NAME

       amcrypt-ossl-asym - crypt program for Amanda asymmetric data encryption using OpenSSL

SYNOPSIS

       amcrypt-ossl-asym [-d]

DESCRIPTION

       amcrypt-ossl-asym uses OpenSSL to encrypt and decrypt data. OpenSSL is available from
       www.openssl.org. OpenSSL offers a wide variety of cipher choices ( amcrypt-ossl-asym
       defaults to 256-bit AES) and can use hardware cryptographic accelerators on several
       platforms.

       amcrypt-ossl-asym will search for the OpenSSL program in the following directories:
       /bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/ssl/bin:/usr/local/ssl/bin.

GENERATING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE KEYS

       RSA keys can be generated with the standard OpenSSL commands, e.g.:
       $ cd /var/lib/amanda
       $ openssl genrsa -aes128 -out backup-privkey.pem 1024
       Generating RSA private key, 1024 bit long modulus
       [...]
       Enter pass phrase for backup-privkey.pem: ENTER YOUR PASS PHRASE
       Verifying - Enter pass phrase for backup-key.pem: ENTER YOUR PASS PHRASE

       $ openssl rsa -in backup-privkey.pem -pubout -out backup-pubkey.pem
       Enter pass phrase for backup-privkey.pem: ENTER YOUR PASS PHRASE
       Writing RSA key

       To generate a private key without a passphrase, omit the -aes128 option. See
       openssl_genrsa(1) for more key generation options.

       Note that it is always possible to generate the public key from the private key.

KEY AND PASSPHRASE MANAGEMENT

       amcrypt-ossl-asym uses the public key to encrypt data. The security of the data does not
       depend on the confidentiality of the public key. The private key is used to decrypt data,
       and must be protected. Encrypted backup data cannot be recovered without the private key.
       The private key may optionally be encrypted with a passphrase.

       While the public key must be online at all times to perorm backups, the private key and
       optional passphrase are only needed to restore data. It is recommended that the latter be
       stored offline all other times. For example, you could keep the private key on removable
       media, and copy it into place for a restore; or you could keep the private key online,
       encrypted with a passphrase that is present only for a restore.

       OpenSSL's key derivation routines use a salt to guard against dictionary attacks on the
       pass phrase; still it is important to pick a pass phrase that is hard to guess. The
       Diceware method (see www.diceware.com) can be used to create passphrases that are
       difficult to guess and easy to remember.

FILES

       /var/lib/amanda/backup-privkey.pem
           File containing the RSA private key. It should not be readable by any user other than
           the Amanda user.

       /var/lib/amanda/backup-pubkey.pem
           File containing the RSA public key.

       /var/lib/amanda/.am_passphrase
           File containing the passphrase. It should not be readable by any user other than the
           Amanda user.

SEE ALSO

       amanda(8), amanda.conf(5), openssl(1), amcrypt-ossl(8)

       The Amanda Wiki: : http://wiki.zmanda.com/

AUTHOR

       Kevin Till <kevin.till@zmanda.com>
           Zmanda, Inc. (http://www.zmanda.com)

NOTES

        1. www.openssl.org
           http://www.openssl.org/

        2. www.diceware.com
           http://www.diceware.com/