Secure Startup and Minimum Permission Configuration of the ohpm-repo Private Repository in HarmonyOS Next

In HarmonyOS Next development, the ohpm-repo private repository is an important tool for managing project dependencies. However, security is of utmost importance during the startup process. Today, let’s delve into the secure startup and minimum permission configuration of ohpm-repo to help you avoid potential risks during use.

Why Can’t ohpm-repo Be Started with root?

In the fields of server management and software deployment, there is an important security principle: try to avoid running services with root privileges, and ohpm-repo is no exception. Root privileges, also known as superuser privileges, provide full control over the system. If ohpm-repo is started with root privileges, the consequences will be unimaginable if this service is exploited by an attacker.

Imagine that a malicious attacker discovers a security vulnerability in ohpm-repo. If it is running with root privileges, the attacker can obtain the highest system privileges through this vulnerability. This means they can freely modify system files, steal sensitive data, and even completely control the entire server. For example, an attacker can modify system configuration files, exposing the server to more security risks; or steal important code and data from the repository, causing huge losses to enterprises and projects. Moreover, since ohpm-repo may involve operations such as network communication and file storage, when running with root privileges, the logs and temporary files generated by these operations may also become a means for attackers to obtain information. Therefore, to reduce security risks and improve the stability and maintainability of the system, ohpm-repo must be started and deployed with non-root privileges.

How to Correctly Configure the Minimum Permission Startup?

Creation of a Non-root Account

In Unix-like systems (such as Linux and MacOS), we first need to create a non-root user specifically for running ohpm-repo. You can use the useradd command to create a new user, for example:

sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash ohpmuser

Here, the -m option indicates creating a home directory for the user, and -s /bin/bash specifies the user’s default shell as bash. After creating the user, set a strong password for it using the passwd command:

sudo passwd ohpmuser

In the Windows system, although there is no strict distinction between user permissions like in Linux, we can also create a regular user and assign appropriate permissions to it to run ohpm-repo.

Environment Variable Configuration

Ohpm-repo relies on some environment variables to run properly. When configuring environment variables, ensure the security of these variables. First, configure the path of the bin directory in the extraction directory of the ohpm-repo toolkit to the system environment variable path. For example, in the Linux system, you can edit the ~/.bashrc file (if you are using the bash shell) and add the following content:

export PATH=$PATH:/path/to/ohpm-repo/bin

Here, /path/to/ohpm-repo is the extraction path of the ohpm-repo toolkit. After the modification, execute source ~/.bashrc to make the configuration take effect. In the Windows system, you can add or modify environment variables through “System Properties” -> “Advanced” -> “Environment Variables”.

Startup Command

Use the non-root user just created to start ohpm-repo. In Unix-like systems, switch to the created user and then execute the startup command:

su - ohpmuser
ohpm-repo start

In the Windows system, open the Command Prompt or PowerShell as a regular user, navigate to the bin directory of ohpm-repo, and execute the ohpm-repo start command. In this way, ohpm-repo will be started with non-root privileges, greatly reducing security risks.

Best Practices: How to Optimize the Startup Process?

Log Management

When starting ohpm-repo, it is very important to configure log management reasonably. By configuring the log level and storage path, we can better monitor and troubleshoot problems while preventing log files from leaking sensitive information. In the ohpm-repo configuration file config.yaml, you can set the levels and paths of different types of logs:

loglevel_run: info
loglevel_operate: info
loglevel_access: info
logs_path: /path/to/logs

Here, the levels of the running log, operation log, and access log are all set to info, indicating that only important information will be recorded. logs_path specifies the storage path of the log files. Ensure that the permission settings for this path are reasonable, and only the user running ohpm-repo has read and write permissions.

Security Warning Settings

To enable operation and maintenance personnel to promptly understand potential security risks, security warnings can be set. For example, when starting ohpm-repo, check some key security configuration items. If improper configuration is found, issue a warning message in a timely manner. You can add the following check logic to the startup script (a simple example in ArkTS code, and actual implementation may require more complex system calls):

import { hilog, LogLevel } from '@ohos.hilog';

function checkSecurityConfig() {
    // Assume that this checks whether HTTPS is enabled. In reality, relevant configurations need to be read from the configuration file
    let isHttpsEnabled = false; 
    if (!isHttpsEnabled) {
        hilog.log(LogLevel.WARN, 0x0010, 'HTTPS is not enabled. This may pose a security risk.');
    }
}

checkSecurityConfig();

In this way, when ohpm-repo starts, if it is found that HTTPS is not enabled, a warning message will be recorded in the log to remind operation and maintenance personnel to perform security configuration in a timely manner.

Through the above discussion on the secure startup and minimum permission configuration of ohpm-repo, we can ensure the normal operation of the service while minimizing security risks. I hope you will pay attention to these security points in actual use and create a secure and reliable development environment.