encrypt SSO secrets instead of base64-encoding them (#1135)

The OIDC client secret and LDAP bind password were stored behind an encoded:
prefix that is base64, not encryption. Anyone reading the database read the
secrets. A second path wrote the same thing behind an encrypted: prefix, which
was also base64 — and the reader even documented that it could not decrypt it.

These belong to the installation rather than to a user: sso_providers has no
userId, and the values must be readable during login, before anyone has
authenticated, so the per-user DEK used elsewhere does not apply. They are now
sealed with AES-256-GCM under the system encryption key, which already protects
other installation-level material.

Reading handles both legacy prefixes so an existing install is not locked out of
SSO login, and a legacy value is upgraded the next time the provider is saved.
The three scattered encode/decode sites are replaced by one module.

src/backend/database/routes/sso-provider-routes.ts

@@ -8,54 +8,39 @@ import { AuthManager } from "../../utils/auth-manager.js";
 import type { SSOProviderType } from "../../../types/index.js";
 import { createCurrentSsoProviderRepository } from "../repositories/factory.js";
 import { getOIDCConfigFromEnv } from "./user-oidc-utils.js";
+import {
+  decryptSsoConfigSecrets,
+  encryptSsoConfigSecrets,
+} from "../../utils/system-secret-crypto.js";
 
 const authManager = AuthManager.getInstance();
 
-function decryptProviderConfig(
+/**
+ * SSO secrets belong to the installation, not to a user: `sso_providers` has no
+ * userId and the values must be readable during login, before anyone is
+ * authenticated. They are encrypted with the system key rather than a user DEK.
+ * Values written by the previous base64 scheme still decode, and are upgraded
+ * the next time the provider is saved.
+ */
+async function decryptProviderConfig(
   configJson: string,
   _userId: string,
-): Record<string, unknown> {
+): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
   let config: Record<string, unknown>;
   try {
     config = JSON.parse(configJson);
   } catch {
     return {};
   }
-
+  return decryptSsoConfigSecrets(config);
-  for (const field of ["client_secret", "bindPassword"] as const) {
-    const val = config[field] as string | undefined;
-    if (val?.startsWith("encoded:")) {
-      try {
-        config[field] = Buffer.from(val.substring(8), "base64").toString(
-          "utf8",
-        );
-      } catch {
-        config[field] = "[ENCODING ERROR]";
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  return config;
 }
 
-function encryptProviderConfig(
+async function encryptProviderConfig(
   config: Record<string, unknown>,
   _userId: string,
   _providerId: string,
-): string {
+): Promise<string> {
-  const encoded: Record<string, unknown> = { ...config };
+  return JSON.stringify(await encryptSsoConfigSecrets(config));
-  if (
-    typeof config.client_secret === "string" &&
-    !config.client_secret.startsWith("encoded:")
-  ) {
-    encoded.client_secret = `encoded:${Buffer.from(config.client_secret).toString("base64")}`;
-  }
-  if (
-    typeof config.bindPassword === "string" &&
-    !config.bindPassword.startsWith("encoded:")
-  ) {
-    encoded.bindPassword = `encoded:${Buffer.from(config.bindPassword).toString("base64")}`;
-  }
-  return JSON.stringify(encoded);
 }
 
 function applyProviderDefaults(
@@ -141,10 +126,12 @@ export function registerSSOProviderRoutes(router: Router): void {
     try {
       const rows = await createCurrentSsoProviderRepository().listAll();
 
-      const result = rows.map((row) => ({
+      const result = await Promise.all(
-        ...row,
+        rows.map(async (row) => ({
-        config: decryptProviderConfig(row.config, userId),
+          ...row,
-      }));
+          config: await decryptProviderConfig(row.config, userId),
+        })),
+      );
       res.json(result);
     } catch (err) {
       authLogger.error("Failed to list SSO providers (admin)", err);
@@ -253,7 +240,7 @@ export function registerSSOProviderRoutes(router: Router): void {
       }
 
       const tempId = `new-${Date.now()}`;
-      const encryptedConfig = encryptProviderConfig(
+      const encryptedConfig = await encryptProviderConfig(
         configWithDefaults as Record<string, unknown>,
         userId,
         tempId,
@@ -275,7 +262,7 @@ export function registerSSOProviderRoutes(router: Router): void {
       });
       res.status(201).json({
         ...inserted,
-        config: decryptProviderConfig(inserted.config, userId),
+        config: await decryptProviderConfig(inserted.config, userId),
       });
     } catch (err) {
       authLogger.error("Failed to create SSO provider", err);
@@ -332,7 +319,7 @@ export function registerSSOProviderRoutes(router: Router): void {
 
       let encryptedConfig = existing.config;
       if (rawConfig !== undefined) {
-        const existingDecrypted = decryptProviderConfig(
+        const existingDecrypted = await decryptProviderConfig(
           existing.config,
           userId,
         );
@@ -342,7 +329,7 @@ export function registerSSOProviderRoutes(router: Router): void {
           ),
           ...rawConfig,
         };
-        encryptedConfig = encryptProviderConfig(
+        encryptedConfig = await encryptProviderConfig(
           mergedConfig,
           userId,
           String(providerId),
@@ -369,7 +356,7 @@ export function registerSSOProviderRoutes(router: Router): void {
       });
       res.json({
         ...updated,
-        config: decryptProviderConfig(updated.config, userId),
+        config: await decryptProviderConfig(updated.config, userId),
       });
     } catch (err) {
       authLogger.error("Failed to update SSO provider", err);

src/backend/database/routes/user-oidc-utils.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { authLogger } from "../../utils/logger.js";
 import type { SSOProviderType } from "../../../types/index.js";
 import { DataCrypto } from "../../utils/data-crypto.js";
+import { decryptSsoConfigSecrets } from "../../utils/system-secret-crypto.js";
 import { Agent } from "undici";
 import {
   createCurrentSettingsRepository,
@@ -303,30 +304,15 @@ function applyProviderDefaults(
   };
 }
 
-function decryptConfigSecret(
+/**
+ * Reads the provider secrets. System-key encrypted values are decrypted;
+ * values still carrying a legacy base64 prefix are decoded so login keeps
+ * working until the provider is next saved.
+ */
+async function decryptConfigSecret(
   config: Record<string, unknown>,
-): Record<string, unknown> {
+): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
-  const out = { ...config };
+  return decryptSsoConfigSecrets(config);
-  for (const field of ["client_secret", "bindPassword"] as const) {
-    const val = out[field] as string | undefined;
-    if (val?.startsWith("encoded:")) {
-      try {
-        out[field] = Buffer.from(val.substring(8), "base64").toString("utf8");
-      } catch {
-        // leave as-is
-      }
-    } else if (val?.startsWith("encrypted:")) {
-      // encrypted: prefix means it was encrypted with DataCrypto; without a
-      // userId/dataKey here we cannot decrypt it. The caller should use the
-      // full admin decrypt path when possible. Fall back to stripping prefix.
-      try {
-        out[field] = Buffer.from(val.substring(10), "base64").toString("utf8");
-      } catch {
-        // leave as-is
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  return out;
 }
 
 export async function loadProviderConfig(
@@ -360,10 +346,10 @@ export async function loadProviderConfig(
               );
             }
           } catch {
-            parsed = decryptConfigSecret(parsed);
+            parsed = await decryptConfigSecret(parsed);
           }
         } else {
-          parsed = decryptConfigSecret(parsed);
+          parsed = await decryptConfigSecret(parsed);
         }
         const providerType = row.type as SSOProviderType;
         const config = applyProviderDefaults(
@@ -400,7 +386,7 @@ export async function loadProviderConfig(
       } catch {
         parsed = {};
       }
-      parsed = decryptConfigSecret(parsed);
+      parsed = await decryptConfigSecret(parsed);
       const oidcProviderType = oidcRow.type as SSOProviderType;
       return {
         config: applyProviderDefaults(
@@ -421,7 +407,7 @@ export async function loadProviderConfig(
       await createCurrentSettingsRepository().get("oidc_config");
     if (legacyValue) {
       let config = JSON.parse(legacyValue) as Record<string, unknown>;
-      config = decryptConfigSecret(config);
+      config = await decryptConfigSecret(config);
       return {
         config: config as unknown as OIDCConfig,
         providerType: "oidc",
@@ -452,7 +438,7 @@ export async function resolveProviderByIssuer(issuer: string): Promise<{
       } catch {
         continue;
       }
-      parsed = decryptConfigSecret(parsed);
+      parsed = await decryptConfigSecret(parsed);
       const providerType = row.type as SSOProviderType;
       const config = applyProviderDefaults(
         parsed as unknown as OIDCConfig,

src/backend/tests/utils/system-secret-crypto.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+import crypto from "crypto";
+
+const systemKey = crypto.randomBytes(32);
+const getEncryptionKey = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
+
+vi.mock("../../utils/system-crypto.js", () => ({
+  SystemCrypto: { getInstance: () => ({ getEncryptionKey }) },
+}));
+
+const {
+  decryptSsoConfigSecrets,
+  decryptSystemSecret,
+  encryptSsoConfigSecrets,
+  encryptSystemSecret,
+  isSystemEncrypted,
+  SSO_SECRET_FIELDS,
+} = await import("../../utils/system-secret-crypto.js");
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  getEncryptionKey.mockReset();
+  getEncryptionKey.mockResolvedValue(systemKey);
+});
+
+describe("system secret encryption", () => {
+  it("round-trips a secret", async () => {
+    const sealed = await encryptSystemSecret("s3cr3t-client-secret");
+
+    expect(sealed).not.toContain("s3cr3t");
+    expect(isSystemEncrypted(sealed)).toBe(true);
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret(sealed)).resolves.toBe(
+      "s3cr3t-client-secret",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("produces a different ciphertext each time", async () => {
+    const a = await encryptSystemSecret("same");
+    const b = await encryptSystemSecret("same");
+
+    // Random IV per call, so identical secrets are not identifiable.
+    expect(a).not.toBe(b);
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret(a)).resolves.toBe("same");
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret(b)).resolves.toBe("same");
+  });
+
+  it("does not double-encrypt an already sealed value", async () => {
+    const once = await encryptSystemSecret("value");
+    const twice = await encryptSystemSecret(once);
+
+    expect(twice).toBe(once);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves empty values alone", async () => {
+    await expect(encryptSystemSecret("")).resolves.toBe("");
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret("")).resolves.toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("detects tampering", async () => {
+    const sealed = await encryptSystemSecret("value");
+    const parts = sealed.replace("sysenc:v1:", "").split(":");
+    const flipped = Buffer.from(parts[2], "base64");
+    flipped[0] ^= 0xff;
+    const tampered = `sysenc:v1:${parts[0]}:${parts[1]}:${flipped.toString("base64")}`;
+
+    // GCM auth tag must reject a modified payload rather than return garbage.
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret(tampered)).rejects.toThrow();
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a malformed sealed value", async () => {
+    await expect(
+      decryptSystemSecret("sysenc:v1:only-one-part"),
+    ).rejects.toThrow(/Malformed/);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("legacy compatibility", () => {
+  it("decodes values written by the old base64 scheme", async () => {
+    const legacy = `encoded:${Buffer.from("old-secret").toString("base64")}`;
+
+    // Must keep working: an existing install cannot be locked out of SSO login
+    // just because the storage format changed.
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret(legacy)).resolves.toBe("old-secret");
+  });
+
+  it("decodes the mislabelled 'encrypted:' variant too", async () => {
+    const legacy = `encrypted:${Buffer.from("old-secret").toString("base64")}`;
+
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret(legacy)).resolves.toBe("old-secret");
+  });
+
+  it("passes through a value that was never encoded", async () => {
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret("plain-secret")).resolves.toBe(
+      "plain-secret",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("upgrades a legacy value on the next write", async () => {
+    const legacy = `encoded:${Buffer.from("old-secret").toString("base64")}`;
+    const plaintext = await decryptSystemSecret(legacy);
+    const sealed = await encryptSystemSecret(plaintext);
+
+    expect(isSystemEncrypted(sealed)).toBe(true);
+    await expect(decryptSystemSecret(sealed)).resolves.toBe("old-secret");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("SSO provider config", () => {
+  it("seals only the secret fields", async () => {
+    const sealed = await encryptSsoConfigSecrets({
+      client_id: "termix",
+      client_secret: "shhh",
+      bindPassword: "ldap-pw",
+      issuer_url: "https://idp.example",
+    });
+
+    expect(sealed.client_id).toBe("termix");
+    expect(sealed.issuer_url).toBe("https://idp.example");
+    expect(isSystemEncrypted(sealed.client_secret as string)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isSystemEncrypted(sealed.bindPassword as string)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("round-trips a whole config", async () => {
+    const original = {
+      client_id: "termix",
+      client_secret: "shhh",
+      bindPassword: "ldap-pw",
+    };
+
+    const restored = await decryptSsoConfigSecrets(
+      await encryptSsoConfigSecrets(original),
+    );
+
+    expect(restored).toEqual(original);
+  });
+
+  it("covers both secret fields", () => {
+    expect([...SSO_SECRET_FIELDS]).toEqual(["client_secret", "bindPassword"]);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves a config without secrets untouched", async () => {
+    const config = { client_id: "termix", scopes: "openid" };
+
+    await expect(encryptSsoConfigSecrets(config)).resolves.toEqual(config);
+    await expect(decryptSsoConfigSecrets(config)).resolves.toEqual(config);
+  });
+
+  it("does not let one unreadable secret take down the provider", async () => {
+    const restored = await decryptSsoConfigSecrets({
+      client_id: "termix",
+      client_secret: "sysenc:v1:bad",
+    });
+
+    // The rest of the config survives; login fails later with a clearer error.
+    expect(restored.client_id).toBe("termix");
+    expect(restored.client_secret).toBe("sysenc:v1:bad");
+  });
+});

src/backend/utils/system-secret-crypto.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+import crypto from "crypto";
+import { SystemCrypto } from "./system-crypto.js";
+
+/**
+ * Encryption for secrets that belong to the installation rather than to a user.
+ *
+ * Per-user field encryption (DataCrypto/FieldCrypto) derives its key from the
+ * user's DEK, which works for host passwords and SSH keys. It does not work for
+ * SSO provider configuration: `sso_providers` has no `userId`, and the OIDC
+ * client secret and LDAP bind password must be readable during login — before
+ * any user is authenticated, let alone unlocked.
+ *
+ * Those secrets were previously stored base64-encoded behind an `encoded:`
+ * prefix, which is not encryption. This uses the system encryption key, the
+ * same one already protecting other installation-level material.
+ */
+
+const ALGORITHM = "aes-256-gcm";
+const IV_LENGTH = 12;
+const PREFIX = "sysenc:v1:";
+const LEGACY_PREFIX = "encoded:";
+/** Written by an older path that base64-encoded behind an "encrypted:" prefix. */
+const LEGACY_MISLABELLED_PREFIX = "encrypted:";
+
+export function isSystemEncrypted(value: string): boolean {
+  return value.startsWith(PREFIX);
+}
+
+export async function encryptSystemSecret(plaintext: string): Promise<string> {
+  if (!plaintext) return plaintext;
+  if (isSystemEncrypted(plaintext)) return plaintext;
+
+  const key = await SystemCrypto.getInstance().getEncryptionKey();
+  const iv = crypto.randomBytes(IV_LENGTH);
+  const cipher = crypto.createCipheriv(ALGORITHM, key, iv);
+
+  const encrypted = Buffer.concat([
+    cipher.update(plaintext, "utf8"),
+    cipher.final(),
+  ]);
+  const tag = cipher.getAuthTag();
+
+  return `${PREFIX}${iv.toString("base64")}:${tag.toString("base64")}:${encrypted.toString("base64")}`;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Reads a stored secret, transparently handling values written before this
+ * existed. Legacy values are returned as plaintext so login keeps working; they
+ * are upgraded on the next write.
+ */
+export async function decryptSystemSecret(stored: string): Promise<string> {
+  if (!stored) return stored;
+
+  if (!isSystemEncrypted(stored)) {
+    for (const legacy of [LEGACY_PREFIX, LEGACY_MISLABELLED_PREFIX]) {
+      if (stored.startsWith(legacy)) {
+        try {
+          return Buffer.from(stored.slice(legacy.length), "base64").toString(
+            "utf8",
+          );
+        } catch {
+          return stored;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    // Never encoded at all.
+    return stored;
+  }
+
+  const [ivPart, tagPart, dataPart] = stored.slice(PREFIX.length).split(":");
+  if (!ivPart || !tagPart || !dataPart) {
+    throw new Error("Malformed system-encrypted secret");
+  }
+
+  const key = await SystemCrypto.getInstance().getEncryptionKey();
+  const decipher = crypto.createDecipheriv(
+    ALGORITHM,
+    key,
+    Buffer.from(ivPart, "base64"),
+  );
+  decipher.setAuthTag(Buffer.from(tagPart, "base64"));
+
+  return Buffer.concat([
+    decipher.update(Buffer.from(dataPart, "base64")),
+    decipher.final(),
+  ]).toString("utf8");
+}
+
+/** Fields inside an SSO provider config that must not be stored readable. */
+export const SSO_SECRET_FIELDS = ["client_secret", "bindPassword"] as const;
+
+export async function encryptSsoConfigSecrets(
+  config: Record<string, unknown>,
+): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+  const out = { ...config };
+  for (const field of SSO_SECRET_FIELDS) {
+    const value = out[field];
+    if (typeof value === "string" && value) {
+      out[field] = await encryptSystemSecret(value);
+    }
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+export async function decryptSsoConfigSecrets(
+  config: Record<string, unknown>,
+): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+  const out = { ...config };
+  for (const field of SSO_SECRET_FIELDS) {
+    const value = out[field];
+    if (typeof value === "string" && value) {
+      try {
+        out[field] = await decryptSystemSecret(value);
+      } catch {
+        // A secret we cannot read must not take the whole provider down;
+        // login will fail with a clearer error downstream.
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return out;
+}