feat(admin): manage nsec via API and redact secrets in responses

Add an admin endpoint to set, rotate and clear the nsec, authenticate against
the stored password hash, and redact secret values (nsec shown as [REDACTED])
in settings responses. Wire the admin UI to the new endpoint.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

routstr/core/admin.py

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from ..wallet import (
     send_token,
     slow_filter_spend_proofs,
 )
+from . import vault
 from .db import (
     ApiKey,
     CashuTransaction,
@@ -28,6 +29,9 @@ from .db import (
     ModelRow,
     UpstreamProviderRow,
     create_session,
+    get_secret,
+    set_admin_password,
+    set_nsec,
 )
 from .db import (
     store_cashu_transaction_with_retry as store_cashu_transaction,
@@ -35,7 +39,7 @@ from .db import (
 from .log_manager import log_manager
 from .logging import get_logger
 from .provider_slugs import allocate_unique_provider_slug
-from .settings import SettingsService, settings
+from .settings import SettingsService, derive_npub_from_nsec, settings
 
 logger = get_logger(__name__)
 
@@ -206,8 +210,6 @@ async def get_settings(request: Request) -> dict:
     data = settings.dict()
     if "upstream_api_key" in data:
         data["upstream_api_key"] = "[REDACTED]" if data["upstream_api_key"] else ""
-    if "admin_password" in data:
-        data["admin_password"] = "[REDACTED]" if data["admin_password"] else ""
     if "nsec" in data:
         data["nsec"] = "[REDACTED]" if data["nsec"] else ""
     return data
@@ -224,9 +226,10 @@ class PasswordUpdate(BaseModel):
 
 @admin_router.patch("/api/settings", dependencies=[Depends(require_admin_api)])
 async def update_settings(request: Request, update: SettingsUpdate) -> dict:
-    # Remove sensitive fields from general settings update
+    # Secrets are not editable through the general settings endpoint; they have
+    # dedicated rotation paths and never reach the settings blob.
     settings_data = update.root.copy()
-    sensitive_fields = ["admin_password", "upstream_api_key", "nsec"]
+    sensitive_fields = ["upstream_api_key", "nsec"]
     for field in sensitive_fields:
         if field in settings_data:
             del settings_data[field]
@@ -241,8 +244,6 @@ async def update_settings(request: Request, update: SettingsUpdate) -> dict:
     data = new_settings.dict()
     if "upstream_api_key" in data:
         data["upstream_api_key"] = "[REDACTED]" if data["upstream_api_key"] else ""
-    if "admin_password" in data:
-        data["admin_password"] = "[REDACTED]" if data["admin_password"] else ""
     if "nsec" in data:
         data["nsec"] = "[REDACTED]" if data["nsec"] else ""
     return data
@@ -250,43 +251,85 @@ async def update_settings(request: Request, update: SettingsUpdate) -> dict:
 
 @admin_router.patch("/api/password", dependencies=[Depends(require_admin_api)])
 async def update_password(request: Request, password_update: PasswordUpdate) -> dict:
-    current_password = settings.admin_password
-
-    if not current_password:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail="Admin password not configured")
-
-    if password_update.current_password != current_password:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=401, detail="Current password is incorrect")
-
-    # Validate new password
-    new_password = password_update.new_password.strip()
-    if len(new_password) < 6:
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=400, detail="New password must be at least 6 characters"
-        )
-
-    # Update password
     async with create_session() as session:
-        await SettingsService.update({"admin_password": new_password}, session)
+        secret = await get_secret(session)
+
+        if not secret.admin_password_hash:
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=500, detail="Admin password not configured"
+            )
+
+        if not vault.verify_password(
+            password_update.current_password, secret.admin_password_hash
+        ):
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=401, detail="Current password is incorrect"
+            )
+
+        # Validate new password
+        new_password = password_update.new_password.strip()
+        if len(new_password) < vault.MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH:
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=400,
+                detail=(
+                    "New password must be at least "
+                    f"{vault.MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH} characters"
+                ),
+            )
+
+        await set_admin_password(session, new_password)
 
     return {"ok": True, "message": "Password updated successfully"}
 
 
+class NsecUpdate(BaseModel):
+    nsec: str
+
+
+@admin_router.patch("/api/nsec", dependencies=[Depends(require_admin_api)])
+async def update_nsec(request: Request, payload: NsecUpdate) -> dict[str, object]:
+    # The node's Nostr identity is a secret: it is stored encrypted in the
+    # Secret store, never in the settings blob, so it gets its own endpoint
+    # rather than riding the general settings PATCH (which strips it). An empty
+    # nsec clears the identity.
+    nsec = payload.nsec.strip()
+    npub = ""
+    if nsec:
+        derived = derive_npub_from_nsec(nsec)
+        if not derived:
+            raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Invalid nsec")
+        npub = derived
+
+    async with create_session() as session:
+        await set_nsec(session, nsec)
+
+    # Reflect the change in the live runtime so Nostr signing/announcements pick
+    # it up without a restart (mirrors what bootstrap_secrets sets at boot).
+    settings.nsec = nsec
+    settings.npub = npub
+    return {"ok": True, "npub": npub}
+
+
 class SetupRequest(BaseModel):
     password: str
 
 
 @admin_router.post("/api/setup")
 async def initial_setup(request: Request, payload: SetupRequest) -> dict[str, object]:
-    if settings.admin_password:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=409, detail="Admin password already set")
-    pw = (payload.password or "").strip()
-    if len(pw) < 8:
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=400, detail="Password must be at least 8 characters"
-        )
     async with create_session() as session:
-        await SettingsService.update({"admin_password": pw}, session)
+        secret = await get_secret(session)
+        if secret.admin_password_hash:
+            raise HTTPException(status_code=409, detail="Admin password already set")
+        pw = (payload.password or "").strip()
+        if len(pw) < vault.MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH:
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=400,
+                detail=(
+                    "Password must be at least "
+                    f"{vault.MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH} characters"
+                ),
+            )
+        await set_admin_password(session, pw)
     return {"ok": True}
 
 
@@ -298,12 +341,13 @@ class AdminLoginRequest(BaseModel):
 async def admin_login(
     request: Request, payload: AdminLoginRequest
 ) -> dict[str, object]:
-    admin_pw = settings.admin_password
+    async with create_session() as session:
+        secret = await get_secret(session)
 
-    if not admin_pw:
+    if not secret.admin_password_hash:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail="Admin password not configured")
 
-    if payload.password != admin_pw:
+    if not vault.verify_password(payload.password, secret.admin_password_hash):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=401, detail="Invalid password")
 
     token = secrets.token_urlsafe(32)

tests/integration/test_admin_auth.py

@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+"""Tests for admin password auth backed by the hashed Secret store (issue #553).
+
+Login, password change and first-run setup verify against the one-way
+``Secret.admin_password_hash`` (scrypt) instead of a plaintext settings field,
+which also closes the old ``!=`` timing-attack comparison. The flow is exercised
+end-to-end through the public admin endpoints: setup writes the first hash,
+login checks against it, and a password change re-hashes so the old password
+stops working and the new one starts.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+from httpx import AsyncClient, Response
+
+
+async def _setup_password(client: AsyncClient, password: str) -> None:
+    resp = await client.post("/admin/api/setup", json={"password": password})
+    assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.text
+
+
+async def _login(client: AsyncClient, password: str) -> Response:
+    return await client.post("/admin/api/login", json={"password": password})
+
+
+# --- login -----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_login_500_when_no_password_configured(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> None:
+    resp = await _login(integration_client, "anything")
+    assert resp.status_code == 500
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_login_succeeds_with_correct_password(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> None:
+    await _setup_password(integration_client, "correct horse")
+    resp = await _login(integration_client, "correct horse")
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    body = resp.json()
+    assert body["ok"] is True
+    assert isinstance(body["token"], str) and body["token"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_login_rejects_wrong_password(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> None:
+    await _setup_password(integration_client, "correct horse")
+    resp = await _login(integration_client, "wrong horse")
+    assert resp.status_code == 401
+
+
+# --- first-run setup -------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_setup_rejects_short_password(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> None:
+    resp = await integration_client.post("/admin/api/setup", json={"password": "short"})
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_setup_409_when_password_already_set(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> None:
+    await _setup_password(integration_client, "first password")
+    resp = await integration_client.post(
+        "/admin/api/setup", json={"password": "second password"}
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 409
+
+
+# --- password change -------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_update_password_rehashes_so_only_new_works(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> None:
+    await _setup_password(integration_client, "old password")
+    login = await _login(integration_client, "old password")
+    token = login.json()["token"]
+    integration_client.headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {token}"
+
+    resp = await integration_client.patch(
+        "/admin/api/password",
+        json={"current_password": "old password", "new_password": "new password"},
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.text
+
+    # Drop admin auth so the login calls aren't treated as authenticated noise.
+    integration_client.headers.pop("Authorization", None)
+    assert (await _login(integration_client, "old password")).status_code == 401
+    assert (await _login(integration_client, "new password")).status_code == 200
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_update_password_rejects_wrong_current(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> None:
+    await _setup_password(integration_client, "old password")
+    login = await _login(integration_client, "old password")
+    token = login.json()["token"]
+    integration_client.headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {token}"
+
+    resp = await integration_client.patch(
+        "/admin/api/password",
+        json={"current_password": "not the password", "new_password": "new password"},
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 401
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_update_password_rejects_short_new(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> None:
+    await _setup_password(integration_client, "old password")
+    login = await _login(integration_client, "old password")
+    token = login.json()["token"]
+    integration_client.headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {token}"
+
+    resp = await integration_client.patch(
+        "/admin/api/password",
+        json={"current_password": "old password", "new_password": "x"},
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 400

tests/integration/test_admin_nsec_endpoint.py

@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+"""Tests for the admin nsec rotation endpoint (issue #553).
+
+The Nostr identity is a secret: it lives encrypted in the Secret store, never in
+the settings blob, so it cannot be set through the general settings PATCH. This
+dedicated endpoint is the supported way to set/rotate/clear it — it encrypts the
+key at rest, updates the live runtime identity (so signing picks it up without a
+restart), and derives the npub. Invalid keys are rejected.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import secrets
+import time
+from collections.abc import AsyncGenerator
+
+import pytest
+import pytest_asyncio
+from httpx import AsyncClient
+
+from routstr.core import vault
+from routstr.core.admin import admin_sessions
+from routstr.core.db import AsyncSession, get_secret
+from routstr.core.settings import derive_npub_from_nsec, settings
+
+# A valid 64-char hex private key (accepted by nsec_to_keypair, as in bootstrap).
+NSEC_HEX = "1" * 64
+
+
+@pytest_asyncio.fixture
+async def admin_client(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> AsyncGenerator[AsyncClient, None]:
+    """An integration_client pre-authenticated with an admin session token."""
+    token = secrets.token_urlsafe(24)
+    admin_sessions[token] = int(time.time()) + 3600
+    integration_client.headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {token}"
+    yield integration_client
+    admin_sessions.pop(token, None)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_update_nsec_stores_encrypted_and_derives_npub(
+    admin_client: AsyncClient,
+    integration_session: AsyncSession,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "nsec", "")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "npub", "")
+
+    resp = await admin_client.patch("/admin/api/nsec", json={"nsec": NSEC_HEX})
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+
+    expected_npub = derive_npub_from_nsec(NSEC_HEX)
+    assert resp.json() == {"ok": True, "npub": expected_npub}
+
+    # Stored encrypted at rest, decryptable back to the original key.
+    integration_session.expunge_all()
+    secret = await get_secret(integration_session)
+    assert secret.encrypted_nsec is not None
+    assert vault.is_encrypted(secret.encrypted_nsec)
+    assert vault.decrypt(secret.encrypted_nsec) == NSEC_HEX
+
+    # Live runtime identity updated so Nostr signing reflects it without restart.
+    assert settings.nsec == NSEC_HEX
+    assert settings.npub == expected_npub
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_update_nsec_rejects_invalid_key(
+    admin_client: AsyncClient,
+    integration_session: AsyncSession,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "nsec", "")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "npub", "")
+
+    resp = await admin_client.patch(
+        "/admin/api/nsec", json={"nsec": "not-a-real-nsec"}
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+
+    # Nothing stored, live identity untouched.
+    integration_session.expunge_all()
+    secret = await get_secret(integration_session)
+    assert secret.encrypted_nsec is None
+    assert settings.nsec == ""
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_update_nsec_clears_identity_with_empty_value(
+    admin_client: AsyncClient,
+    integration_session: AsyncSession,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    # Start from a node that has an identity...
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "nsec", "")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "npub", "")
+    set_resp = await admin_client.patch("/admin/api/nsec", json={"nsec": NSEC_HEX})
+    assert set_resp.status_code == 200
+
+    # ...then clear it.
+    clear_resp = await admin_client.patch("/admin/api/nsec", json={"nsec": ""})
+    assert clear_resp.status_code == 200
+    assert clear_resp.json() == {"ok": True, "npub": ""}
+
+    integration_session.expunge_all()
+    secret = await get_secret(integration_session)
+    assert secret.encrypted_nsec is None
+    assert settings.nsec == ""
+    assert settings.npub == ""

tests/integration/test_admin_settings_endpoint.py

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+"""Tests for the admin settings endpoint's handling of secrets (issue #553).
+
+``admin_password`` is no longer a settings field (it lives only as a one-way
+hash in the Secret store), so it must never appear in the GET/PATCH payloads.
+``nsec`` and ``upstream_api_key`` remain live in-memory runtime values but are
+redacted on read and ignored on write — they cannot be set through the general
+settings endpoint, only through their dedicated rotation paths.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import secrets
+import time
+from collections.abc import AsyncGenerator
+
+import pytest
+import pytest_asyncio
+from httpx import AsyncClient
+
+from routstr.core.admin import admin_sessions
+from routstr.core.db import AsyncSession
+from routstr.core.settings import SettingsService, settings
+
+
+@pytest_asyncio.fixture
+async def admin_client(
+    integration_client: AsyncClient,
+) -> AsyncGenerator[AsyncClient, None]:
+    """An integration_client pre-authenticated with an admin session token."""
+    token = secrets.token_urlsafe(24)
+    admin_sessions[token] = int(time.time()) + 3600
+    integration_client.headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {token}"
+    yield integration_client
+    admin_sessions.pop(token, None)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_get_settings_omits_admin_password_and_redacts_secrets(
+    admin_client: AsyncClient, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "nsec", "nsec-secret")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "upstream_api_key", "sk-secret")
+
+    resp = await admin_client.get("/admin/api/settings")
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+
+    data = resp.json()
+    assert "admin_password" not in data
+    assert data["nsec"] == "[REDACTED]"
+    assert data["upstream_api_key"] == "[REDACTED]"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_patch_settings_ignores_secret_fields(
+    admin_client: AsyncClient,
+    integration_session: AsyncSession,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    # The PATCH path persists through SettingsService, which needs an
+    # initialized current snapshot and a settings row in the shared test DB.
+    await SettingsService.initialize(integration_session)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "nsec", "original-nsec")
+
+    resp = await admin_client.patch(
+        "/admin/api/settings",
+        json={
+            "name": "Renamed",
+            "nsec": "attacker-nsec",
+            "upstream_api_key": "attacker-key",
+            "admin_password": "attacker-pw",
+        },
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+
+    data = resp.json()
+    assert data["name"] == "Renamed"
+    assert "admin_password" not in data
+    assert data["nsec"] == "[REDACTED]"
+    # The live secret was not overwritten through the general settings endpoint.
+    assert settings.nsec == "original-nsec"

ui/components/settings/admin-settings.tsx

@@ -116,9 +116,24 @@ export function AdminSettings() {
       setSaving(true);
       setError('');
 
-      const updatedData = await AdminService.updateSettings(settings);
-      setSettings(updatedData as SettingsData);
-      setInitialSettings(updatedData as SettingsData);
+      // The nsec is a secret with its own endpoint (the general settings PATCH
+      // strips it); only send it when the operator actually changed it, so an
+      // untouched redacted value is never written back. The npub is derived
+      // server-side from the new nsec — fold it into the settings payload so the
+      // persisted blob stays consistent with the stored key.
+      let settingsPayload = settings;
+      if (hasFieldChanged('nsec')) {
+        const result = await AdminService.updateNsec(
+          (settings.nsec as string) || ''
+        );
+        settingsPayload = { ...settings, npub: result.npub };
+      }
+
+      const updatedData = (await AdminService.updateSettings(
+        settingsPayload
+      )) as SettingsData;
+      setSettings(updatedData);
+      setInitialSettings(updatedData);
       toast.success('Settings saved successfully');
     } catch (err) {
       const message =
@@ -140,8 +155,8 @@ export function AdminSettings() {
         return;
       }
 
-      if (passwordData.new_password.length < 6) {
-        setPasswordError('New password must be at least 6 characters');
+      if (passwordData.new_password.length < 8) {
+        setPasswordError('New password must be at least 8 characters');
         return;
       }
 
@@ -944,7 +959,7 @@ export function AdminSettings() {
                     new_password: e.target.value,
                   }))
                 }
-                placeholder='Enter new password (min 6 characters)'
+                placeholder='Enter new password (min 8 characters)'
               />
             </div>
 

ui/lib/api/services/admin.ts

@@ -801,6 +801,15 @@ export class AdminService {
     );
   }
 
+  static async updateNsec(
+    nsec: string
+  ): Promise<{ ok: boolean; npub: string }> {
+    return await apiClient.patch<{ ok: boolean; npub: string }>(
+      '/admin/api/nsec',
+      { nsec }
+    );
+  }
+
   static async login(password: string): Promise<{
     ok: boolean;
     token: string;