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| -rw-r--r-- | doc/README | 34 |
1 files changed, 22 insertions, 12 deletions
@@ -154,17 +154,27 @@ http://code.bitlbee.org/ A NOTE ON ENCRYPTION ==================== -BitlBee stores the accounts and settings (not your contact list though) in -some sort of encrypted/obfuscated format. - -*** THIS IS NOT A SAFE FORMAT! *** - -You should still make sure the rights to the configuration directory and -files are set so that only root and the BitlBee user can read/write them. - -This format is not to prevent malicicous users from running with your -passwords, but to prevent accidental glimpses of the administrators to cause -any harm. You have no choice but to trust root though. +There used to be a note here about the simple obfuscation method used to +make the passwords in the configuration files unreadable. However, BitlBee +now uses a better format (and real encryption (salted MD5 and RC4)) to store +the passwords. This means that people who somehow get their hands on your +configuration files can't easily extract your passwords from them anymore. + +However, once you log into the BitlBee server and send your password, an +intruder with tcpdump can still read your passwords. This can't really be +avoided, of course. The new format is a lot more reliable (because it can't +be cracked with just very basic crypto analysis anymore), but you still have +to be careful. The main extra protection offered by the new format is that +the files can only be cracked with some help from the user (by sending the +password at login time). + +So if you run a public server, it's most important that you don't give root +access to people who like to play with tcpdump. Also, it's a good idea to +delete all *.nicks/*.accounts files as soon as BitlBee converted them to the +new format (which happens as soon as the user logs in, it can't be done +automatically because it needs the password for that account). You won't +need them anymore (unless you want to switch back to an older BitlBee +version) and they only make it easier for others to crack your passwords. LEGAL @@ -191,5 +201,5 @@ also licensed under the GPL. BitlBee - An IRC to other chat networks gateway <http://www.bitlbee.org/> - Copyright (C) 2002-2005 Wilmer van der Gaast <wilmer@gaast.net> + Copyright (C) 2002-2006 Wilmer van der Gaast <wilmer@gaast.net> and others |