[jira] [Created] (NIFI-1255) Evaluate JCE cryptography with PBE and limited strength cryptography

["Andy LoPresto (JIRA)" <ji...@apache.org>]

Andy LoPresto created NIFI-1255:
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             Summary: Evaluate JCE cryptography with PBE and limited strength cryptography
                 Key: NIFI-1255
                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/NIFI-1255
             Project: Apache NiFi
          Issue Type: Bug
          Components: Core Framework
    Affects Versions: 0.4.0
            Reporter: Andy LoPresto
            Assignee: Andy LoPresto
            Priority: Critical
             Fix For: 0.5.0


As documented in NIFI-1242 and PR-140, there is an issue with the way we are providing encryption algorithms. Currently, NiFi allows the use of many AES ciphers with 128, 192, or 256 bit key size, regardless of the JCE Unlimited Strength Cryptography Policies (required for the use of AES with a key above 128 bits) installed. 

Java does enforce a key check, but it does this during cipher.init(), before the actual encryption key has been derived from the password. Instead, it validates the length of the **raw password**. It then derives a key of the correct length, regardless of the policies in place. This has been verified on systems without the JCE USC policies installed using OpenSSL AES-256-CBC. 

Default JRE:

Cipher  | Password length | Should Work | Does Work
--------|-----------------|-------------|-----------
AES-128 |   <= 16 chars   |     YES     |    YES
AES-128 |    > 16 chars   |     YES     |     NO
AES-192 |   <= 16 chars   |      NO     |    YES
AES-192 |    > 16 chars   |      NO     |     NO
AES-256 |   <= 16 chars   |      NO     |    YES
AES-256 |    > 16 chars   |      NO     |     NO

Currently (0.4.0) [~aldrin] and I created a patch which allows custom validation to determine if the combination of key size and password length will be successful if the system has limited strength cryptography. However, we should re-evaluate how we do password-based encryption (not to mention adding stronger algorithms, key-based encryption, authenticated encryption, etc.)





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