WebApp Sec: Re: secure storage of sensitive data in J2EE

[Randy <rho () clunet edu>]

I've always wondered what the point of a System.gc() was... what 
applications would calling System.gc() be useful if the JVM has the right 
to choose wether or not it gets called?
Does anyone know of an actual useful implementation of System.gc()?

--Randy

On Wed, 9 Feb 2005, Nick Seward wrote:

> Ashish Popli wrote:
>
> > Cant we simply force garbage collection when you are done using the object?
> > Here is a link.
> > http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/essential/system/garbage.html
> >
> > Kevin Conaway wrote:
> >
> > > A followup question:
> > >
> > > Once the data (be it a password or a key) has been read into memory,
> > > what is an effective and secure way of minimizing the window that the
> > > plaintext key or password is in memory?
> > >
> > > If the data is read into a char [] and then overwritten with junk
> > > data, would that work?
> > >
> > > Kevin
> > >
> > > On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 09:18:15 +0000, chaim moshe <xor256 () hotmail com> 
> > > wrote:
> > > > Hello list,
> > > >
> > > > where can I  store sensitive data like encryption keys, passwords, etc. 
> > > > in
> > > > J2EE?
> > > > surely, you can save it in the keystore, but the catch is where do you 
> > > > store
> > > > the keystore password to protect it from external access?
> > > > storing the keystore password in code or in config files is not secured
> > > > enough.
> > > >
> > > > In the .NET environment you have DPAPI that was designed exactly for this
> > > > kind of problem, the sensitive data is encrypted at the OS level with the
> > > > user/machine password and is decrypted at runtime.
> > > > What is the solution in the J2EE environment ?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks!
> > > >
> > > > _________________________________________________________________
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> Forcing garbage collection through System.gc() does not gaurantee garbage 
> collection will occur.
> The API for Java 1.5.0 says this about System.gc() : " Calling the |gc| 
> method suggests that the Java Virtual Machine expend effort toward recycling 
> unused objects......."
> Notice it uses the word suggest. The JVM will try to run garbage collecting 
> but it may not.
> The same goes with the System.Runfinalization(). You are just requesting it 
> does this. The JVM may not actually do it.
> Nick