How do you manage your encryption keys?

I'm in desparate need of setting up borgmatic for borg backup. I would like to encrypt my backups. (I suppose, an unencrypted backup is better than none in my case, so I should get it done today regardless.)

How do I save those keys? Is there a directory structure I follow? Do you backup the keys as well? Are there keys that I need to write down by hand? Should I use a cloud service like bitwarden secrets manager? Could I host something?

Im ignorant on this matter. The most I've done is add ssh keys to git forges and use ssh-copyid. But I've always been able to access what I need to without keeping those (I login to the web interface.) Can you share with me best practices or what you do to manage non-password secrets?

tootnbuns ,

I just encrypt the whole backup drive and sync the files to that drive.

RegalPotoo ,
@RegalPotoo@lemmy.world avatar

For anything that is related to my backup scheme, it's printed out hard copy, put in an envelope in a fire safe in my house. I can tell you from experience there is nothing more stressful than "oh fuck I need my backups but the key to unlock the backups is in the backups fuck fuck fuck".

And for future reference, anyone thinking about breaking into my house to get access to my backups just DM me, I'm sure we can come to an arrangement that's less hassle for both of us

Lem453 ,

Bitwarden let's you upload files (key files) and save all you passwords.

EncryptKeeper ,

Password manager. Many allow you to attach a file to a set of credentials

krdo ,
@krdo@programming.dev avatar

Yes, you should have backups. You can use something like KeePass to store them I suppose. I personally just use the file system on a secure server.

fullstackhipster ,

There are many ways to go about this. Files like those keyfiles and encryption headers are extra sensitive because (a) they potentially provide access to everything and (b) losing them can block access to everything. Personally, I keep those types of files unencrypted in a directory that stays 100% offline (encrypted backups to external disks only). But there's no reason not to back those files up to an encrypted online repository (where you trust the encryption). Just make sure that's not your only backup of those files for obvious reasons.

A good practice to avoid painting yourself in a corner is to test your backups: Switch off your PC / server, put your mobile devices in a drawer (pretend they're gone), borrow / wipe a cheap laptop. How do you access your backup files using just that laptop?

Dave ,
@Dave@lemmy.nz avatar

But if your encryption keys to your offsite backup are on-site only, doesn't that make your offsite backup worthless in the case where "offsite" is important?

If your house burns down, you don't have your encryption keys to your only backup.

fullstackhipster ,

Good catch... and that's why I keep up-to-date encrypted offline backups in two locations (home and office) always. That should be enough really, but I've been thinking about swapping one of those drives with a third backup at one of my relatives' house from time to time, just to make irrecoverable failure even less likely.

Dave ,
@Dave@lemmy.nz avatar

So you keep an encrypted backup at work with the decryption key at home, and an encrypted backup at home with the decryption key at work?

hendrik ,

I add such stuff to my password manager. It supports files. But not all password managers do. I have a category for admin stuff where I also save passwords to servers, database credentials, service logins and the exported LUKS keys of the harddrives. I'd add backup keys there, too, but I currently keep them unencrypted on an encrypted harddisk.

CloseSymbol ,

Also using my password manager, keepass2 in my case (synced over webdav). A password manager should provide plenty of options to structurize. Password database is a part of scheduled backups, and always present on multiple synced devices, so a total loss is hardly imaginable.

As SSH keys were also touched as a topic in the OP, I just wanted to add I just found that there seems to be an addon for keepass that makes handling those even easier: https://lechnology.com/software/keeagent/ (haven't tried that yet).

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