v0.5.9-security: Security Enhancement (March 24, 2024)

Version 0.5.9-security focuses specifically on enhancing the security aspects of the Punch Card Project, particularly regarding API key handling and sensitive information management.

Key Features

🔐 Enhanced API Key Security

• Improved API key handling with secure storage mechanisms
• Environment variable support for API keys in CI/CD environments
• Added keyring integration for future system-level credential storage
• Implemented obfuscation of keys in logs and debug output
• Added key rotation support for better security practices

📑 Security Documentation

• Comprehensive security guide outlining best practices
• API key management documentation with step-by-step instructions
• Added security considerations to the installation guide
• Created credential management guide for administrators
• Documented secure deployment methods for various environments

🔍 Security Auditing

• Implemented audit logging for sensitive operations
• Added debugging options that maintain security of credentials
• Credential access tracking with timestamps
• Session security improvements for multi-user environments

🛡️ Protection Mechanisms

• Input validation for all credential-related operations
• Rate limiting for authentication attempts
• Session timeouts for inactive connections
• Improved error handling to prevent information leakage

Installation Notes

To update to v0.5.9-security from previous versions:

git pull origin main
pip install -r requirements.txt

Security Migration

When upgrading to v0.5.9-security, existing API keys will need to be re-entered once to be stored in the new secure format. The application will prompt for this during the first run after upgrading.

Important Note

This security update is highly recommended for all users, especially those using the application with API integration in shared or networked environments.