Setting up Local Encryption Keys

Use dsetool createsystemkey to generate local encryption/decryption key files.

To change an encryption key, see Rekeying existing data.

Setting up local encryption keys for production environments

After installing DSE, create a local encryption key file, distribute it to the same location on all nodes in the cluster, and update the system_key_directory and config_encryption_key_name properties in dse.yaml. The location of the dse.yaml file depends on the type of installation:

  • Package installations: /etc/dse/dse.yaml

  • Tarball installations: <installation_location>/resources/dse/conf/dse.yaml

    1. To ensure support for all encryption algorithms, enable JCE.

      Starting in JDK 8u161, JCE Unlimited is enabled by default. Refer to the Release Notes for JDK 8u161.

    2. If the directory does not exist, create the /conf directory based on your DataStax Enterprise (DSE) installation type:

  • Package installation: /etc/dse/conf

  • Tarball installation: <installation_location>/resources/dse/conf

    1. Configure the file name and the location of the encryption key in the dse.yaml file:

      1. Set system_key_directory property to the path where you want to store the encryption keys:

        system_key_directory: /etc/dse/conf

      2. Change the directory owner to the DSE account and ensure that the DSE account has read/write permissions.

      3. Set the config_encryption_key_name to the expected key name. Encryption key files can have any valid Unix name. The default name is system_key.

        config_encryption_key_name: system_key

    2. Go to the system_key_directory:

      cd /etc/dse/conf

    3. Create an encryption key using the dsetool createsystemkey command:

      dsetool createsystemkey 'AES/ECB/PKCS5Padding' 128 KEY_NAME

      Replace KEY_NAME with the name of the key file to create, as set in the dse.yaml file. If no file name is specified, the key file is named system_key.

      cipher_algorithm[/mode/padding]

      DSE supports the following JCE cipher algorithms and corresponding length:

      • AES/CBC/PKCS5Padding: Valid with length 128, 192, or 256. The default is AES/CBC/PKCS5Padding with length 128.

      • AES/ECB/PKCS5Padding: Valid with length 128, 192, or 256.

      • DES/CBC/PKCS5Padding: Valid with length 56.

      • DESede/CBC/PKCS5Padding: Valid with length 112 or 168.

      • Blowfish/CBC/PKCS5Padding: Valid with length 32-448.

      • RC2/CBC/PKCS5Padding: Valid with length 40-128.

      If config_encryption_active is set to true in dse.yaml, a warning is generated, but the system key still successfully generates.

    4. Copy the key file to all other nodes in the cluster. On all nodes, put keys in the same directory (path and name).

    5. Update the system_key_directory and config_encryption_key_name in dse.yaml.

      dsetool reads current values from the dse.yaml. A restart is not required in order to continue setting up encryption.

    6. Ensure that the DSE account owns the key files and has read/write access on them. If necessary, change the ownership of the file to the DSE user.

      chown cassandra /etc/dse/conf/system_key

Setting up local encryption keys to embed in installation package for development environments

You can create a local encryption or decryption key file that can be embedded in a distribution (tarball). In development environments this distribution package can then be used by other users. This strategy is especially helpful when using scripts with IT automation tools such as Ansible.

The current user must have write permission to the directory where you want to generate the key files.

  1. Specify the key file output directory when you create the encryption key with the dsetool createsystemkey command:

    For example:

    dsetool createsystemkey 'AES/ECB/PKCS5Padding' 128 -d /home/jane/keys

    Result: A key file /home/jane/keys/system_key is created.

  2. In the distribution tarball, create a directory for the system key file. Use the default location (/etc/dse/conf) or add a new location.

  3. Locate the dse.yaml configuration file. The location of this file depends on the type of installation:

    • Package installations: /etc/dse/dse.yaml

    • Tarball installations: <installation_location>/resources/dse/conf/dse.yaml

  4. If you used a new location, then update the system_key_directory property in dse.yaml as appropriate.

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