How to use the command 'ansible-vault' (with examples)

The ‘ansible-vault’ command is used in Ansible projects to encrypt and decrypt sensitive data, values, data structures, and files. It provides an additional layer of security by allowing users to encrypt and store sensitive information securely within their Ansible projects. This command works with an existing vault file or creates a new one, and it provides various options for encrypting, decrypting, and re-keying the vault files.

Use case 1: Create a new encrypted vault file with a prompt for a password

Code:

ansible-vault create vault_file

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to create a new vault file and encrypt its contents using a password. The command prompts the user to enter a password to encrypt the vault file.

Explanation:

• create: Specifies that a new encrypted vault file should be created.
• vault_file: Name of the vault file that will be created.

Example output: The command will prompt the user to enter a password for the vault file:

New Vault password: 
Confirm New Vault password:

Use case 2: Create a new encrypted vault file using a vault key file to encrypt it

Code:

ansible-vault create --vault-password-file=password_file vault_file

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to create a new vault file and encrypt its contents using a key file instead of entering the password manually. This allows for automation and convenience.

Explanation:

• create: Specifies that a new encrypted vault file should be created.
• --vault-password-file=password_file: Specifies the path to the vault key file that will be used to encrypt the vault file.
• vault_file: Name of the vault file that will be created.

Example output: None

Use case 3: Encrypt an existing file using an optional password file

Code:

ansible-vault encrypt --vault-password-file=password_file vault_file

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to encrypt an existing file and protect its contents. The command allows you to specify a password file to automate the encryption process.

Explanation:

• encrypt: Specifies that the given file should be encrypted.
• --vault-password-file=password_file: Specifies the path to the vault key file that will be used to encrypt the file.
• vault_file: Name of the file that will be encrypted.

Example output: None

Use case 4: Encrypt a string using Ansible’s encrypted string format, displaying interactive prompts

Code:

ansible-vault encrypt_string

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to encrypt a string value using Ansible’s encrypted string format. The command prompts the user to enter the string and provides the encrypted output.

Explanation: None

Example output: The command will prompt the user to enter the string value:

New Vault password: 
Confirm New Vault password: 
Reading plaintext input from stdin...
---
string_value: !vault |
          $ANSIBLE_VAULT;1.1;AES256
          30353562333635376161336361663561623666653036623662336234653731346165313763313764
          6433613061353865326431353732313231646333393663340a616265346230663863663464373433
          35633130616562353765376530306263643530663231353866333463626161646134313138363339
          6466383837363866610a343038633332626661643662326535316536333133373736346139346435
          6635
Encryption successful

Use case 5: View an encrypted file, using a password file to decrypt

Code:

ansible-vault view --vault-password-file=password_file vault_file

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to view the contents of an encrypted file. The command decrypts the file using the provided password file and displays the decrypted output.

Explanation:

• view: Specifies that the encrypted file should be viewed.
• --vault-password-file=password_file: Specifies the path to the vault key file that will be used to decrypt the file.
• vault_file: Name of the encrypted file that will be viewed.

Example output: The command will display the decrypted contents of the file.

Use case 6: Re-key an already encrypted vault file with a new password file

Code:

ansible-vault rekey --vault-password-file=old_password_file --new-vault-password-file=new_password_file vault_file

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to change the password for an already encrypted vault file. The command re-keys the vault file, replacing the old password with a new one.

Explanation:

• rekey: Specifies that the already encrypted vault file should be re-keyed.
• --vault-password-file=old_password_file: Specifies the path to the old vault key file that will be used to decrypt the file.
• --new-vault-password-file=new_password_file: Specifies the path to the new vault key file that will be used to encrypt the file.
• vault_file: Name of the vault file that will be re-keyed.

Example output: None

Conclusion:

The ‘ansible-vault’ command provides a variety of options for encrypting and decrypting vault files and sensitive data within Ansible projects. It allows users to securely store and manage sensitive information while providing flexibility in encryption and decryption methods. Understanding and utilizing these use cases can help enhance the security of Ansible projects.