sun
   microsystems              Systems Architecture Committee

_________________________________________________________________

Subject:       ZFS Encrypted Datasets

Submitted by:  Darren Moffat

File:          PSARC/2007/261/opinion.ms

Date:          February 6, 2008

Committee:     Darren Moffat  (opinion  written  by  Garrett
               D'Amore), Kais Belgaied, Mark Carlson, Joseph
               Kowalski, Glenn Skinner.

Product Approval Committee:

               Solaris PAC
               solaris-pac-opinion@sun.com

1.  Summary

ZFS Encrypted Datasets is a project to provide cryptographic
security  to  ZFS datasets.  Specifically, it is intended to
protect against theft of physical storage, man-in-the-middle
attacks  on  the  SAN,  and to provide dataset level secured
deletion.  Data is encrypted at the data set level, allowing
a  mix  of  encrypted  and  unencrypted data in the same ZFS
storage pool.   The  ZFS  command-line  and  graphical  user
interfaces will be updated accordingly.

2.  Decision & Precedence Information

The project is approved as specified in reference [1].

The project may be delivered in a patch release  of  the  ON
consolidation.

The project depends on the following other project  and  may
not be delivered before it.

     PSARC/2007/266
          AES CCM for kernel crypto framework

3.  Interfaces

PSARC/2007/261               Copyright 2008 Sun Microsystems

                           - 2 -

The project exports the following interfaces.

_______________________________________________________________
|                     Interfaces Exported                     |
|__________|________________|_________________________________|
|Interface |  Classification|  Comments                       |
|__________|________________|_________________________________|
|encryption|  Committed     |  Dataset property               |
|sha256+ccm|  Committed     |  Dataset checksum property value|
|keyscope  |  Committed     |  Dataset property               |
|keysource |  Committed     |  Dataset/pool property          |
|keystatus |  Committed     |  Dataset/pool property          |
|zfs key   |  Committed     |  ZFS dataset key command        |
|zpool key |  Committed     |  ZFS pool key command           |
|__________|________________|_________________________________|

The project imports the following interfaces.

_________________________________________________________________________
|                          Interfaces Imported                          |
|______________________________|_______________________|________________|
|Interface                     |  Classification       |  Comments      |
|______________________________|_______________________|________________|
|Kernel Cryptographic subsystem|  Consolidation Private|  PSARC 2001/533|
|                              |                       |                |
|______________________________|_______________________|________________|

4.  Opinion

4.1.  Encrypted swap.

The project team noted that encryption of a dataset used for
swap was possible, but suffers from several security limita-
tions which prevent it from being fully secure.  The project
team  recommended  that  a  project be funded to investigate
resolving these limitations, involving both the memory  sub-
system and the security teams.

4.2.  Documentation of key compromise

During discussion, it was noted that documentation  covering
policy  and  procedures for handling of various forms of key
compromise was required.  The project team indicated that it
plans  to  update  the  System Administration guide to cover
this, but one member noted that it  would  be  desirable  to
include  at least a reference to the guide in the zfs and/or
zpool manual pages.

5.  Minority Opinion(s)

None.

PSARC/2007/261               Copyright 2008 Sun Microsystems

                           - 3 -

6.  Advisory Information

A project to investigate properly securing swap using  cryp-
tography  should  be funded, involving both the security and
virtual memory teams.

7.  Appendices

7.1.  Appendix A: Technical Changes Required

None.

7.2.  Appendix B: Technical Changes Advised

None.

7.3.  Appendix C: Reference Material

Unless stated otherwise, path names are relative to the case
directory PSARC/2007/261.

1.   One pager
     File: 20070509_darren.moffat

2.   Design document
     File: commitment.materials/zfs-crypto-design.pdf

3.   Updated zfs manual page
     File: commitment.materials/zfs.1m

4.   Updated zpool manual page
     File: commitment.materials/zpool.1m

5.   Command line examples
     File: commitment.materials/cli-examples.txt

6.   Notes from commitment review
     File: 20080206.2007.261.commitment

7.   OpenSolaris Project web page
     URL: http://opensolaris.org/os/project/zfs-crypto/

PSARC/2007/261               Copyright 2008 Sun Microsystems