Note to first-time contributors: Please open a discussion post in Discussions to discuss your idea/fix with the community before creating a pull request, and describe your changes before submitting a pull request.
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Before submitting, make sure you've checked the following:
Target branch: Verify that the pull request targets the dev branch. PRs targeting main will be immediately closed.
Description: Provide a concise description of the changes made in this pull request down below.
Changelog: Ensure a changelog entry following the format of Keep a Changelog is added at the bottom of the PR description.
Documentation: Add docs in Open WebUI Docs Repository. Document user-facing behavior, environment variables, public APIs/interfaces, or deployment steps.
Dependencies: Are there any new or upgraded dependencies? If so, explain why, update the changelog/docs, and include any compatibility notes. Actually run the code/function that uses updated library to ensure it doesn't crash.
Testing: Perform manual tests to verify the implemented fix/feature works as intended AND does not break any other functionality. Include reproducible steps to demonstrate the issue before the fix. Test edge cases (URL encoding, HTML entities, types). Take this as an opportunity to make screenshots of the feature/fix and include them in the PR description.
Agentic AI Code: Confirm this Pull Request is not written by any AI Agent or has at least gone through additional human review AND manual testing. If any AI Agent is the co-author of this PR, it may lead to immediate closure of the PR.
Code review: Have you performed a self-review of your code, addressing any coding standard issues and ensuring adherence to the project's coding standards?
Design & Architecture: Prefer smart defaults over adding new settings; use local state for ephemeral UI logic. Open a Discussion for major architectural or UX changes.
Git Hygiene: Keep PRs atomic (one logical change). Clean up commits and rebase on dev to ensure no unrelated commits (e.g. from main) are included. Push updates to the existing PR branch instead of closing and reopening.
Title Prefix: To clearly categorize this pull request, prefix the pull request title using one of the following:
BREAKING CHANGE: Significant changes that may affect compatibility
build: Changes that affect the build system or external dependencies
ci: Changes to our continuous integration processes or workflows
chore: Refactor, cleanup, or other non-functional code changes
docs: Documentation update or addition
feat: Introduces a new feature or enhancement to the codebase
fix: Bug fix or error correction
i18n: Internationalization or localization changes
perf: Performance improvement
refactor: Code restructuring for better maintainability, readability, or scalability
style: Changes that do not affect the meaning of the code (white space, formatting, missing semi-colons, etc.)
test: Adding missing tests or correcting existing tests
WIP: Work in progress, a temporary label for incomplete or ongoing work
Changelog Entry
Description
User valves (per-user API keys and configuration for tools and functions) are stored as plaintext JSON in the user.settings column in the database. This is a security concern since valve values often contain sensitive data such as API keys. This PR adds Fernet symmetric encryption at the model layer so user valve data is encrypted at rest, while remaining fully transparent to the API and UI layers.
backend/open_webui/utils/crypto.py — Fernet-based encrypt_user_valves() and decrypt_user_valves() helpers, using WEBUI_SECRET_KEY for encryption with automatic key derivation
Migration 019_encrypt_user_valves.py to encrypt all existing plaintext valve data in-place on upgrade using raw SQL (avoids Peewee ORM schema mismatches)
Backward compatibility: decrypt_user_valves() transparently handles both legacy plaintext dicts and encrypted strings, so no data loss occurs during the transition
Changed
backend/open_webui/models/tools.py — get_user_valves_by_id_and_user_id() now decrypts on read; update_user_valves_by_id_and_user_id() now encrypts on write
backend/open_webui/models/functions.py — Same encrypt-on-write / decrypt-on-read wiring for function user valves
Deprecated
N/A
Removed
N/A
Fixed
N/A
Security
User valve values (API keys, tokens, credentials) are now encrypted at rest using Fernet symmetric encryption, reducing exposure in the event of a database dump or unauthorized database access
Follows the same encryption pattern already used by OAuth session tokens (oauth_sessions.py) and OAuth client info (oauth.py) in the codebase
Breaking Changes
N/A — fully backward compatible. Existing plaintext valve data is read transparently and encrypted on next write or during migration 019.
Additional Information
No new dependencies — uses cryptography library which is already a project dependency (used by OAuth encryption)
Uses WEBUI_SECRET_KEY directly for encryption, consistent with the existing OAuth encryption pattern
Migration 019 uses raw SQL (SELECT id, settings FROM "user") instead of the Peewee ORM to avoid schema mismatch issues with columns that may have been added or removed between versions
Screenshots or Videos
N/A (backend-only change, no UI modifications)
Contributor License Agreement
By submitting this pull request, I confirm that I have read and fully agree to the Contributor License Agreement (CLA), and I am providing my contributions under its terms.
Note
Deleting the CLA section will lead to immediate closure of your PR and it will not be merged in.
🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.
## 📋 Pull Request Information
**Original PR:** https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/pull/23721
**Author:** [@ethan-l-geotab](https://github.com/ethan-l-geotab)
**Created:** 4/14/2026
**Status:** 🔄 Open
**Base:** `dev` ← **Head:** `feature/encrypt-user-valves`
---
### 📝 Commits (4)
- [`8cf75e5`](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/commit/8cf75e5c18bb26763b5979b9586cadad522ca93a) feat: encrypt user valve values at rest using Fernet
- [`8c06fd5`](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/commit/8c06fd5bb3248aa20a0970b6669a688b4af4d1e0) Update 019_encrypt_user_valves.py
- [`a789201`](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/commit/a789201bfe09ca7eeefad76263c04b16878f2177) fix: address review feedback for valve encryption
- [`9e8b102`](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/commit/9e8b10215b2d86313524f29c5881adc5c259949e) fix: address second round of review feedback for valve encryption
### 📊 Changes
**4 files changed** (+219 additions, -6 deletions)
<details>
<summary>View changed files</summary>
➕ `backend/open_webui/internal/migrations/019_encrypt_user_valves.py` (+139 -0)
📝 `backend/open_webui/models/functions.py` (+5 -3)
📝 `backend/open_webui/models/tools.py` (+5 -3)
➕ `backend/open_webui/utils/valve_encryption.py` (+70 -0)
</details>
### 📄 Description
<!--
⚠️ CRITICAL CHECKS FOR CONTRIBUTORS (READ, DON'T DELETE) ⚠️
1. Target the `dev` branch. PRs targeting `main` will be automatically closed.
2. Do NOT delete the CLA section at the bottom. It is required for the bot to accept your PR.
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# Pull Request Checklist
### Note to first-time contributors: Please open a discussion post in [Discussions](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/discussions) to discuss your idea/fix with the community before creating a pull request, and describe your changes before submitting a pull request.
This is to ensure large feature PRs are discussed with the community first, before starting work on it. If the community does not want this feature or it is not relevant for Open WebUI as a project, it can be identified in the discussion before working on the feature and submitting the PR.
**Before submitting, make sure you've checked the following:**
- [x] **Target branch:** Verify that the pull request targets the `dev` branch. **PRs targeting `main` will be immediately closed.**
- [x] **Description:** Provide a concise description of the changes made in this pull request down below.
- [x] **Changelog:** Ensure a changelog entry following the format of [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/) is added at the bottom of the PR description.
- [ ] **Documentation:** Add docs in [Open WebUI Docs Repository](https://github.com/open-webui/docs). Document user-facing behavior, environment variables, public APIs/interfaces, or deployment steps.
- [x] **Dependencies:** Are there any new or upgraded dependencies? If so, explain why, update the changelog/docs, and include any compatibility notes. Actually run the code/function that uses updated library to ensure it doesn't crash.
- [x] **Testing:** Perform manual tests to **verify the implemented fix/feature works as intended AND does not break any other functionality**. Include reproducible steps to demonstrate the issue before the fix. Test edge cases (URL encoding, HTML entities, types). Take this as an opportunity to **make screenshots of the feature/fix and include them in the PR description**.
- [x] **Agentic AI Code:** Confirm this Pull Request is **not written by any AI Agent** or has at least **gone through additional human review AND manual testing**. If any AI Agent is the co-author of this PR, it may lead to immediate closure of the PR.
- [x] **Code review:** Have you performed a self-review of your code, addressing any coding standard issues and ensuring adherence to the project's coding standards?
- [x] **Design & Architecture:** Prefer smart defaults over adding new settings; use local state for ephemeral UI logic. Open a Discussion for major architectural or UX changes.
- [x] **Git Hygiene:** Keep PRs atomic (one logical change). Clean up commits and rebase on `dev` to ensure no unrelated commits (e.g. from `main`) are included. Push updates to the existing PR branch instead of closing and reopening.
- [x] **Title Prefix:** To clearly categorize this pull request, prefix the pull request title using one of the following:
- **BREAKING CHANGE**: Significant changes that may affect compatibility
- **build**: Changes that affect the build system or external dependencies
- **ci**: Changes to our continuous integration processes or workflows
- **chore**: Refactor, cleanup, or other non-functional code changes
- **docs**: Documentation update or addition
- **feat**: Introduces a new feature or enhancement to the codebase
- **fix**: Bug fix or error correction
- **i18n**: Internationalization or localization changes
- **perf**: Performance improvement
- **refactor**: Code restructuring for better maintainability, readability, or scalability
- **style**: Changes that do not affect the meaning of the code (white space, formatting, missing semi-colons, etc.)
- **test**: Adding missing tests or correcting existing tests
- **WIP**: Work in progress, a temporary label for incomplete or ongoing work
# Changelog Entry
### Description
User valves (per-user API keys and configuration for tools and functions) are stored as plaintext JSON in the `user.settings` column in the database. This is a security concern since valve values often contain sensitive data such as API keys. This PR adds Fernet symmetric encryption at the model layer so user valve data is encrypted at rest, while remaining fully transparent to the API and UI layers.
Related issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/20852 (complementary — that issue covers UI password masking, this covers at-rest encryption)
### Added
- `backend/open_webui/utils/crypto.py` — Fernet-based `encrypt_user_valves()` and `decrypt_user_valves()` helpers, using `WEBUI_SECRET_KEY` for encryption with automatic key derivation
- Migration `019_encrypt_user_valves.py` to encrypt all existing plaintext valve data in-place on upgrade using raw SQL (avoids Peewee ORM schema mismatches)
- Backward compatibility: `decrypt_user_valves()` transparently handles both legacy plaintext dicts and encrypted strings, so no data loss occurs during the transition
### Changed
- `backend/open_webui/models/tools.py` — `get_user_valves_by_id_and_user_id()` now decrypts on read; `update_user_valves_by_id_and_user_id()` now encrypts on write
- `backend/open_webui/models/functions.py` — Same encrypt-on-write / decrypt-on-read wiring for function user valves
### Deprecated
- N/A
### Removed
- N/A
### Fixed
- N/A
### Security
- User valve values (API keys, tokens, credentials) are now encrypted at rest using Fernet symmetric encryption, reducing exposure in the event of a database dump or unauthorized database access
- Follows the same encryption pattern already used by OAuth session tokens (`oauth_sessions.py`) and OAuth client info (`oauth.py`) in the codebase
### Breaking Changes
- N/A — fully backward compatible. Existing plaintext valve data is read transparently and encrypted on next write or during migration 019.
---
### Additional Information
- No new dependencies — uses `cryptography` library which is already a project dependency (used by OAuth encryption)
- Uses `WEBUI_SECRET_KEY` directly for encryption, consistent with the existing OAuth encryption pattern
- Migration 019 uses raw SQL (`SELECT id, settings FROM "user"`) instead of the Peewee ORM to avoid schema mismatch issues with columns that may have been added or removed between versions
### Screenshots or Videos
- N/A (backend-only change, no UI modifications)
### Contributor License Agreement
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Keep the "Contributor License Agreement" confirmation text intact.
Deleting it will trigger the CLA-Bot to INVALIDATE your PR.
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- [x] By submitting this pull request, I confirm that I have read and fully agree to the [Contributor License Agreement (CLA)](https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/blob/main/CONTRIBUTOR_LICENSE_AGREEMENT), and I am providing my contributions under its terms.
> [!NOTE]
> Deleting the CLA section will lead to immediate closure of your PR and it will not be merged in.
---
<sub>🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.</sub>
Blocking a user prevents them from interacting with repositories, such as opening or commenting on pull requests or issues. Learn more about blocking a user.
📋 Pull Request Information
Original PR: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/pull/23721
Author: @ethan-l-geotab
Created: 4/14/2026
Status: 🔄 Open
Base:
dev← Head:feature/encrypt-user-valves📝 Commits (4)
8cf75e5feat: encrypt user valve values at rest using Fernet8c06fd5Update 019_encrypt_user_valves.pya789201fix: address review feedback for valve encryption9e8b102fix: address second round of review feedback for valve encryption📊 Changes
4 files changed (+219 additions, -6 deletions)
View changed files
➕
backend/open_webui/internal/migrations/019_encrypt_user_valves.py(+139 -0)📝
backend/open_webui/models/functions.py(+5 -3)📝
backend/open_webui/models/tools.py(+5 -3)➕
backend/open_webui/utils/valve_encryption.py(+70 -0)📄 Description
Pull Request Checklist
Note to first-time contributors: Please open a discussion post in Discussions to discuss your idea/fix with the community before creating a pull request, and describe your changes before submitting a pull request.
This is to ensure large feature PRs are discussed with the community first, before starting work on it. If the community does not want this feature or it is not relevant for Open WebUI as a project, it can be identified in the discussion before working on the feature and submitting the PR.
Before submitting, make sure you've checked the following:
devbranch. PRs targetingmainwill be immediately closed.devto ensure no unrelated commits (e.g. frommain) are included. Push updates to the existing PR branch instead of closing and reopening.Changelog Entry
Description
User valves (per-user API keys and configuration for tools and functions) are stored as plaintext JSON in the
user.settingscolumn in the database. This is a security concern since valve values often contain sensitive data such as API keys. This PR adds Fernet symmetric encryption at the model layer so user valve data is encrypted at rest, while remaining fully transparent to the API and UI layers.Related issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/20852 (complementary — that issue covers UI password masking, this covers at-rest encryption)
Added
backend/open_webui/utils/crypto.py— Fernet-basedencrypt_user_valves()anddecrypt_user_valves()helpers, usingWEBUI_SECRET_KEYfor encryption with automatic key derivation019_encrypt_user_valves.pyto encrypt all existing plaintext valve data in-place on upgrade using raw SQL (avoids Peewee ORM schema mismatches)decrypt_user_valves()transparently handles both legacy plaintext dicts and encrypted strings, so no data loss occurs during the transitionChanged
backend/open_webui/models/tools.py—get_user_valves_by_id_and_user_id()now decrypts on read;update_user_valves_by_id_and_user_id()now encrypts on writebackend/open_webui/models/functions.py— Same encrypt-on-write / decrypt-on-read wiring for function user valvesDeprecated
Removed
Fixed
Security
oauth_sessions.py) and OAuth client info (oauth.py) in the codebaseBreaking Changes
Additional Information
cryptographylibrary which is already a project dependency (used by OAuth encryption)WEBUI_SECRET_KEYdirectly for encryption, consistent with the existing OAuth encryption patternSELECT id, settings FROM "user") instead of the Peewee ORM to avoid schema mismatch issues with columns that may have been added or removed between versionsScreenshots or Videos
Contributor License Agreement
🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.