What is LUKS ( Linux Unified Key Setup) disk encryption and how can it be implemented?
Environment
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5, 6, 7, 8 , 9
Issue
- What is LUKS? cryptsetup? dm-crypt?
- What is the difference between cryptsetup plain and cryptsetup LUKS?
- What packages are required for LUKS in Red Hat Enterprise Linux?
- How can LUKS HDD-encryption be accomplished in Red Hat Enterprise Linux?
- What cipher does LUKS use to encrypt a disk?
- How big are the encryption keys LUKS uses? Can this be changed?
- Why do devices encrypted with cryptsetup use a different mode than devices encrypted at install-time?
Resolution
WARNING! Encrypting a block device, logical device, or partition containing any existing filesystem or data results in all on-disk data being wiped from the device during the encryption process. Make sure you backup your data to an external source before beginning this procedure! You will need to restore the backed up files to the newly encrypted filesystem post encryption.
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Targeted solutions:
- "How to configure encrypted storage with LUKS using passphrases"
- "How to configure encrypted storage with LUKS using exportable keys instead of passphrases"
- "How to add a passphrase, key, or keyfile to an existing LUKS device"
- "How to extend a LUKS encrypted volume"
- "How to extend a volgroup and filesystem backed by LUKS-formatted encrypted physical volumes"
- "How to change cipher, key-size, hash, master key of existing LUKS device"
- "How can a specific directory on a filesystem be encrypted?"
- "How to configure encrypted swap"
- "How to recover lost LUKS key or passphrase"
- "How to have a root LUKS partition decrypted without a password"
- "How to create LUKS-Encrypted image and mount it at boot"
- "How to encrypt root volume group online using
LUKSin RHEL?"
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In-depth knowledge article for additional answers:
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Product documentation references:
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4 Comments
When will RHEL officially support "in-place" support for LUKS? (ie. without requiring a backup/reformat/restore approach) There is a project called luksipc that appears to successfully perform an "in-place" conversion: https://www.johannes-bauer.com/linux/luksipc/ and https://github.com/johndoe31415/luksipc. Any chance this project could be /tested/included with RHEL in a future release?
This would be a very useful feature.
Yes!!! An "in-;oace" conversion would be fantastic!!!
These two links:
RHEL6 Security Guide: LUKS Disk Encryption
RHEL7 Security Guide: Using LUKS Disk Encryption
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