Secure Wi-Fi Password Storage on an Embedded Device (NetworkManager 1.46)

[Juan A. Rubio]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on an embedded device built with Buildroot and using
NetworkManager 1.46. Because my device relies on an SD card for offline
storage, I’m concerned about someone physically removing the card and
having easy access to plaintext Wi-Fi passwords in the system-connections
files. Although I’ve already tightened file permissions, this doesn’t fully
mitigate the risk of direct file access once the card is removed.

Could anyone point me to threads regarding more secure approaches to
storing Wi-Fi credentials or suggest recommended solutions—whether built-in
features or external plugins—for encrypting, salting, or otherwise
obscuring Wi-Fi passwords in NetworkManager on embedded devices? Any
details or best practices would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

Best regards,
Juan
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