Workshop: Encrypting hard disks with DM-Crypt and LUKS

THE WHOLE DISK

Article from Issue 72/2006
Author(s):

Encrypting a home directory is easy. Encrypting your whole hard disk – including the root filesystem – takes a little more effort.

Encrypting individual filesystems is no big deal; in fact, some distributions allow you to encrypt directories as part of the installation routine. But encrypting the home directory on your laptop is a job half done. Dishonest finders can still draw conclusions from log and configuration files. If you’re serious about providing security through encryption, you need to protect the whole hard disk against spying – something that no distribution can do out of the box. Things start to become more complex if you need to protect the root filesystem. Neither Suse nor Debian Linux give users a tool to help encrypt the root filesystem during the install (or later). That means you’ll need to roll up your shirt sleeves for some hands-on configuration

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Command Line: Encrypting Partitions

    Modern installers offer the option of encryption with just a few clicks, but you might want to take control of the process. We show how to encrypt your partitions safely without sacrificing convenience.

  • Encrypted Filesystems

    If you’re not a security expert and you're looking for a crypto filesystem, you may be wondering about the alternatives. We took at a look at some popular crypto options for Linux.

  • Encrypting Block Devices

    The recent revelations about NSA spying have sparked renewed interest in data encryption. Encrypting at the file level is quick and easy, but if you're looking for an extra dose of protection, try encrypting the whole block device.

  • DM-Crypt

    If you’re serious about keeping secrets, try hard disk encryption with DM-Crypt and LUKS.

  • Encrypting USB Sticks

    How easy is it to lose a USB stick? Why not protect your data just in case the stick falls into unfriendly hands?

comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News