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Question

Vsql is not masking password in some cases

  • January 4, 2024
  • 1 reply
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Sergey_Cherepan_1
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Hi,

Vertica did a great job avoiding showing passwords and secrets in clear text.
I was surprised when vsql v 12.0.4-11 is showing password in clear text, by checking vsql process on client:

myuser@myhost: mydir $ ps -ef|grep vsql
myosaccount  7719  2146  0 13:33 pts/0    00:00:00 /opt/vertica/bin/vsql -h mydbhost -U myuser -w              -g VerticaExportTable.py -A -t -c  connect to vertica mydb user mydbuser password 'passwordincleartext' on ....

Vsql nicely masked password in -w.
It appears, vsql is not scanning SQL passed with -c for passwords and secrets and not masking them.
I think attempt to pass password in vsql var would also not masking passwords and secrets.

Please ask security team, are they consider this a problem that need attention.

(Yes I know there are more than one workaround)

Thank you
Sergey

1 reply

SruthiA
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  • Participating Frequently
  • January 5, 2024

@Sergey_Cherepan_1 : If you use passwordless authentication for connect to vertica then you will not face this problem

https://docs.vertica.com/23.4.x/en/sql-reference/statements/connect-to/#passwordless-authentication