[Emacs-diffs] emacs-26 f824081: * etc/NEWS: Add security consideration note on passphrase input

[Daiki Ueno]

branch: emacs-26
commit f8240815ea1e44cf0b16552ed3a3676b2dc85787
Author: Daiki Ueno <address@hidden>
Commit: Daiki Ueno <address@hidden>

    * etc/NEWS: Add security consideration note on passphrase input
---
 etc/NEWS | 9 +++++++++
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+)

diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 692c28a..7bd3a4c 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -1502,6 +1502,15 @@ supported by the upstream project.
 To adapt to the change, you may need to set 'epa-pinentry-mode' to the
 symbol 'loopback'.
 
+Note that previously, it was said that passphrase input through
+minibuffer would be much less secure than other graphical pinentry
+programs.  However, these days the difference is insignificant: the
+'read-password' function sufficiently protects input from leakage to
+message logs.  Emacs still doesn't use secure memory to protect
+passphrases, but it was also removed from other pinentry programs as
+the attack is unrealistic on modern computer systems which don't
+utilize swap memory usually.
+
 
 * Lisp Changes in Emacs 26.1