Security

General Notes

owlogger is a systems of components, so the security aspect needs to be analyzed in parts. In general, this collects low-value data, so collateral damage is a consideration.

Programs

Best practice:

owserver

Well tested. Read-only of data from physical sensors. communication is via owserver protocol but typically will be internal to the posting station.

owpost

Send-only externally, potentially via https if a reverse proxy is employed.

owlogger

Uses http.server python module, which is advertised as not hardened. The accepted HTTP messages are restricted, specifically no arbitrary file reading or external program use. Using a reverse proxy to keep communication internal is advisable, however.

Browser

Data on the display device is performed via HTML with a non-persistent javascript component. The air-datepicker module is used, but not loaded from an external source.

Logging data

Encryption

Data is sent in clear text via http by default. Using https by adding a proxy agent (e.g. caddy) to the server is easily accomplished and implementation of that scheme is detailed.

Injection

All data is logged by default, potentially including malicious spam. A simple form of authentification using an arbitrary text string (token) is available. This only makes sense if the traffic is also encrypted. This token must be added at both ends at startup and requires that both ends are secure from inspection.

Access to data

Access (to owlogger web display) is read-only, but web-available -- the point of the system. Communication is via http by default.

Encryption

https (TLS encryption) is easily added with a proxy agent (e.g.caddy) and implementation of that is encouraged and detailed with design and scripts.

Authentification

Authetification for access is not implemented.

Database

The database is stored on the server, and so requires that the server's file system is not compromised.

• Data entry is via sqlite3 with protection against SQL injection attack
• Data is managed in a write-only mode
• There is a potential for spam data to be sent to the system, filling up the file space (see tokens).

Physical

Phyisical access, compromise and damage is generally out of scope.

data collectors

Sensors, wires and the owputter component may be in a vulnerable area to intentional or unintentional damage, so robust installation is advisable. These components are generally inexpensive, fortunately.