applied to the requests.session object once, which is applied to all following operations like GET, POST etc.

[netgab]

I guess the pipeline fails, because Python 3.8 is EoL
https://devguide.python.org/versions/

The runners don't support Python 3.8

Error: Version 3.8 with arch x64 not found
Available versions:

3.10.16 (x64)
3.11.11 (x64)
3.12.8 (x64)
3.13.1 (x64)
3.9.21 (x64)

Should the file CiscoTestAutomation-rest/.github/workflows/run_tests.yml also be modified, to exclude python-version 3.8?

[oboehmer]

shouldn't this default to False?

Suggested change

	self.verify = self.connection_info.get('verify', True)
	self.verify = self.connection_info.get('verify', False)

[netgab]

As of today, it defaults to True for the get requests (as no verify parameter is passed there).
Furthermore, I guess a good security practice is, to enable SSL/TLS certificate validation by default and only disable it, if there are specific reasons.

[oboehmer]

I don't argue, even if test tools often interact with lab devices where certificate discipline is often, err, sloppy..
but in the PR description you mentioned

            verify: False                  # <-- Disable certificate validation (default)            

[netgab]

Sorry @oboehmer .. my bad. I updated the PR description above

[omehrabi]

Please add a changelog and also merged latest code into your branch

[netgab]

Hi @omehrabi ,
did that - hope it's ok

[omehrabi]

please add a changelog here
https://github.com/CiscoTestAutomation/rest/tree/main/docs/changelog

[netgab]

Sorry @omehrabi, that I forgot the changelog.
What is the correct and desired process for this?

Just create a new file (e.g. docs/changelog/2025/sept.rst) and add my content there?
Or just edit the file docs/changelog/undistributed/template.rst ?

I guess my next issue and PR will be a CONTRIBUTION.MD file :)

[netgab]

Hey @omehrabi ,
thanks for helping me with the changelog
Added a new file docs/changelog/undistributed/issue138_iosxe_cert_validation.rst with my change. Hope it's ok.
I'm off to vacation now ;)

[lsheikal]

Thanks for the contribution. code looks good.