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Some ideas for future work

Subcommands

(In no particular order.)

Derivation schemes

  • spectre (master-password): derive passphrases according to the “Master Password” scheme as used by the Spectre app. (#2)

Other functionality

  • explore-permitted-special-characters: generate new configurations starting from a base configuration until one of them passes the “special characters” constraints.
  • rotate: generate a new configuration suitable for passphrase rotation, compatible with the base configuration’s constraints.

  • service-plugins: manage plugins that automate certain tasks, as outlined in the notes of the queried service.

    • load-ssh-key: if the service uses an SSH key, autoload the key from a well-known location into the SSH agent if it isn’t already loaded.

      vault-specific.

    • decrypt-notes: decrypt OpenPGP-encrypted notes with GnuPG or Sequoia sq.

      Open questions:

      • Use an automatic, symmetric encryption key, or rely on the standard OpenPGP key store? (Do not use the derived service passphrase for this: the quality may be arbitrarily bad due to the passphrase constaints, and the service itself could compromise that passphrase.)

    • generate-otp: if the service uses two-factor authentication and the configuration contains one-time password settings, call oathtool to obtain one or more OTPs.

      May require the decrypt-notes plugin first.

    • manage-runit-services: if the service contains runit service configuration, ensure the specified runit services are running concurrently, and stopped after signalling.

      Typical use case is a service only accessible via VPN or SSH proxy, where the VPN/proxy would run as a runit service.

      Open questions:

      • Interface with inotifywait to wait for SSH control socket?

Documentation

(Categorized as per the diataxis framework, but otherwise in no particular order.)

Tutorials

How-tos

  • How to set up derivepassphrase vault with an SSH key
  • How to choose a good service name
  • How to edit a saved derivepassphrase vault configuration correctly
  • How to deal with “supported” and “unsupported” special characters
  • How to deal with regular passphrase rotation/rollover

Reference

  • derivepassphrase-vault.json(5)

Explanation

  • Security aspects and other tradeoffs when using deterministic password generators
  • Tradeoffs between a master passphrase and a master SSH key
  • Why is vault’s --repeat option named this way if it counts occurrences, not repetitions?