Does the macoOS login keychain get backed up by Time Machine backups in a way that could restore the keychain if the original machine's Secure Enclave is lost or destroyed?
It's unexpected to anyone with intuition about how a computer traditionally is supposed to work. As a general principle, as a user, I expect a file on one computer to be usable on another computer. Or, at the very least, if I need to obtain some other thing from the original computer to "unlock" that file, I should be able to do it. The idea of a file that is only usable on a particular computer feels weird.
But that’s not backup restore? I’m thinking Time Machine restore on a new Mac when old one is no longer working. Or when the old one had to be wiped and restored.
IIRC there are options for exportable and un-exportable private keys when you make one in the secure enclave. Going to guess Tahoe made them un-exportable by default.
And yet if you click export it will gladly print out a plaintext csv with your whole life in passwords. Doesn't even attempt to zip it with password or something.
that seems reasonable, as it is the lowest common denominator for interoperability
what would be unfortunate is if it was in some format that couldn't be used by most other systems without extra work, and if the user wasn't allowed to use their own property to export something different
Does the macoOS login keychain get backed up by Time Machine backups in a way that could restore the keychain if the original machine's Secure Enclave is lost or destroyed?
This is pretty much how it's suppose to work...
Maybe but this is unexpected if you need to restore from a backup..
It's unexpected to anyone with intuition about how a computer traditionally is supposed to work. As a general principle, as a user, I expect a file on one computer to be usable on another computer. Or, at the very least, if I need to obtain some other thing from the original computer to "unlock" that file, I should be able to do it. The idea of a file that is only usable on a particular computer feels weird.
I've done Tahoe-to-Tahoe migration assistant moves between machines in recent months. No issues with login keychain migration.
But that’s not backup restore? I’m thinking Time Machine restore on a new Mac when old one is no longer working. Or when the old one had to be wiped and restored.
Don't backup keys, rotate them.
I can't rotate my keys if I lose access to accounts because my computer died and my backup is useless.
I'm more interested by the fact that it apparently didn't work this way before Tahoe.
IIRC there are options for exportable and un-exportable private keys when you make one in the secure enclave. Going to guess Tahoe made them un-exportable by default.
And yet if you click export it will gladly print out a plaintext csv with your whole life in passwords. Doesn't even attempt to zip it with password or something.
that seems reasonable, as it is the lowest common denominator for interoperability
what would be unfortunate is if it was in some format that couldn't be used by most other systems without extra work, and if the user wasn't allowed to use their own property to export something different
This is good.