Re: [PATCH] offers users MD5, SHA-256, or SHA-512

[seth vidal <skvidal fedoraproject org>]

On Tue, 2008-02-19 at 12:36 -1000, David Cantrell wrote:
> On Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:28:29 -0500
> Bill Nottingham <notting redhat com> wrote:
> 
> > David Cantrell (dcantrell redhat com) said: 
> > > This feature was requested in the RHEL-5 product line, so it only makes
> > > sense to have it in rawhide.  In rawhide, I've modified the root
> > > password screens in the text and gtk interfaces to let the user select
> > > the password algorithm.  The default is MD5.
> > 
> > Why not default to whichever is deemed 'most secure', and have it only
> > frobbable via kickstart for paranoid^Wpower users?
> 
> I thought about that, but it seems like a reasonable setting to have in the UI.  There may be instances where a Fedora users wants to stick with an algorithm other than our default for one reason or another (I have no idea, but there's got to be a reason...copying shadow files among distributions maybe or among different operating systems, using some service that can't--for whatever reason--deal with anything but, say, SHA-256).
> 
> Also, forcing one particular choice on users seems to go against the whole choice thing in Fedora.  I don't think it's wise to take any sides on security issues, especially saying, "we default to X because it's the most secure."
> 

I think putting it only in kickstart will not annoy fedora users and it
won't be one more thing we have to explain to our users as to what the
installer is asking.

In kickstart means it can be in respins and on systems. I think that's
enough 'choice'.

-sv