Patterns
- Active Warnings
- Attractive Options
- Complete Delete
- Conveying Threats & Consequences
- Create a Security Lexicon
- Create Keys When Needed
- Delayed Unrecoverable Action
- Detailed Notifications About Security
- Direct Access to UI Components
- Disable by Default
- Disable of Services
- Disclose Significant Deviations
- Distinguish Between Run and Open
- Distinguish Internal Senders
- Distinguish Security Levels
- Email-Based Identification and Authentication
- Explicit Item Delete
- Explicit User Audit
- Failing Safely
- General Notifications About Security
- Immediate Notifications
- Immediate Options
- Indirect Access to UI Components
- Informative Dialogues
- Install Before Execute
- Key Continuity Management
- Levels of Severity
- Leverage Existing Identification
- Localization of Specific Areas
- Migrate and Backup Keys
- Noticeable Contextual Indicators
- Providing Recommendations
- Quick Description of UI Components
- Redundant Notifications
- Reset to Installation
- Restricted Areas Notification
- Security Features Used by the System
- Security Features Used by the User
- Send S/MIME-Signed Email
- Separating Content
- Sequential Access to UI Components
- Suggestive Dialogues
- System’s Security Tasks
- The Absence of Indicators
- Track Received Keys
- Track Recipients
- Warn When Unsafe
Patterns are based on scientific sources.
Usable Security Pattern - Migrate and Backup Keys
Luigi Lo Iacono, Peter Nehren
January 18, 2016
Migrate and Backup Keys
| Name | Migrate and Backup Keys |
| Sources | (Garfinkel, 2005) |
| Synonyms | None |
| Context | Today it is extremely difficult to move secret keys and other authentication tokens from one device to another. As a result, some users do not use the security features that these systems provide for fear of losing control of their assets. Other users are not aware of the danger and live with the risk without realization. If keys are going to be automatically created, they must be automatically migrated to all of a user’s relevant devices and backed up in a systematic fashion. |
| Problem | How to prevent users from losing their valuable secret keys? |
| Solution | Password protected Migration or Backup of Keys. |
| Examples | Apple’s iSync 2.0 in MacOS 10.4 automatically synchronizes KeyChain databases between multiple Macintosh computers.  Source: (Garfinkel, 2005) |
| Implementation | One way to migrate keys is by storing them inside the mail repository itself—for example, they can be stored in a hidden directory on the IMAP server. Alternatively, keys created on a POP/SMTP client can be sent to the user’s own email address, so that they will automatically be made available to other POP clients that share the same inbox. Such keys can be protected by a password to achieve security from the administrators of the mail system. |
| Consequences | Important information is distributed to where it is needed and backed up so that it will not be lost. |
| Dependencies | None |
| Relationships | [Create Keys When Needed] |
| Principles | [Convenience] |
| Guidelines | None |
| Check lists | None |
| Use cases | None |
| Tags | Migrate and Backup Keys, Create Keys When Needed, Key Management, Authentication, Accessibility, Availability, Fail Safety, Error Prevention, Support |
| Log history | [01/18/2016]: Added to repository |
References
Garfinkel, S.L., 2005. Design principles and patterns for computer systems that are simultaneously secure and usable (PhD thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology.