Re: [Vrs-development] Encrypted NFS with OpenSSH and Linux

[Chris Smith]

On Thursday 14 February 2002 15:34, Bill wrote:
> --- Chris Smith <address@hidden> wrote:
> > Very interesting idea.  Basically they're deploying
> > an encrypted tunnel
> > through which they're pumping NFS traffic.
> >
> > Using this technique, any traffic could be pumped
> > through.
>
> Or we could just use IPsec VPN.
>
> http://www.samag.com/documents/s=4072/sam0203c/sam0203c.htm
>
> This may help to simply extend the sandbox accross the
> net for the Cluster as a whole.

Well...
If we're proposing a tight binary protocol of some sort to gaffa-tape LDS's 
into a VRS cluster, then we might as well do the encryption ourselves.  Easy 
with openSSL.

The LDS's could hand out their Public keys on request - or it could be the 
responsibility of the Node Discovery Server ( or whatever ).

Private keys are kept private.  This is okay actually, because the owner of 
an LDS has a vested interest in keeping their private key secure - and so is 
not open to attack by the owner of that LDS!

Oh.  Bugger....

I thought I had a great idea just for a moment.  Now here's a thing:
If resources are stored ENCRYPTED across the cluster, then every LDS must 
know both the public key that encrypts the data and the private key that 
decrypts it.  So where is the security in that?

The keys may be stored within our virtual filesystem, but they're still 
there.  And as this project is openSource, well, someone could very easily 
hack the code, build an LDS, join a VRS and suck all the data out of it.

I've missed some fundamental property that makes it all secure haven't I?
Hope so.

Chris
-- 
Chris Smith
  Technical Architect - netFluid Technology Limited.
  "Internet Technologies, Distributed Systems and Tuxedo Consultancy"
  E: address@hidden  W: http://www.nfluid.co.uk