comotion/cpm

Unable to specify encryption key

Closed this issue · 3 comments

Deleted user commented

I'm trying cpm for the first time on Debian 7:

$ cat /etc/debian_version 
7.3
$ cpm --version
cpm 0.26 (64 bit)
CDK version 5.0 (20060507).
GpgME version 1.2.0 (rcpt).
ncursesw version 5.9 (20110404).
XML2 version 2.7.8.
zlib version 1.2.3.4.
cracklib is enabled.
Written by Harry Brueckner <harry_b@mm.st> 2005-2009.
Maintained by Kacper Wysocki <kwy@redpill-linpro.com> 2010.

I suppose that the first message tells me about non-encrypted swap:

$ cpm
Running without root privileges:                  yes
Memory protection from core dumps:                yes
Memory protection from swap writings:             no
Max. memory lock ok:                              no (64 kB)
Memory protection from ptrace spying:             yes
Validation of environment variables:              yes
Cracklib dictionary (/var/cache/cracklib/cracklib_dict):yes

Maximum security level not reached. Are you sure you want to continue?
Press CTRL+C to stop now or ENTER to continue.

Then I type ENTER and get a file error:

error 2 (No such file or directory) opening file '/home/vagrant/.cpmdb'.

Then I type OK and C^K to add a key, however the list is empty.

I don't understand because I created a key as described in this procedure and it doesn't appear in the list.

$ gpg --edit-key harry
gpg (GnuPG) 1.4.12; Copyright (C) 2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Secret key is available.

pub  2048R/1D9BD7D9  created: 2014-02-06  expires: 2015-02-06  usage: SC  
                     trust: ultimate      validity: ultimate
sub  2048R/2295B1F4  created: 2014-02-06  expires: 2015-02-06  usage: E   
[ultimate] (1). Harry Potter <harry.potter@hogwarts.edu>

gpg>

I can't save the database because I'm unable to specify an encryption key. Any idea to fix this issue?

comotion commented

Hi. The first message tells you that the memlock limit is too low on your system:

https://github.com/comotion/cpm/wiki#wiki-memlock-limits

Raising the memlock limit increases the security of your password database.

The second message means there is no existing password database. A new one will be created.

Your last issue pertains to adding a key. Hit C^K and the list of added keys will appear, and since your database is new, the list is empty. Hit C^A and write 'harry' to add your key, then ESC and ESC again, then save your database. You now have an encrypted cpm database.

Deleted user commented

When I read the message "Maximum security level not reached", it was not clear to me that I would not be able to save the database. I thought it would just be working with less security.

I've updated /etc/security/limits.conf as you suggested and now it works, thank you !

comotion commented

It is possible to save the database by ignoring the security warning - but you were right originally, you could not save when there was no encryption key added.
The messages are not very intuitive, and thanks to your ticket I have improved the documentation and messages for the next release.