mirror of
https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation.git
synced 2024-12-27 08:29:33 -05:00
42 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
42 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
|
# Key derivation
|
||
|
|
||
|
To derive disk-encryption keys and other secret material in a Constellation Kubernetes cluster, we use [HKDF](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc5869).
|
||
|
|
||
|
To derive a key, HKDF depends on four parameters: *input keying material (IKM)*, *salt*, *info*, and a hash function.
|
||
|
The parameters *salt* and *info* are optional.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Key derivation is performed in two steps:
|
||
|
|
||
|
1. [Extract](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc5869#section-2.2)
|
||
|
|
||
|
A pseudorandom key is generated from the secret *IKM* and an optional independent *salt*.
|
||
|
|
||
|
2. [Expand](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc5869#section-2.3)
|
||
|
|
||
|
The pseudorandom key generated by the extract phase is used to derive keys.
|
||
|
Using the optional *info* parameter multiple different keys can be created from the key created in the extract phase.
|
||
|
|
||
|
## Hash
|
||
|
|
||
|
We use SHA-256 as the hash function.
|
||
|
|
||
|
## Initial Key Material
|
||
|
|
||
|
Constellation's master secret is used as *IKM* for HKDF.
|
||
|
The master secret is either provided by the admin, or a randomly generated 32 byte value.
|
||
|
It is supplied to the cluster during `constellation init` and in the following used by [Constellation's KMS](../kms/) and managed by Kubernetes as a [secret](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/secret/).
|
||
|
|
||
|
## Salt
|
||
|
|
||
|
To salt the extract phase of HKDF, Constellation uses a randomly generated 32 Byte value during `constellation init`.
|
||
|
The *salt* is returned to the user for data recovery, and kept in the cluster as a Kubernetes secret.
|
||
|
|
||
|
## Info
|
||
|
|
||
|
The *info* field is used to add context-specific information to a derived key.
|
||
|
This allows using the same *IKM* to derive multiple different keys.
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Disk-encryption key
|
||
|
|
||
|
For disk-encryption keys, *info* is set to the string `key-` appended with the lower-case LUKS2 UUID of the disk.
|