keyring.set_value Returns None Using Default Backend

[rahilmansuri1]

Issue: keyring.set_value Returns None Using Default Backend

When using keyring.set_value() to store a password without explicitly specifying a backend, the default backend selected is keyring.backends.null.Keyring, which results in the value being stored as None. This happens despite the system having a valid keyring service (Seahorse) managing secrets.

However, when I manually specify the SecretService backend in the code, the password is stored and retrieved correctly. The default backend should ideally select a working backend without requiring manual intervention.

How I Get This Error

Steps to encounter the behavior:

1. Use the following code snippet to store and retrieve a secret using the default backend:

   import keyring as kr
   
   APP_NAME = 'Keyring-test'
   TEST_KEY = "test_key"
   test_value = "Hello, I am keyring test value"
   
   # Set a value using the default backend
   kr.set_password(APP_NAME, TEST_KEY, test_value)
   
   # Retrieve the value
   retrieved_value = kr.get_password(APP_NAME, TEST_KEY)
   print(f"Retrieved value: {retrieved_value}")

2. Run the code on a system using Gnome 43.9 (Wayland) with Seahorse handling secrets.

3. Observe that retrieved_value is None, despite expecting it to return the stored test_value.

4. Now, try the same code with a specific backend (which works correctly):

   import keyring as kr
   from keyring.backends import SecretService
   
   APP_NAME = 'Keyring-test'
   TEST_KEY = "test_key_with_specific_backend"
   test_value = "Hello, I am keyring test value with specific backend"
   
   # Set a specific backend
   backend = SecretService.Keyring()
   kr.set_keyring(backend)
   
   # Store the value using the specific backend
   kr.set_password(APP_NAME, TEST_KEY, test_value)
   
   # Retrieve the value
   retrieved_value = kr.get_password(APP_NAME, TEST_KEY)
   print(f"Retrieved value: {retrieved_value}")

5. Observe that when using the specific backend, the value is stored and retrieved correctly.

Expected Behavior

The keyring library should automatically select a functional backend (e.g., SecretService or Gnome Keyring) when no backend is explicitly specified. The stored value should be retrievable using the default backend configuration.

Environment

• OS: debian 12 (xfce as desktop environment)
• Backend: Seahorse (handles secrets)
• Keyring Version: keyring 25.3.0

Additional Context

Here’s the result I observed with the default and specific backends:

--- Setting and Retrieving Value Without Specific Backend ---
Using backend: keyring.backends.null.Keyring (priority: -1)
Password set successfully for key: test_key
Using backend: keyring.backends.null.Keyring (priority: -1)
Value retrieved for key 'test_key': None

--- Setting and Retrieving Value With Specific Backend ---
Current backend: keyring.backends.SecretService.Keyring (priority: 5)
Password set successfully for key: test_key_with_specific_backend
Retrieved password: Hello, I am keyring test value with specific backend

The issue occurs when keyring.get_keyring() defaults to keyring.backends.null.Keyring, which has a priority of -1 and does not store secrets. Manually selecting SecretService.Keyring resolves the issue.

List of the backends :

• keyring.backends.fail.Keyring (priority: 0)
• keyring.backends.SecretService.Keyring (priority: 5)
• keyring.backends.chainer.ChainerBackend (priority: -1)

[jaraco]

Based on the priorities reported, keyring.backends.SecretService.Keyring should be the default backend. Moreover, the null.Keyring should only be selected when specifically configured, such as through Disabling Keyring. You should double-check that you don't have that environment variable set or have the null.Keyring configured.