[DRILL-3880] sqlline does not allow for a password prompt - security issue

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Open
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Unresolved
• Affects Version/s: 1.1.0
• Fix Version/s: Future
• Component/s: Client - CLI
• Labels: security
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: John Omernik
• Created: 01/Oct/15 15:53
• Updated: 03/Feb/16 22:26

Description

When authentication is enabled in drill, and using sqlline, there is no way to get the sqlline client to prompt for a password. The only option is to specify the password at the command line (-n user -p password) or to log in and then connect.

This is a security risk, in that now the .bash_history contains the user's password, defeating accountability on the system. Hive and MYSQL both allow for a -p flag with no value to trigger a prompt for the password that is not logged by .bash_history.

One work around is to connect after starting sqlline, however, if the sqlline command offers a way to specify the username/password, we should do it in a way that doesn't violate security principles.