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Overview

PhixFlow uses a Java keystore

and associated secret service

for data that needs to be secure

, this includes

. When PhixFlow is installed, the keystore is created and the following are added:

  • a pepper
key
  • string used to encrypt local user
passwords
  • password
  • username and
passwords data, such as usernames and passwords are encrypted and stored here. You then use an alias or key to
  • password for the PhixFlow database
  • where external authorisation is required, usernames and passwords for: 

    • SYNTAX TBC

    The instructions for this are in the Installing PhixFlow topic: see Configure a Keystore and Aliases.

    We recommend that you also store other credentials in the keystore, such as those provided:

    You can then use an alias to retrieve the data from the keystore.

    To configure the keystore, you will use the Java keytool -importpass command at the command line.

    Keytool Syntax

    For reference, here is the full syntax and the values you will need to use. The steps below provide example commands.

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    You will need to provide PhixFlow users with the alias that they need to configure secure:

    • datasources
    • email accounts.

    Note

    This documentation assumes that each PhixFlow instance has it's own keystore.

    If you run multiple instances on the same server using a single keystore, the stored information and their aliases should be unique. Ideally the alias should indicate the instance to which it relates.

    Keytool Syntax 
    Anchor
    syntax
    syntax

    Note

    If you have follow the recommended instructions for installing Java (Install Java) the keytool program will be in your path. If you have take a different approach, you can find the keytool program under JAVA_INSTALLATION_HOME/bin.

    The keytool command syntax  to add entries is:

    Code Block
    <keytool> -importpass -alias
    <keyAlias>
    <key> -keystore
    <pathToKeystoreFile> -usernameKey <userkey> and -passwordKey <passkey>
    <file> -storetype
    <keytype>Where
    <type>

    The keytool command syntax to delete entries is:

    Is<keytool>
    Windows command prompt"%JAVA_HOME%\bin\keytool.exe"Windows PowerShell &"$env:JAVA_HOME\bin\keytool.exe"Linux  $JAVA_HOME/bin/keytool 

    <keyAlias> 

    The alias for a username or password.

    The phixflow-secret.xml configuration file refers to the <keyAlias> so that PhixFlow knows which encrypted secret to retrieve from the keystore.

    After you enter an alias, the keytool prompts you to enter the corresponding username or password. This is the actual value that the database requires to permit access.

    <pathToKeystoreFile>

    The full path to the keystore file, for example:

    • Windows - C:\secure\name.jks
    • Linux - /opt/secure/name.jks
    <keytype>Either PKCS12 or JCEKS.
    Tip

    The keytool does not differentiate between the secrets it stores so it always prompts for a "password". Sometimes you will need to enter a username and others a password. The following instructions explain which you need to enter.

    The installer sets up a keystore during installation and configures the username and password for the database. 

    If you have local users you also need to set up a Pepperkey

    Wikipedia article on Pepper Encrytption

    Adding Data to the Keystore

  • Use the -importpass command to enter a key.
  • When prompted, enter keystore's password.
    • When prompted for a "password" enter the data, usually
    Code Block
    <keytool> -delete -alias <key> -keystore <file>
    • <file> is the full path to the keystore file. The keystore file name must match the name in phixflow-instance.xml. The default name is secure.jks, for example:
      • Windows   C:\secure\secure.jks
      • Linux   /opt/secure/secure.jks
    • <type>Either PKCS12 (recommended) or JCEKS.
    • <key> is a key/alias for something you want to store. Use this to retrieve the encrypted data.

    After you enter a <key>, the keytool 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, usually a username or a password.

    Tip

    When you run a <keytool> command, the keytool prompts you to enter:

    • the keystore password.
    • a "password". This is the information you want to store associated with the alias provided in the command. This may be a username, a password or a pepper string.

    Adding Data to the Keystore

    To add data to the keystore, use the Java keytool -importpass line command. From a command prompt:

    1. Enter the -importpass command, specifying an alias (key).
    2. When the keytool prompts, enter the keystore's password.
    3. When the keytool prompts again for a "password", enter the string you want to store, usually a user name or password. 


    To add a username and password to the keystore, you need to run the command twice. For example

    ,

    :

    The
    • a keystore is called
    secret
    • secure.jks
    ... what's our default called ...The keystore password  is secretpass
    • its password is keypass
    • The datasource instance details you want to store are:
      • username sqluser, wth the key db1
      • password x34!2axf with the key db1pass

    Windows example:

    Expand
    titleClick to expand Windows example


    Code Block
    "%JAVA_HOME%\bin\
    keytool
    "
     -importpass -alias db1 -keystore C:\secure\
    secret
    secure.jks -storetype PKCS12
    secretpass
    keypass
sqluser
    "%JAVA_HOME%\bin\
    keytool
    "
     -importpass -alias db1pass -keystore C:\secure\
    secret
    secure.jks -storetype PKCS12
    secretpass
    keypass
x34!2axf



    Expand
    titleClick here to expand Linux example


    Code Block
    $JAVA_HOME/bin/
    keytool -importpass -alias db1 -keystore /opt/secure/
    secret
    secure.jks -storetype PKCS12
    secretpass
    keypass
sqluser
    $JAVA_HOME/bin/
    keytool -importpass -alias db1pass -keystore /opt/secure/
    secret
    secure.jks -storetype PKCS12
    secretpass
    keypass
x34!2axf


    Changing Keystore Entries

    It is not possible to change a username or password when it is in the keystore. Instead, you have to:

    • delete the entry using the keytool -delete command; see Keystore Syntax, above.
    • add a different username or password using the keytool -importpass command, using the same alias.

    For the commands, see Keystore Syntax, above.

    Tip

    If you change an alias, remember to update any configuration files that use the alias.

    Keystores for Multiple Instances

    If you are running more than one PhixFlow instance, you may have a keystore for each instance. In this case, you can use the same alias in each keystore. For example, each keystore can have a "pepperKey" or "databasePassword".

    If you are using one keystore for multiple PhixFlow instances, then each instance must have a unique alias. It is good practice for the alias to clearly indicate the instance. For example if you have separate Production and Development instances you could use the aliases:

    • ProdDatabasePassword, DevDatabasePassword
    • ProdPepperKey, DevPepperKey.
      Remember to update phixflow-instance.xml to refer to the pepper alias you set in the keystore.

    Understanding How PhixFlow Uses A Keystore

    This section

    PhixFlow has a secret service wrapper that it uses to communicate with the keystore. The configuration file webapp/WEB-INF/classes/phixflow-secret.xml tells Phixflow where to find the keystore file and its password. PhixFlow periodically checks the keystore based on the retryDelay. This defaults to 10 seconds, set in milliseconds. This means PhixFlow can use updated information in the keystore without requiring a Tomcat restart.

    Example: Accessing the PhixFlow Database

    This example illustrates how PhixFlow uses a keystore to access its own database.

    When PhixFlow is running, it provides the account credentials to its database as follows:

    1. phixflow-datasource.xml stores alias credentials for the database. It requests actual credentials from phixflow-secret.xml.
    2. phixflow-secret.xml asks the keystore for the actual credentials.
      1. The keystore password is configured as an environment variable This file stores the location of the keystore file and optionally its password (2a in the diagram below).
      2. Alternatively, phixflow-secret.xml stores the location of the keystore file and optionally its password (2b in the diagram below)
    3. The keystore file returns the actual account credentials to phixflow-secret
    4. which, in turn, passes the actual credentials to phixflow-datasource.xml.
    5. phixflow-datasource.xml then uses the actual credentials to log into the database, so that PhixFlow can update it.

    This is shown in the diagram below.

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    Image Added

     How PhixFlow authenticates to its database using a keystore


    Details used in the diagram
    Keystore file namehidden.jks
    Keystore passwordstorepw
    Environment variable nameKEY_PASS
    Environment variable value
    (the keystore password)    		storepw
    PhixFlow database credentialsUsernamePassword
    Actual

    phixFlow

    		P*59word
    Alias

    phixflow-database-user

    		phixflow-database-password


    Note

    The default keystore filename set in webapp/WEB-INF/classes/phixflow-secret.xml. This configuration file manages PhixFlow authenticating to its own database.