`openssl rand` for key generation? about chef-web-docs-2016 HOT 5 CLOSED

Some discussion with coworkers yields that it's not actually a proper private key in the normal sense of public key crypto but rather the key for a symmetric cipher algorithm. The docs don't make this clear, and they should probably be updated.

from chef-web-docs-2016.

So thanks for the feedback. After some internal discussion, we updated the page: http://docs.opscode.com/essentials_data_bags.html#encrypt-a-data-bag ... the openssl rand isn't meant to imply a specific/recommended approach, but rather just show one way of getting started down a path for data bag encryption. Please let me know if this update gets at the question you were asking. James

from chef-web-docs-2016.

On Mon, May 13, 2013 at 15:28:17 -0700 , jamescott wrote:

So thanks for the feedback. After some internal discussion, we updated
the page:
http://docs.opscode.com/essentials_data_bags.html#encrypt-a-data-bag ...
the openssl rand isn't meant to imply a specific/recommended
approach, but rather just show one way of getting started down a path
for data bag encryption. Please let me know if this update gets at the
question you were asking. James

Thank you for taking the time to address this! The text about using a
random number does help. I guess I was confused by the use of the term
'secret key' which to me is something specific to public key crypto.
Adding text to clarify that the key chef uses isn't a key for public key
crypto would be useful - at least to people who think like I do. :)

Again, thank you for taking the time to look into this!

from chef-web-docs-2016.

Cool. I updated that page again (building right now -- refresh in ~10 mins and the changes should be there) to use the phrase "shared secret encryption" and a link to this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetric-key_algorithm. Same as last time -- please let me know if this helps. And any other feedback you have about any of the other docs. We're working hard on getting them all to be much better, one page at a time ;) James

from chef-web-docs-2016.

On Mon, May 13, 2013 at 15:51:45 -0700 , jamescott wrote:

Cool. I updated that page again (building right now -- refresh in ~10
mins and the changes should be there) to use the phrase "shared secret
encryption" and a link to this page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetric-key_algorithm. Same as last time
-- please let me know if this helps. And any other feedback you have
about any of the other docs. We're working hard on getting them all to
be much better, one page at a time ;) James

This looks good, thanks!

Chris Nehren

from chef-web-docs-2016.