security hardening: timing-safe auth, file permissions, password file#71
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security hardening: timing-safe auth, file permissions, password file#71
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replace `==` with `subtle::ConstantTimeEq` in all three AUTH handlers to prevent timing side-channel attacks. adds the `subtle` crate as a workspace dependency.
AOF and snapshot files may contain sensitive data. set file mode to owner-only read/write (0600) using OpenOptionsExt on unix platforms. non-unix platforms retain default behavior.
adds --requirepass-file as an alternative to --requirepass, avoiding password exposure in /proc/cmdline. the file is read at startup and trimmed of trailing whitespace. errors if both flags are set or if the file is empty/unreadable.
kacy
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Feb 11, 2026
…#71) * fix: use constant-time comparison for password authentication replace `==` with `subtle::ConstantTimeEq` in all three AUTH handlers to prevent timing side-channel attacks. adds the `subtle` crate as a workspace dependency. * fix: restrict persistence file permissions to 0600 on unix AOF and snapshot files may contain sensitive data. set file mode to owner-only read/write (0600) using OpenOptionsExt on unix platforms. non-unix platforms retain default behavior. * feat: add --requirepass-file flag for file-based password adds --requirepass-file as an alternative to --requirepass, avoiding password exposure in /proc/cmdline. the file is read at startup and trimmed of trailing whitespace. errors if both flags are set or if the file is empty/unreadable.
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summary
three targeted security fixes identified during audit:
connection_common.rs,connection.rs,concurrent_handler.rs) now usesubtle::ConstantTimeEqinstead of==, preventing timing side-channel attacks on password guessing0600(owner-only) on unix viaOpenOptionsExt, preventing other users on the system from reading potentially sensitive cached data--requirepass-fileflag — alternative to--requirepassthat reads the password from a file at startup, avoiding exposure in/proc/cmdlineand shell history. mutually exclusive with--requirepass, errors on empty or unreadable fileswhat was tested
cargo clippy --workspace -- -D warnings— cleancargo test --workspace— all tests pass, no regressions0600--requirepass-fileworks with AUTH, rejects empty files, errors when both flags setdesign considerations
subtlecrate is the standard for constant-time operations in rust (used by ring, rustls, etc.)#[cfg(unix)]gating so windows builds aren't affectedtrim_end()(nottrim()) to allow leading whitespace in passwords, matching common secret-file conventions