Re: postgres zeroization of dead tuples ? i.e scrubbing dead tuples with sensitive data.

On 11/18/2015 12:57 PM, Day, David wrote:
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Adrian Klaver [mailto:adrian(dot)klaver(at)aklaver(dot)com]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2015 3:47 PM
> To: Day, David; pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
> Subject: Re: [GENERAL] postgres zeroization of dead tuples ? i.e scrubbing dead tuples with sensitive data.
>
> On 11/18/2015 11:45 AM, Day, David wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> One of my co-workers came out of a NIST cyber-security type meeting
>> today and asked me to delve into postgres and zeroization.
>>
>> I am casually aware of mvcc issues and vacuuming
>>
>> I believe the concern, based on my current understanding of postgres
>> inner workings, is that when a dead tuple is reclaimed by vacuuming:
>> Is that reclaimed space initialized in some fashion that would
>> shred any sensitive data that was formerly there to any inspection by
>> the subsequent owner of that disk page ? ( zeroization )
>
> Got to thinking, are you talking about a physical machine or a VM/container on shared hosting? If the latter then it is a more generic problem of detritus left behind between creations of virtual instances or cross talk on shared storage.
>
>>
>> Not sure that is the exact question to ask but hopefully you get a
>> feel for the requirement is not to leave any sensitive data laying
>> about for
>>
>> recovery by a hacker, or at least minimize the places it could be
>> obtained without actually being able to log into postgres or having
>> raw disk access privileges.
>>
>> Thanks for any comments/instruction/links on the matter.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Dave Day
>>
>
>
> --
> Adrian Klaver
> adrian(dot)klaver(at)aklaver(dot)com
>
> In some instances this would be a vm instance on a hosted machine in other cases a actual physical machine.
>
> Thank you all for the feedback.
>
>
> All good points. I am not sure what the manner of attack/hack is until I get some further feedback out of the meeting participants. I suspect it would be to the blocks pages released by postgres following a vacuum full.
> How you determine what those pages blocks were I am not sure but suspect there is probably a way.
> When I get some more detail on the standard and exact requirement I will repost with that info.

Yes, a detailed problem description would be helpful.

>
>
> Again thanks
>
>
>
> Dave Day
>
>
>
>

--
Adrian Klaver
adrian(dot)klaver(at)aklaver(dot)com