diff --git a/docs/faq.rst b/docs/faq.rst index ed95461f2..587055e29 100644 --- a/docs/faq.rst +++ b/docs/faq.rst @@ -27,7 +27,13 @@ which is slower. Can I backup from multiple servers into a single repository? ------------------------------------------------------------ -Yes, but in order for the deduplication used by |project_name| to work, it +Yes, this is *possible* from the technical standpoint, but it is +*not recommended* from the security perspective. |project_name| is +built upon a defined :ref:`attack_model` that cannot provide its +guarantees for multiple clients using the same repository. See +:ref:`borg_security_critique` for a detailed explanation. + +Also, in order for the deduplication used by |project_name| to work, it needs to keep a local cache containing checksums of all file chunks already stored in the repository. This cache is stored in ``~/.cache/borg/``. If |project_name| detects that a repository has been @@ -353,6 +359,34 @@ to change them. Security ######## +.. _borg_security_critique: + +Isn't BorgBackup's AES-CTR crypto broken? +----------------------------------------- + +If a nonce (counter) value is reused, AES-CTR mode crypto is broken. + +To exploit the AES counter management issue, an attacker would need to have +access to the borg repository. + +By tampering with the repo, the attacker could bring the repo into a state so +that it reports a lower "highest used counter value" than the one that actually +was used. The client would usually notice that, because it rather trusts the +clientside stored "highest used counter value" than trusting the server. + +But there are situations, where this is simply not possible: + +- If clients A and B used the repo, the client A can only know its own highest + CTR value, but not the one produced by B. That is only known to (B and) the + server (the repo) and thus the client A needs to trust the server about the + value produced by B in that situation. You can't do much about this except + not having multiple clients per repo. + +- Even if there is only one client, if client-side information is completely + lost (e.g. due to disk defect), the client also needs to trust the value from + server side. You can avoid this by not continuing to write to the repository + after you have lost clientside borg information. + .. _home_config_borg: How important is the $HOME/.config/borg directory? diff --git a/docs/internals/security.rst b/docs/internals/security.rst index 936cf4988..42e614349 100644 --- a/docs/internals/security.rst +++ b/docs/internals/security.rst @@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ Security Cryptography in Borg ==================== +.. _attack_model: + Attack model ------------