Front cover - IBM Redbooks

100 Lotus Security Handbook
Encrypt confidential and sensitive information
First, we assume you have a basic understanding of cryptography and
encryption models using symmetrical and asymmetrical keys (shared secrets
and public/private keys). For now, we’ll keep the discussion at a high level and
just say that encrypted data cannot be deciphered by a person or system that
does not posses the correct decryption key. An overview of cryptography is
included in 1.4, “Cryptographic techniques” on page 22, and an in-depth
discussion of asymmetrical key cryptography can be found in Chapter 6, “Public
key infrastructures”.
Second, let us point out that we are not saying that all data needs to be
encrypted in all places. Earlier in this book, we discussed a process of
classification of data. An additional dimension of data classification is
determining the level of protection required depending on where the data is at
any given time. For example, your security policy may require a Notes mail file to
be stored encrypted on an internal Domino server. Remember, when you encrypt
a Domino database on a Domino server, it is encrypted with the server’s public
key. But if a replica of the mail file is kept on a laptop that can potentially be
carried outside of your facilities, your policy might require the local replica to be
encrypted. Encrypting a local replica on a Notes client encrypts the mail
database with the user’s public key. But keep in mind that the Notes Domino
replication process involves transmitting the data across a network link of some
sort. Notes replication (initiated by a Domino server or a Notes client) will present
the data unencrypted to the network port, because database encryption
essentially becomes transparent to the server or client replication task.
Remember, the replication task is running under the ID that encrypted the
database. By default, port encryption is not enabled on the Domino server, so
you end up with the scenario depicted in Figure 3-1.
mymail.nsf
(server encrypted)
Domino
Server
Figure 3-1 Unencrypted replication
CONFIDENTIAL!
Bill, we just closed
the Acme deal for
one billion dollars.
Press release will
be next week.
laptop
packet
sniffer
mymail.nsf
(locally encrypted)
If the data requires cryptographic protection at some (or all) storage points, it
generally requires cryptographic protection across all the network paths it can