About full disk encryption
Charmed Ceph supports automatic full disk encryption (FDE) on OSDs.
Full disk encryption is a security measure that protects the data on a storage device by encrypting all the information on the disk. FDE helps maintain data confidentiality in case the disk is lost or stolen by rendering the data inaccessible without the correct decryption key or password.
In the event of disk loss or theft, unauthorised individuals are unable to access the encrypted data, as the encryption renders the information unreadable without the proper credentials. This helps prevent data breaches and protects sensitive information from being misused.
FDE also eliminates the need for wiping or physically destroying a disk when it is replaced, as the encrypted data remains secure even if the disk is no longer in use. The data on the disk is effectively rendered useless without the decryption key.
Implementation
Full disk encryption for OSDs has to be set via a configuration option at the charm level in the ceph-osd charm. Charmed Ceph will then make use of the dm-crypt kernel module to encrypt the disk that is used to back a newly added OSD.
Limitations
- It is important to note that MicroCeph FDE only encompasses OSDs. Other data, such as state information for monitors, logs, configuration etc., will not be encrypted by this mechanism.
- Also note that the encryption key will be stored on the Ceph monitors as part of the Ceph key/value store