> How can someone use your code without a key manager?
Some key management mechanism is required although it could be simplistic. For 
example, we've tested our code internally with an implementation of the key 
manager interface that returns a single, constant key.

I think the underlying issue is how to handle interrelated features - if Nova 
doesn't want to accept the volume encryption feature without a full-fledged key 
manager, then why accept a key manager (or its interface stubs) unless it 
already has a feature that requires it (e.g., volume encryption)? And 
round-and-round it goes.

I'd also like to point out that the volume encryption feature is "complete" and 
won't require changes when a full-fledged key manager becomes available. All 
that's needed is to specify the key manager via a configuration option. So this 
request is definitely *not* a case of trying to land a feature that isn't 
finished and is disabled by default (see [1], [2], and [3]).

[1] http://lists.openstack.org/pipermail/openstack-dev/2013-April/008244.html
[2] http://lists.openstack.org/pipermail/openstack-dev/2013-April/008315.html
[3] http://lists.openstack.org/pipermail/openstack-dev/2013-April/008268.html


From: Joe Gordon [mailto:joe.gord...@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 4:48 PM
To: OpenStack Development Mailing List
Subject: Re: [openstack-dev] [nova] key management and Cinder volume encryption



On Tue, Sep 3, 2013 at 4:38 PM, Coffman, Joel M. 
<joel.coff...@jhuapl.edu<mailto:joel.coff...@jhuapl.edu>> wrote:
We have fully implemented support for transparently encrypting Cinder 
volumes<https://blueprints.launchpad.net/nova/+spec/encrypt-cinder-volumes> 
from within Nova (see  https://review.openstack.org/#/c/30976/), but the lack 
of a secure key manager within OpenStack currently precludes us from 
integrating our work with that piece of the overall architecture. Instead, a 
key manager interface (see  https://review.openstack.org/#/c/30973/) abstracts 
this interaction. We would appreciate the consideration of the Nova core team 
regarding merging our existing work because 1) there is nothing immediately 
available with which to integrate; 2) services such as 
Barbican<https://launchpad.net/cloudkeep/+announcements> are on the path to 
incubation and alternative key management schemes (e.g., KMIP Client for volume 
encryption key 
management<https://blueprints.launchpad.net/nova/+spec/kmip-client-for-volume-encryption>)
 have also been proposed; 3) we avoid the hassle of rebasing until the 
aforementioned services become available; and 4) our code does not directly 
depend upon a particular key manager but upon the aforementioned interface, 
which should be simple for key managers to implement. Furthermore, the current 
dearth of key management within OpenStack does not preclude the use of our 
existing work within a production environment; although the security is 
diminished, our implementation provides protection against certain attacks like 
intercepting the iSCSI communication between the compute and storage host.


How can someone use your code without a key manager?


Feedback regarding the possibility of merging our work would be appreciated.

Joel

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