[kwlug-disc] Encrypted file systems

[Paul Nijjar]

On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 04:37:46PM -0700, Raul Suarez wrote:

> My first thought was to set up a partition with an encrypted file
> system in an external drive for him to put the private files there.
> This way he can have logical and physical security.
> 
> This computer is dual boot: Ubuntu 8.04 LTS / Windows XP Home  and
> ideally he wants to be able to access the files from either OS.
> 
> What encryption method or mechanism do you think would work better
> for him? If there aren't any cross platform, which one would be the
> best to do it in Linux?

We use TrueCrypt for our staff. It is cross platform. Source is
available and you may use it to create derivative works, but several
distributions (Fedora, Debian) classify it as non-free. 

I am not sure what the licencing status is currently. Here is a
discussion from 2008: 

http://www.mail-archive.com/distributions@lists.freedesktop.org/msg00274.html

We mostly use TrueCrypt to make file containers on USB keys. It is
possible to make encrypted disk partitions, but I have not done this.

One big selling point is that it is pretty easy to use. After an
orientation session or two, most of the users I have worked with have
"gotten it". 

http://www.truecrypt.org

- Paul