In a Nutshell (🌰)

• SSM implements a comprehensive security model for device management
• Credentials are securely stored with encryption
• SSH provides secure device connections with strict key verification
• No permanent agents run on managed devices, reducing the attack surface

Security First Approach

Squirrel Servers Manager (SSM) was designed with security as a core principle. This document outlines the security model used throughout the system to protect your infrastructure.

Credential Management

Secure Storage

SSM uses several layers of security to protect sensitive credentials:

• Ansible Vault Encryption: SSH keys and passwords are encrypted using Ansible Vault
• Database Encryption: Credentials stored in MongoDB use additional encryption (bcrypt)

SSH Key Management

When using SSH keys for device authentication:

• Keys can be generated by SSM or imported from existing keys
• Private keys are encrypted before storage
• Key passphrase support for additional security
• Keys are only decrypted in memory when needed for connections

Authentication & Authorization

User Authentication

SSM implements secure user authentication:

• JWT-based authentication for API access
• Password complexity requirements
• Protection against brute force attacks
• Session management with configurable expiration

Network Security

SSH Connection Security

All device connections use secure SSH:

• Strict host key verification prevents MITM attacks
• Connections close after command execution
• No permanent open ports on managed devices
• Support for non-standard SSH ports

Connection Encryption

SSM ensures all connections are encrypted:

• SSH connections use industry-standard encryption

Agentless Security Benefits

The agentless architecture provides significant security advantages:

• No permanent agents running on target devices
• Lower attack surface with fewer components to exploit
• No need to maintain agent security patches
• No root-level services required on managed devices

Security Best Practices

When deploying SSM, follow these security best practices:

Network Configuration

• Deploy behind a reverse proxy for TLS termination if public access is required
• Use firewall rules to restrict access to the SSM server
• Consider network segmentation to isolate management traffic

Credential Management

• Use SSH keys instead of passwords where possible
• Generate unique SSH keys for SSM rather than sharing existing keys
• Implement a key rotation policy for sensitive environments