Re: [PATCH] credential: warn about git-credential-store [RFC]

["brian m. carlson" <sandals@crustytoothpaste.net>]

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On 2025-01-31 at 19:48:06, M Hickford via GitGitGadget wrote:
> From: M Hickford <mirth.hickford@gmail.com>
> 
> git-credential-store saves secrets unencrypted on disk.
> 
> Warn the user before they type their password, suggesting alternative
> credential helpers.
> 
> An alternative could be to warn in "credential-store store". A
> disadvantage is that the user wouldn't see the warning until after they
> typed their password, which is less helpful. The warning would appear
> again every time the user authenticated, which feels too frequently.

I don't think this is a good idea.  While it's typically recommended to
use a different credential helper, it can be difficult to do so in an
environment where you don't have a desktop, since all of the major
helpers use the system keychain, where a desktop is required.

If you have such an environment (such as a remote system) and can't use
SSH (because your corporate environment only allows HTTPS), then you
really don't have many, if any, alternatives[0].  All warning in this
case is going to do is just annoy the user, especially if they have many
such systems.

If we are going to do this, I'd recommend using the advice system, so
that users can just disable the warning.

[0] Okay, I lied.  I have a tool called Lawn (local spawn) which allows
you to run a command on your laptop or desktop from the remote machine,
such as a credential helper, but it's not in widespread use and I don't
think it's polished enough to recommend here.
-- 
brian m. carlson (they/them or he/him)
Toronto, Ontario, CA

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