"Unencrypted private keys are insecure" message is vague and unhelpful
Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
network-manager-applet (Ubuntu) |
Confirmed
|
Undecided
|
Unassigned |
Bug Description
Steps to reproduce:
1. Set up a wireless connection with WPA security and an unencrypted private key.
2. Make sure Network Manager will connect as soon as the wireless network is available.
2. Reboot the computer.
What happens:
Network manager will connect to the network during boot. If it completes before login, you are presented with the following message:
> Unencrypted private keys are insecure
> The selected private key does not appear to be protected by a password. This could allow your security credentials to be compromised. Please select a password-protected private key.
>
> (You can password-protect your private key with openssl)
This message is really uninformative and unhelpful for many reasons:
* It does not tell me which program/key is the problem. Initially I though that the problem had to do with one of my SSH keys. I had to grep the message in /usr/bin in order to understand who was showing it.
* It does not tell why exactly unencrypted keys are insecure. In fact, someone might say they aren't.
* It does not tell how to encrypt them. "You can password-protect your private key with openssl" does not mean anything, even to a person who knows what OpenSSL is.
TL;DR: you are warned about a problem which does not exist, without being told what it is and how to solve it.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: network-
ProcVersionSign
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-31-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Wed Jul 9 10:51:28 2014
IfupdownConfig:
# interfaces(5) file used by ifup(8) and ifdown(8)
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-23 (258 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Release amd64 (20131016.1)
IpRoute:
default via 10.169.169.254 dev wlan0 proto static
10.0.3.0/24 dev lxcbr0 proto kernel scope link src 10.0.3.1
10.169.169.0/24 dev wlan0 proto kernel scope link src 10.169.169.100 metric 9
192.168.122.0/24 dev virbr0 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.122.1
NetworkManager.
[main]
NetworkingEnab
WirelessEnable
WWANEnabled=true
WimaxEnabled=true
SourcePackage: network-
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-03-25 (105 days ago)
nmcli-dev:
DEVICE TYPE STATE DBUS-PATH
eth0 802-3-ethernet unavailable /org/freedeskto
wlan0 802-11-wireless connected /org/freedeskto
nmcli-nm:
RUNNING VERSION STATE NET-ENABLED WIFI-HARDWARE WIFI WWAN-HARDWARE WWAN
running 0.9.8.8 connected enabled enabled enabled enabled disabled
Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.