encryption_key in CI 3.x

I know in CI 3.x the instructions are:

Code:

$this->load->library('encryption');
$key = $this->encryption->create_key(16);
// Get a hex-encoded representation of the key:
$key = bin2hex($this->encryption->create_key(16));

// Put the same value in your config with hex2bin(),
// so that it is still passed as binary to the library:
$config['encryption_key'] = hex2bin(<your hex-encoded key>);

So the $config setting goes in config.php. But where do the top 3 lines go? Just in any controller? In my base controller? Somewhere else? Clearly you can't use $this outside of an object.

Yes, you just set up a temporary controller. Here's mine:

PHP Code:

<?php 
defined('BASEPATH') OR exit('No direct script access allowed');

/**
 * Community Auth - Key Creator Controller
 *
 * Community Auth is an open source authentication application for CodeIgniter 3
 *
 * @package     Community Auth
 * @author      Robert B Gottier
 * @copyright   Copyright (c) 2011 - 2017, Robert B Gottier. (http://brianswebdesign.com/)
 * @license     BSD - http://www.opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause
 * @link        http://community-auth.com
 */

class Key_creator extends CI_Controller{
    
    /**
     * The key creator is only available if there is no current encryption key.
     * If for some reason you'd like to use this controller and you already
     * have an encryption key set in config/config, comment out lines 27 and 28.
     */
    public function __construct()
    {
        parent::__construct();

        if( ! empty( config_item('encryption_key') ) )
            show_404();
    }

    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Choose an encryption cipher
     */
    public function index()
    {
        $this->load->helper('url');

        $options = [
            '16?cipher='  . urlencode('AES-128 / Rijndael-128')     => 'AES-128 / Rijndael-128 (CodeIgniter Default)',
            '24?cipher='  . urlencode('AES-192')                    => 'AES-192',
            '32?cipher='  . urlencode('AES-256')                    => 'AES-256',
            '7?cipher='   . urlencode('DES')                        => 'DES',
            '7?cipher='   . urlencode('TripleDES (56 bit)')         => 'TripleDES (56 bit)',
            '14?cipher='  . urlencode('TripleDES (112 bit)')        => 'TripleDES (112 bit)',
            '21?cipher='  . urlencode('TripleDES (168 bit)')        => 'TripleDES (168 bit)',
            '16?cipher='  . urlencode('Blowfish (128 bit)')         => 'Blowfish (128 bit)',
            '32?cipher='  . urlencode('Blowfish (256 bit)')         => 'Blowfish (256 bit)',
            '48?cipher='  . urlencode('Blowfish (384 bit)')         => 'Blowfish (384 bit)',
            '56?cipher='  . urlencode('Blowfish (448 bit)')         => 'Blowfish (448 bit)',
            '11?cipher='  . urlencode('CAST5 / CAST-128 (88 bit)')  => 'CAST5 / CAST-128 (88 bit)',
            '16?cipher='  . urlencode('CAST5 / CAST-128 (128 bit)') => 'CAST5 / CAST-128 (128 bit)',
            '5?cipher='   . urlencode('RC4 / ARCFour (40 bit)')     => 'RC4 / ARCFour (40 bit)',
            '256?cipher=' . urlencode('RC4 / ARCFour (2048 bit)')   => 'RC4 / ARCFour (2048 bit)'
        ];

        echo '<h1>Encryption Key Creator</h1>
        <p>Community Auth uses Blowfish for password hashing, but only for passwords created where PHP < v5.5.</p>
        <p>Community Auth also uses Blowfish for session encryption.</p>
        <p>More Information: <a href="https://www.codeigniter.com/user_guide/libraries/encryption.html" target="_blank">CodeIgniter Documentation for Encryption Library</a></p>
        <h2>Choose an Encryption Cipher:</h2>
        <ul>';

        foreach( $options as $k => $v )
        {
            echo '<li>' . anchor( 'key_creator/create/' . $k, $v ) . '</li>';
        }

        echo '</ul>';
    }
    
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------

    /**
     * Create an encryption key for config/config
     */
    public function create( $length = 16 )
    {
        $this->load->library('encryption');

        $cipher = $this->input->get('cipher')
            ? urldecode( $this->input->get('cipher') )
            : $length . ' byte key';

        $key = bin2hex( $this->encryption->create_key( $length ) );

        echo '// ' . $cipher . '<br /> 
        $config[\'encryption_key\'] = hex2bin(\'' . $key . '\');';
    }
    
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
}

/* End of file Key_creator */
/* Location: /community_auth/controllers/Key_creator.php */ 


Expert Website Development - Temecula, CA
Community Auth For CodeIgniter 3

If you run PHP 7, just run this on the command line:

Code:

php -r 'echo bin2hex(random_bytes(16)), "\n";'

Oh gotcha. I thought it was supposed to make a new key each time. Didn't realize you make it just once and paste it in there. Thanks!