[asterisk-users] How to secure Configuration files

[Hans Witvliet]

On Wed, 2010-07-07 at 12:12 +0600, ABBAS SHAKEEL wrote:
> Thanks to Gordon and Paul for kind help.
> 
> 
> Actually we have a limitation to place the Asterisk server in client
> premises if the server is in there premises then this means they have
> full control over it.  
> 
> 
> harddisk encryption seems a good option but no automated boot is big
> issue :(
> 
> 
> Is there some thing possible like that ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 5:21 PM, Gordon Henderson <gordon
> +asterisk at drogon.net> wrote:
>         
>         On Tue, 6 Jul 2010, ABBAS SHAKEEL wrote:
>         
>         > Hello Community,
>         >
>         > I have a question , I have been working with asterisk and
>         developed some
>         > successful applications. I am facing an issue of security
>         i.e.  We deploy
>         > servers to client end. Now i dont want the client to see my
>         configuration
>         > files (Of course copy and distribute or replicate the logic
>         with out
>         > permission).
>         >
>         > Now the configuration files are stored in /etc/asterisk/*
>          (Of course we can
>         > specify a different location but at end we specify this in a
>         configuration
>         > file).
>         >
>         > Is there a way that the configuration files get encrypted or
>         some thing else
>         > so that some one who have system access can not copy the
>         configuration files
>         > data or look into that files.
>         
>         
>         The simple answer is that you can't prevent anyone copying it
>         if they have
>         physical access.
>         
>         All you can do is make it hard.
>         
>         If you wanted to encrypt them, you'd need to alter asterisk.
>         
>         You could use something like trucrypt, or another whole disk
>         encryption
>         technology, but that'll require someone typing in a password
>         at boot time
>         making unattended reboots impossible.
>         
>         Another way which I have seen is to do away with the dialplan
>         entirely and
>         do it all in a single big compiled AGI C program. (Ok, you
>         have minimal
>         dialplan to pump everything into it, but...) and don't
>         distribute the
>         source to the C program...
>         
>         You need to work out just what it's worth to you if someone
>         does copy it.
>         Realistically, what's your target audience? Are your clients
>         the sort of
>         people likely to copy and and sell it on? For most businesses,
>         I'd guess
>         not.
>         
>         Gordon

Before you embark on this way....
Any disk encryption is of no use as long as it remains de-crypted while
the server is running...
It only protects you against snooping eyes incaes your hardware is
stolen (most likely: laptops, usb-media)

If you want to be 100% sure against unautorized access to your data, you
might want to use two factor authentication. But the fact that you have
to use a smartcard/token AND a passphrase implies that you can not
restart your machine/asterisk without being physically there.
[I mean, you might be creating your own denial of service]

If you just want to protect your asterisk-machine against prying eyes, i
would suggest to put all of your config (sip, iax, dialplan) into a
database (on a other machine ofcourse) and use an encrypted connection
(636, ldaps) to access it. It will protect to against data-theft if your
machine is stolen, But that person might still be able to access the
asterisk console _before he nicks the system_  and do a "sip show peers"
and obtain your info in that way....

So you better consider what you want to protect, against who, and at
what acceptable costs....

Security is a tricky business. It's easy to spend vast amount of time
and money and not getting any additional security ;-)

hw