Subject: [ntpwg] Autokey-related Questions

From: Helen.Y.Chen at motorola.com (Chen Helen-A12587)
Date: Fri, 25 May 2007 17:35:16 -0400

Hi,

I have some questions related to the Autokey protocol and configuration:

1) What exactly does "crypto pw clientpassword" in the autokey
configuration procedure do (mentioned in
http://ntp.isc.org/bin/view/Support/ConfiguringAutokey#Section_6.7.1.2
<http://ntp.isc.org/bin/view/Support/ConfiguringAutokey> .)? Does it
create (and encrypt) a new client password for the purpose of storing it
in ntp.conf for the autokey protocol? When is this password used? I
noticed that when generating the host parameters, a password is passed
to the utility, instead of getting it from ntp.conf.

2) When the server (manually) FTPs the leapseconds table from NIST NTP
server or wherever, where must this file be stored in order for the
autokey protocol code to access it for the autokey dance (to send it to
the client)? Is the location detail documented somewhere?

3) I read somewhere on one of the NTP installation pages (I think) that
"Public key cryptography needs a key file (usually in /usr/local/etc)".
Does this just mean the key/parameter files generated by the ntp-keygen
utility must be stored at /usr/local/etc/? Is the random seed file
(.rnd) the ONLY file that needs to be created manually, besides the
exported IFF parameter file?

4) When is the following command used - crypto [cert file] [leap file]
[randfile file] [host file] [sign file] [ident scheme] [iffpar file]
[gqpar file] [mvpar file] [pw password]? I am confused because it's not
mentioned in the autokey configuration procedure but it's mentioned in
http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/html/authopt.html
<http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/html/authopt.html> . Is it just
used when we feel the need to encrypt certain files for storage? When a
file is encrypted, will the autokey software automatically decrypt the
file?

5) When the server extracts the IFF parameters for export to the
clients, what is the security impact of (1) using the same password for
all the clients in the Trust Group, and of (2) using no client password?

Thanks,

Helen

 
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From: mills at udel.edu (David L. Mills)
Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 03:41:46 +0000

Helen,

You cite documents at ntp.isc.org. Those documents were not written by 
me and I have not read them. The only documents I personally swear by 
come directly from ntp.org or the NTP project page 
www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp.html.

1. Cryptographic media produced by the ntp-keygen program can optionally 
be encripted with a password. This password must match the crypto pw 
password in the configuration file. For this purpose, the configuration 
file would ordinatily be restricted to root.

2. The leapsecond file is expected in the same directory as the crypto keys.

3. The crypto keys file normally defaults to /usr/local/etc, but this 
can be changed with a configuration command.

4. See 1. The file subcommands on the crypto configuration line are for 
special cases and personal preference. The .rnd file is normally in the 
root directory when the program is run as a daemon. The issues where to 
put this file are determined by OpenSSL conventions.

5. The password used to encrypt the identity file is ordinarily provided 
by the user to an encrypted web page.

Dave

Chen Helen-A12587 wrote:

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> ntpwg mailing list
> ntpwg at lists.ntp.isc.org
> https://lists.ntp.isc.org/mailman/listinfo/ntpwg

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From: Helen.Y.Chen at motorola.com (Chen Helen-A12587)
Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 16:44:13 -0400

Dave,

Thanks. I don't quite understand the connection between your response to
(5) and my question (5). Would you mind helping me understand what the
impact is of the server using the same password for all the clients in
the Trust Group when the server extracts the IFF group keys? What is the
impact of using no password when the server extracts the IFF group keys?

Helen

-----Original Message-----
From: ntpwg-bounces+helen.y.chen=motorola.com at lists.ntp.isc.org
[mailto:ntpwg-bounces+helen.y.chen=motorola.com at lists.ntp.isc.org] On
Behalf Of David L. Mills
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2007 10:42 PM
Cc: ntpwg at ntp.isc.org
Subject: Re: [ntpwg] Autokey-related Questions

Helen,

2. The leapsecond file is expected in the same directory as the crypto
keys.

Dave

Chen Helen-A12587 wrote:

> create (and encrypt) a new client password for the purpose of storing 
> it in ntp.conf for the autokey protocol? When is this password used? I

> autokey protocol code to access it for the autokey dance (to send it 
> to the client)? Is the location detail documented somewhere?
>
> 3) I read somewhere on one of the NTP installation pages (I think) 
> that "Public key cryptography needs a key file (usually in
/usr/local/etc)".
> Does this just mean the key/parameter files generated by the 
> ntp-keygen utility must be stored at /usr/local/etc/? Is the random 
> seed file

> [gqpar file] [mvpar file] [pw password]? I am confused because it's 
> not mentioned in the autokey configuration procedure but it's 
> mentioned in http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/html/authopt.html
> used when we feel the need to encrypt certain files for storage? When 
> a file is encrypted, will the autokey software automatically decrypt 
> the file?
>
> clients, what is the security impact of (1) using the same password 
> for all the clients in the Trust Group, and of (2) using no client
password?

---

From: mills at udel.edu (David L. Mills)
Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:13:59 +0000

Helen,

The secret password used to encrypt the private keys and group key is 
selected by each client separately. The trusted host encrypts the group 
key with the password supplied by the client. Each client can use a 
different password.

The procedures work just as well if no password is used, but that would 
not be a good idea except for testing.

Perhaps the most useful way to clarify these issues is to read the 
autokey ditections at the ISC wiki site.

Dave

Chen Helen-A12587 wrote:

>> I have some questions related to the Autokey protocol and
>
> configuration:
>

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