Information on Aria Operations password encryption method.

Products

• VMware Aria Suite

Issue/Introduction

• Hashing:
  • Passwords are transformed into a fixed-length character string using a mathematical function. This hashed value cannot be reversed back to the original password. A random salt, added before hashing, enhances security. Even with identical passwords, users will have distinct hashed values due to the unique salt.

 

• Encryption:
  • Encryption employs a key to scramble data. The encrypted data can only be decrypted using the same key.

Environment

Aria Operations 8.x

Resolution

• For local user:
  • Aria Operations utilizes a hashing function, specifically SHA-256, along with a salt to protect local user passwords.

 

• For Active Directory user:
  • Encryption method for Active Directory (AD) credentials involves storing them in the database and encrypting them using AES 128.

Additional Information

• Enforcing strong password policies and mandating frequent password rotations are essential security measures for both local accounts and AD credentials.
• When creating local Aria Operations accounts, adhere to strict password complexity requirements.
• Implement regular password rotation for local accounts.
• For enhanced security and centralized management, consider leveraging Active Directory integration for user authentication whenever possible. This can also potentially benefit from stronger security controls offered by AD.