Re: pgcrypto bug or my brain? - Mailing list pgsql-bugs

On Dec 3, 2010, at 1:49 PM, Heikki Linnakangas wrote:

> On 03.12.2010 19:48, daniel wrote:
>> I have discovered either a bug in pgcrypto (postgresql-9.0.1) or at leas=
t an implementation change that is incompatible with how I've been using pg=
crypto. I'm hoping a discussion here on bugs@ is an appropriate first cours=
e of discussion.
>>=20
>> I have a couple of databases in which I have been using pgcrypto for abo=
ut 10 years (one relation has>  1.8 million records). I believe I started u=
sing pgcrypto with postgresql-7.2.x and have had absolutely no adverse issu=
es with my data during regular upgrades through postgresql-8.4.5. I know th=
at the raw encrypt() and decrypt() are no longer recommended when the pgp_*=
() can be used, but this is now a legacy issue since the pgp_*() functions =
did not even exist 10 years ago. Please note that the pgp_*() functions do =
work fine in postgresql-9.0.1.
>>=20
>> During testing of upgrade to 9.0.1 (I _love_ streaming replication!), my=
 encrypted data gets mangled during import (psql -f<file_dumped_with_pg_dum=
p>) and, in fact, I can't even use encrypt() or decrypt() on new data in my=
 "usual way". Here's an example that works on 7.2.x through 8.4.5 but not 9=
.0.1 (additional platform details are below):
>>=20
>>     --
>>     -- Pull in pgcrypto functions:
>>     --
>>         \i /usr/local/pgsql/share/contrib/pgcrypto.sql
>>=20
>>=20
>>     --
>>     -- Create a test table:
>>     --
>>         create table cryptest (
>>           id serial not null primary key,
>>           plaint character varying not null,
>>           enct bytea
>>         );
>>=20
>>=20
>>     --
>>     -- Insert some data:
>>     --
>>         insert into cryptest (plaint, enct) values
>>           ('Testing blowfish...', encrypt('Testing blowfish...',
>>                 E'I know this is not a proper key but it _should_ work',=
 'bf'));
>>=20
>>=20
>>     --
>>     -- Fetch the data:
>>     --
>>         select
>>           id,
>>           plaint,
>>           decrypt(enct, E'I know this is not a proper key but it _should=
_ work', 'bf')
>>         from
>>           cryptest;
>>=20
>>=20
>> Platform:
>> CentOS-5.5 (fully up to date with 'yum update') both i386 and x86_64
>> Postgresql configured with './configure --with-openssl'
>>=20
>>=20
>> I'll be happy to provide any additional information necessary and do any=
 sort of testing (if it should prove to be necessary) though my skills in t=
his are somewhat limited.
>=20
> decrypt() returns a bytea, and the default representation of bytea was ch=
anged in 9.0. The result is the same but it's just displayed differently. T=
ry "set bytea_output TO 'escape'" to get the old familiar output.
>=20
> The proper way to do that is to use convert_to/from to convert from text =
to bytea before encrypting, and from bytea to text after decrypting.
>=20
> --=20
>  Heikki Linnakangas
>  EnterpriseDB   http://www.enterprisedb.com
>=20
> --=20
> Sent via pgsql-bugs mailing list (pgsql-bugs@postgresql.org)
> To make changes to your subscription:
> http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-bugs


Heikki,

I figured (and hoped) that it would turn out to be something like that--I g=
uess I just didn't dig deep enough to find the answer my self. I need to re=
ad the release notes more thoroughly.

Thanks much for your help!

Daniel