Configure Maven

How to create a master password

Use the following command line:

mvn --encrypt-master-password

Maven should request your ‘master’ password, this can be anything unique and is used as a salt to encrypt your other passwords. This command will produce an encrypted version of the password, something like

{jSMOWnoPFgsHVpMvz5VrIt5kRbzGpI8u+9EF1iFQyJQ=}

Store this password in the ${user.home}/.m2/settings-security.xml it should look like

<settingsSecurity>
  <master>{jSMOWnoPFgsHVpMvz5VrIt5kRbzGpI8u+9EF1iFQyJQ=}</master>
</settingsSecurity>

When this is done, you can start encrypting existing server passwords.

Deploy GitHub M2 Settings file.

Each project contains github actions which reference a M2 Settings file. This file is used so the build system knows where to to look for project dependencies. Copy this file to ${user.home}/.m2/settings.xml. Github actions injects usernames and passwords as environment variables. The server section:

<server>
  <id>github</id>
  <username>${env.GITHUB_USER}</username>
  <password>${env.GITHUB_TOKEN}</password>
</server>

Needs to be updated with your credentials. All instances of${env.GITHUB_USER} should be replaced with your GitHub Username. Next we need to generate a Personal Access Token so it can be encrypted and stored.

Creating a personal access token

Personal access tokens (PATs) are an alternative to using passwords for authentication to GitHub when using the GitHub API or the command line.

• In a web browser open GitHub
• On GitHub verify your email address, if it hasn't been verified yet.
• In the upper-right corner of any page, click your profile photo, then click Settings. Settings icon in the user bar
• In the left sidebar, click Developer settings. Developer settings
• In the left sidebar, click Personal access tokens. Personal access tokens
• Click Generate new token. Generate new token button
• Give your token a descriptive name. Token description field
• To give your token an expiration, select the Expiration drop-down menu, then click a default or use the calendar picker. Token expiration field
• Select the scopes, or permissions, you'd like to grant this token. To use your token to access repositories from the command line, select repo.
• Click Generate token.

Make note of the token we will encrypt it in the next step and it is not shown again.

How to encrypt server passwords

Now we have a personal access token we can use as a password we need to encrypt it to use on the device. This is achieved using the following command:

mvn --encrypt-password

A dialog will appear asking for the password, please use the personal access token value. This command produces an encrypted version of it, something like

{COQLCE6DU6GtcS5P=}

Within your M2 Settings file ${user.home}/.m2/settings.xml you will find a number of server elements like the following:

<server>
  <id>github</id>
  <username>${env.GITHUB_USER}</username>
  <password>${env.GITHUB_TOKEN}</password>
</server>

Replace all instances of ${env.GITHUB_TOKEN} with the encrypted password you generated in the previous steps.