Secure Your Key: Password Protection

TL;DR

Protect your secret key by encrypting it with a strong password before storing it. Use tools like OpenSSL or GPG to do this, and always keep the password separate from the encrypted key.

How to Password-Protect Your Secret Key

1. Choose a Strong Password: This is the most important step!
• At least 12 characters long (longer is better).
• A mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Not something easily guessable – avoid birthdays, names, or common words.
• Use a password manager to generate and store it securely.
2. Encryption with OpenSSL: OpenSSL is a powerful command-line tool for encryption.

   openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -salt -in your_secret_key.txt -out encrypted_key.enc

   • This will prompt you for an encryption password (your strong password).
   • It creates a file called encrypted_key.enc containing the encrypted key.
   • The -aes-256-cbc option uses AES encryption with a 256-bit key, which is very secure.
   • The -salt option adds a random salt to make brute-force attacks harder.
3. Encryption with GPG: GPG (GNU Privacy Guard) is another good option.

   gpg -c --cipher-algo AES256 your_secret_key.txt

   • This will prompt you for a passphrase (your strong password).
   • It creates a file called your_secret_key.txt.gpg containing the encrypted key.
   • AES256 is a strong encryption algorithm.
4. Decryption with OpenSSL: To use the key, you need to decrypt it.

   openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -d -salt -in encrypted_key.enc -out decrypted_key.txt

   • This will prompt you for the encryption password you used earlier.
   • It creates a file called decrypted_key.txt containing your original key. Make sure to delete this file securely after use (see step 6).
5. Decryption with GPG: To decrypt the key using GPG.

   gpg -d your_secret_key.txt.gpg > decrypted_key.txt

   • This will prompt you for the passphrase used during encryption.
   • It creates a file called decrypted_key.txt containing your original key. Make sure to delete this file securely after use (see step 6).
6. Secure Storage: Never store the password and encrypted key in the same place!
• Store the encrypted key in a secure location, like a version control system with access controls.
• Keep the password in a separate, highly secure location – ideally a password manager or a physically isolated storage device.
7. Secure Deletion: When you no longer need the decrypted key, delete it securely.
   • Simply deleting the file isn’t enough; data can often be recovered.
   • Use a secure deletion tool (like shred on Linux/macOS) to overwrite the file multiple times. For example:

     shred -u decrypted_key.txt

     .

Important Considerations

• Key Rotation: Regularly change your secret key and password (e.g., every 90 days).
• Access Control: Limit access to the encrypted key to only those who absolutely need it.
• cyber security Best Practices: Follow general cyber security guidelines for protecting sensitive data, such as keeping your systems updated and using strong authentication methods.