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Re: [Openvpn-users] OVPN running as a Windows service with passphrase for private key


  • Subject: Re: [Openvpn-users] OVPN running as a Windows service with passphrase for private key
  • From: AthlonRob <AthlonRob@xxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2004 10:04:47 -0800

On Thu, 2004-02-05 at 04:42, Lumir Unzeitig wrote:

> I'd prefare starting the windows service, (cmd window appears)- answered the 
> pass phrase-(cmd window disappears), and in the end stopping the service.
> I tried to put "askpass" parameter to the service config file but "TLS Error: 
> Error reading PEM phrase for private key".

You cannot have your cake and eat it too... especially when you're
dealing with Windows.

The nature of modern Microsoft operating systems requires services be
entirely non-interactive.  Services run before any user is logged on; as
such, keyboard access cannot be trusted except to log a user on.

There's no way to get a service to ask a user sitting at a keyboard for
a passphrase and then just background itself.  An application could do
this, but not a service.  I think James would have to rewrite openvpn to
be able to do that, too... it just has a text interface, no Windows are
drawn as far as I am aware.

Something you may want to look in to, instead, is having the VPN start
after the user logs on, inside a DOS box.  The user would then be able
to enter the passphrase to gain access to the VPN and live happily ever
after.  Then use 'winhide' to hide the window so it isn't sitting there,
on the user's desktop.

Winhide's development had gone static for a few years, but it looks like
they released a new version recently...
http://www.savardsoftware.com/winhide/download.asp

Oh, I suppose I should have prefaced that with... I'm no Windows guru. 
I don't use it in my day-to-day life any more.  I could be mistaken
about services non-interactivity... but I'd be a little surprised.  :-)

Rob



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