Wireless Network Key

[Derek Broughton]

Mark Haney wrote:

> Leo Cacciari wrote:
> 
>> This is excessively bad advice, and you even tell why it is bad. This is
>> done already by the gnome network manager. If n-m is installed and it
>> does not work, then it is another problem, but normally in ubuntu
>> wireless network works like that out of the box.
>> 
>> By the way, your is bad advice even if the OP has not n-m installed and
>> does not wish to install it, as then standard scripts like if-up
>> *already* have a much more secure (well, less insecure at least) way to
>> do that by writing the key in the
>> /etc/network/interfaces file

> <soapbox>
> 
> I totally disagree.  You really think having the key in
> /etc/network/interfaces is any safer?  Or having it in NM is safer?
> You're out of your mind.  Anyone who gets root access can dig it up and
> steal it from anywhere those files are stored.

Actually, having it in NM should be safer (than scripting it - but not safer
than entering it each time) - I believe it's kept in an encrypted store. 
But I agree /etc/network/interfaces is certainly not more secure.  I can
think of any number of reasons why I'd rather use either method than
writing a shell script, but security isn't one of them :-)

> The point is (and MY point is) this method is possible, but NOT
> encouraged.  He doesn't want to have to enter the key every time.
> Entering the key every time IS the preferred and secure method of doing
> this.

For which you can certainly use NM under KDE so I would have thought also
under Gnome.  aiui, the passphrase is stored in KWallet, and (depending on
configuration) you need one password to open the wallet and then any
application can access it without further passwords.  
-- 
derek