←back to thread

Qubes OS: A reasonably secure operating system

(www.qubes-os.org)
441 points ploggingdev | 3 comments | 19 Nov 17 16:06 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
qrbLPHiKpiux ◴[19 Nov 17 18:54 UTC] No.15735260[source]▶
Fun fact. The developer does not believe in using a password on her private keys.
replies(1): >>15735272 #
trizinix ◴[19 Nov 17 18:57 UTC] No.15735272[source]▶
If you have your keys on an air gapped computer with an encrypted hard-disk, I don't see the need to use an additional password on the private keys.
replies(3): >>15735321 #>>15735444 #>>15735846 #
1. hateduser2 ◴[19 Nov 17 19:26 UTC] No.15735444[source]▶
If they somehow break the encryption on your hard disk it’s just more security.. isn’t that what security’s all about? Getting the most safety you can get? What need is there to have an encrypted hard drive if your computer is air gapped? It’s just a better safer idea, no?
replies(2): >>15735563 #>>15735675 #
2. hyperfekt ◴[19 Nov 17 19:49 UTC] No.15735563[source]▶
The assumption is that the encryption can only be broken via an evil-maid attack.

If you are victim of such an attack, the encryption of the file is broken as well.

3. avar ◴[19 Nov 17 20:10 UTC] No.15735675[source]▶
Security is not about getting the most safety you can get. Otherwise why stop there? You could store the password protected private key itself as an encrypted file on the encrypted disk, and add one more layer, or double-encrypt it and add yet another layer etc.