[Authentication] Applications storing secrets in configuration

[Anders Rundgren]

On 2013-05-11 08:57, Stef Walter wrote:
> On 11.05.2013 08:18, Anders Rundgren wrote:
>> Having application-local secrets is fine but there are tons of applications
>> that rather needs ACL-protected secrets (keys).
>>
>> It would for example be awesome dropping the gazillion key-passwords
>> stored (usually in clear) in various config files when you for example
>> deploy TLS-using application servers like JBoss.
> 
> This is *exactly* what this proposal solves. It allows application
> servers (and desktop applications) and such to encrypt such passwords in
> their configuration in a standard manner rather than placing them there
> in the clear.

This is not what I'm requesting.  Statically configured passwords in config
files (encrypted or not), does not add anything to the security of the system,
they are only a nuisance.  Such keys should IMO be managed by the OS including
the execution of private/secret-key operations.

thanx,
Anders

> 
>> On the mobile scene, doesn't Android effectively offer sandboxed applications
>> including protected storage?  Encrypting the data should IMO be a minor
>> OS addition 
> 
> Agreed, encryption is secondary to sandboxing. And this proposal
> facilitates that. Hence the support for the 'null' keys outlined below,
> so that when code is built for such a platform they can use the same
> library and code paths, but their data is not encrypted.
> 
>> and not particularly related to GCR.
> 
> This has nothing to do with GCR.
> 
>> I guess this really boils down to what "market" you are looking at, right?
>>
>> Just my 2 öres.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Stef
> 
> 
>