Comments on: On-the-fly Encryption with TrueCrypt http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/ Open Source, Open Standards Sat, 05 Oct 2013 13:48:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: id435 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5895 id435 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5895 Perfect timing! I've just been asked to look at file encryption today. Perfect timing! I’ve just been asked to look at file encryption today.

]]> By: gerlos http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5896 gerlos Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5896 There is also encfs... it does not create a encrypted volume, so you don't are limited by the dimension of the encrypted volume, and it's good if you don't need to hide the existence of the encrypted files... I use it with gmailfs to backup some important data on gmail.<br /> <br /> But obviously if you need portability on windows and mac os x and if you need to hide the existence of the encrypted files, truecrypt is better. There is also encfs… it does not create a encrypted volume, so you don’t are limited by the dimension of the encrypted volume, and it’s good if you don’t need to hide the existence of the encrypted files… I use it with gmailfs to backup some important data on gmail.

But obviously if you need portability on windows and mac os x and if you need to hide the existence of the encrypted files, truecrypt is better.

]]> By: mski35 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5897 mski35 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5897 Since I'm going on a business trip for 10 days and will need my laptop I will definitely look into this further as a viable option for protection. Since I’m going on a business trip for 10 days and will need my laptop I will definitely look into this further as a viable option for protection.

]]> By: corktowner http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5898 corktowner Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5898 Well I gave this a try and I keep getting prompted for an 'administrator password' when none has been set up. Wasn't even asked to set one up and cannot find where to add one. Well I gave this a try and I keep getting prompted for an ‘administrator password’ when none has been set up. Wasn’t even asked to set one up and cannot find where to add one.

]]> By: shekharc http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5899 shekharc Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5899 sorry but I have a question. What if I upgrade the OS or change the OS?! Will I still be able to access my encrypted data on the drive and will be able to decrypt it?! sorry but I have a question. What if I upgrade the OS or change the OS?! Will I still be able to access my encrypted data on the drive and will be able to decrypt it?!

]]> By: henniebriel http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5900 henniebriel Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5900 Yes. I share data between vista and kubuntu. No problem.<br /> Great application!! Yes. I share data between vista and kubuntu. No problem.
Great application!!

]]> By: mhelander http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5901 mhelander Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5901 If traveling a lot, why not install [K]ubuntu[-8.04] with optional dm-crypt/luks/aes256 encryption from alternate install media ?<br /> <br /> Works right from the box, related information has been available sans 2002 (albeit _much_ more complicated).<br /> <br /> And you can use same encryption scheme to portable storage and GUI (both Gnome and KDE in Kubuntu-8.04) recognized those and prompt for password prior to mounting.<br /> <br /> FreeOTFE provides Windows software to share these encrypted medias with Windows (haven't tried that personally).<br /> <br /> Cheers,<br /> -Mika If traveling a lot, why not install [K]ubuntu[-8.04] with optional dm-crypt/luks/aes256 encryption from alternate install media ?

Works right from the box, related information has been available sans 2002 (albeit _much_ more complicated).

And you can use same encryption scheme to portable storage and GUI (both Gnome and KDE in Kubuntu-8.04) recognized those and prompt for password prior to mounting.

FreeOTFE provides Windows software to share these encrypted medias with Windows (haven’t tried that personally).

Cheers,
-Mika

]]> By: ahri http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5902 ahri Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5902 I found that encfs (a FUSE application) was easier to use, and you're not limited by the rather annoying startup hinderance; "how big do I make my encrypted partition?".<br /> <br /> http://www.arg0.net/encfs allows you to mount an encrypted filesystem in userspace and just add stuff on the fly; the only limit is the size of the partition under which you're hosting the encrypted files.<br /> <br /> Having said that I use TrueCrypt all the time in Windows, so I suppose it's a matter of taste. TrueCrypt *may* be faster, too, although I have no benchmarks to prove that. I found that encfs (a FUSE application) was easier to use, and you’re not limited by the rather annoying startup hinderance; “how big do I make my encrypted partition?”.

http://www.arg0.net/encfs allows you to mount an encrypted filesystem in userspace and just add stuff on the fly; the only limit is the size of the partition under which you’re hosting the encrypted files.

Having said that I use TrueCrypt all the time in Windows, so I suppose it’s a matter of taste. TrueCrypt *may* be faster, too, although I have no benchmarks to prove that.

]]> By: myszek123 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5903 myszek123 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5903 FreeOTFE does something a bit different as far as i can remember. It does not encrypte the file itself but the data about the file in the MFT or FAT table... It is waaay faster and consumes mUUCH less battery life form notebook. But i'd say it's less secure because of that... doesn't offer hidden partitions as far as I can remember and I had problems with getting it to work on some windows machines (but the OS was NLIGHTed so possibly because of that..) FreeOTFE does something a bit different as far as i can remember. It does not encrypte the file itself but the data about the file in the MFT or FAT table… It is waaay faster and consumes mUUCH less battery life form notebook. But i’d say it’s less secure because of that… doesn’t offer hidden partitions as far as I can remember and I had problems with getting it to work on some windows machines (but the OS was NLIGHTed so possibly because of that..)

]]> By: jm_hannon http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5904 jm_hannon Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5904 (1) What file system did you choose? I was given a choice of "FAT" or "None".<br /> <br /> (2) When I mounted the encrypted file system (via truecrypt) only the root user had ANY access to the files in the container, and I couldn't find a way to change that behavior. Is there some way to allow others to access the files?<br /> <br /> (3) The files in the container are, for practical purposes, unencrypted for the root user (or whoever owns the container). If my system gets cracked, how does the encryption protect me?<br /> <br /> (4) This approach seems to fit the model of a laptop, more than a desktop or server system. (1) What file system did you choose? I was given a choice of “FAT” or “None”.

(2) When I mounted the encrypted file system (via truecrypt) only the root user had ANY access to the files in the container, and I couldn’t find a way to change that behavior. Is there some way to allow others to access the files?

(3) The files in the container are, for practical purposes, unencrypted for the root user (or whoever owns the container). If my system gets cracked, how does the encryption protect me?

(4) This approach seems to fit the model of a laptop, more than a desktop or server system.

]]> By: malcarada http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5905 malcarada Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5905 Truecrypt is a great program but they do not support whole disk encryption in Linux and they support that for Windows users.<br /> <br /> This is not the way to go for open source software, encouraging people to use Windows giving them more features on that platform. Truecrypt is a great program but they do not support whole disk encryption in Linux and they support that for Windows users.

This is not the way to go for open source software, encouraging people to use Windows giving them more features on that platform.

]]> By: meeas http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5906 meeas Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5906 Third vote for ENCFS. And Gerlos, it works on MAC OSX as well. Just not Windows...... But maybe that will happen once Fuse is fully ported over to Windows.<br /> <br /> For everyone else, if you haven't checked it out, you can read more at:<br /> <br /> http://www.arg0.net/encfsintro Third vote for ENCFS. And Gerlos, it works on MAC OSX as well. Just not Windows…… But maybe that will happen once Fuse is fully ported over to Windows.

For everyone else, if you haven’t checked it out, you can read more at:

http://www.arg0.net/encfsintro

]]> By: samil http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5907 samil Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7177/#comment-5907 I did not get it. Why when a partition or a device is encrypted all data is lost??? I might be missing something, but if it means that the existing data residing on the disk can not be encrypted without loss, what is the benefit? <br /> My company used zecurion for encrypting server data on linux and windows servers(both backup and storage) and the software encrypted all of the existing data without loss. check them out ... http://www.zecurion.com/software-products.php I did not get it. Why when a partition or a device is encrypted all data is lost??? I might be missing something, but if it means that the existing data residing on the disk can not be encrypted without loss, what is the benefit?
My company used zecurion for encrypting server data on linux and windows servers(both backup and storage) and the software encrypted all of the existing data without loss. check them out … http://www.zecurion.com/software-products.php

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