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Overview

PhixFlow expects to use a keystore for:

  • a pepper key to add user passwords when encrypting them
  • the database username and password.

The pepper key and database account credentials are encrypted and stored here, along with their aliases. You can then use an alias to retrieve each secret from the keystore.

To configure the keystore, use the Java keytool -importpass command at the command line. In the following examples, we have used a file type of PKCS12. You can also use JCEKS.

For details about the command syntax and how the keystore works, see Adding Data to a Keystore.


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When you run the keytool -importpass command, it always prompts for a "password". This is because the keytool does not distinguish between the secrets that it stores. At the prompt, enter the actual value you want to store securely.

Create the keystore and add the pepperkey

  1. Run the -importpass command, specifying pepperkey; see examples.
  2. When prompted, enter the password you want to set for the keystore file, then re-enter to confirm it.
    Keep a secure record of this password.
  3. When prompted for the password or secret to be stored, enter the string you want to use as a pepper key. 
Expand
titleExpand Windows Example

Command Line:

Code Block
"%JAVA_HOME%\bin\keytool" -importpass -alias pepperkey -keystore C:\secure\hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12

Powershell:

Code Block
&"$env:JAVA_HOME\bin\keytool.exe" -importpass -alias pepperkey -keystore C:\secure\hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12



Expand
titleExpand Linux Example


Code Block
$JAVA_HOME/bin/keytool -importpass -alias pepperkey -keystore /opt/secure/hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12



Tip

If you enter a different alias than pepperkey, remember to update phixflow-instance.xml so that it has the same alias.

Add Database Credentials

Step 1  Add the database username

1.1 Run the -importpass command, specifying the alias username for the PhixFlow database, for example phixflow-database-user.

1.2 When prompted, enter the keystore password.

1.3 When prompted for the password or secret to be stored, enter the actual username for the PhixFlow database, for example phixflow. 

Expand
titleExpand Windows Example

Command Line:

Code Block
"%JAVA_HOME%\bin\keytool" -importpass -alias phixflow-database-user -keystore C:\secure\hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12

Powershell:

Code Block
&"$env:JAVA_HOME\bin\keytool.exe" -importpass -alias phixflow-database-user -keystore C:\secure\hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12



Expand
titleExpand Linux Example


Code Block
$JAVA_HOME/bin/keytool -importpass -alias phixflow-database-user -keystore /opt/secure/hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12


Step 2  Add the database password and alias to the keystore file

2.1.  Run the -importpass command specifying the alias password for the PhixFlow database, for example phixflow-database-password.

2.2  When prompted, enter the keystore password.

2.3 When prompted for the password or secret to be stored, enter the actual password for the PhixFlow database.


Expand
titleExpand Windows Example


Code Block
"%JAVA_HOME%\bin\keytool" -importpass -alias phixflow-database-password -keystore C:\secure\hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12


Code Block
&"$env:JAVA_HOME\bin\keytool.exe" -importpass -alias phixflow-database-password -keystore C:\secure\hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12



Expand
titleExpand Linux Example


Code Block
$JAVA_HOME/bin/keytool -importpass -alias phixflow-database-password -keystore C:\secure\hidden.jks -storetype PKCS12


Step 3  Configure phixflow-datasource.xml

Edit phixflow-datasource.xml to add the aliases for the PhixFlow database username and password. For example:

Code Block
<property name="username">
	<value>phixflow-database-user</value>
</property>
<property name="password">
	<value>phixflow-database-password</value>
</property>

Step 4  Set the Environment Variable

Note

We recommend that you use an environment variable for the keystore password, as it provides additional security.
If you do not set an environment variable, you must include the keystore password in phixflow-secret.xml.

Create an environment variable with the form <variable-name>: <keystore-password>


In WindowsIn Linux
<variable-name>

In Windows:  In the environment variable, specify any variable name you choose.

Use the EnvironmentFile directive in the systemd service definition.
Ensure that only root can read/write EnvironmentFile.

For information about how to set environment variables in Linux, see:

<keystore-password>

Specify the password for the keystore.


Warning

Never add the keystore password to the profile for the Tomcat user.

Step 5  Configure phixflow-secret.xml

Copy phixflow-secret.xml.example to phixflow-secret.xml and edit it to set the values as follows:

Required?PropertyValueExample
RequiredkeystoreTypeThe type of the keystore, either PKCS12 or JCEKS

<!-- keystore type (PKCS12 or JCEKS) -->
<property name="keystoreType">
   <value>PKCS12</value>
</property>

RequiredkeystoreFile

The path to the keystore.

<!-- keystore filepath  -->
<property name="keystoreFile">
   <value>/opt/secure/hidden.jks</value>
</property>

Either
(recommended)		keystorePassEnvironmentVariable

The name of the environment variable.

Use <!-- and --> to comment out the keystorePass property.

<!-- keystore password -->
<property name="keystorePassEnvironmentVariable">    <value>KEY_PASS</value>
</property>

OrkeystorePass

The password for the keystore.

Use <!-- and --> to comment out the keystorePassEnvironmentVariable property.

<!-- keystore password -->
<property name="keystorePass">
   <value>storepw</value>
</property>


Warning

On startup, PhixFlow checks that there is one password mechanism, either  either keystorePassEnvironmentVariable or keystorePass. Do not specify both as this will prevent PhixFlow from running.

See
Adding Data to a Keystore Which includes understanding