Contributor security practices

= Contributor Security Practices =

Introduction
Fedora Contributors should follow some simple best practices on the security of their machines and resources. This document is aimed at contributors, but many if not all of the items listed here apply in general to any Fedora user. Following these practices can help increase the security of the entire Fedora infrastructure.

Passwords
Passwords should be:


 * Nine or more characters with lower and upper case letters, digits and punctuation marks.


 * Ten or more characters with lower and upper case letters and digits.


 * Twelve or more characters with lower case letters and digits

Never share passwords between sites or allow them to be stored unencrypted (often browsers do this). It's helpfull to use a password storage application like keepassx, or revelation to keep track of and generate new secure passwords.

SSH keys
When generating ssh keys, a strong passphrase should be used. Never use a passphrase less ssh keypair. Your ssh private key should only be stored on your secure workstation, never copied or shared to a multiuser system. Care should be taken when backing up ssh private keys that they are encrypted or otherwise secure.

Updates
Security update should be applied on a regular basis. Keeping up with updates can help ensure you aren't vulnerable to known exploits.