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24 lines
1.4 KiB
Text
24 lines
1.4 KiB
Text
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[id='con_introduction-to-luks_{context}']
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== Introduction to LUKS
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Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS) is a specification for block device encryption. It establishes an on-disk format for the data, as well as a `passphrase/key` management policy.
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LUKS uses the kernel device mapper subsystem with the `dm-crypt` module. This arrangement provides a low-level mapping that handles encryption and decryption of the device data. You can use the `cryptsetup` utility to perform user-level operations such as creating and accessing encrypted devices.
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.Advantages of using LUKS
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* LUKS encrypts entire block devices and can be used for protecting the contents of mobile devices such as removable storage media and laptop disk drives.
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* The underlying content of the encrypted block device are arbitrary making it useful for encrypting `swap` devices. This is also useful fir databases that use specifically formatted block devices for data storage.
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* LUKS uses the existing device mapper kernel subsystem. This is the same subsystem used by LVM, so it is well tested.
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* LUKS provides passphrase strengthenin which protects against dictionary attacks.
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* LUKS devices contain multiple key slots allowing users to add backup keys and passphrases.
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.Disadvantages of using LUKS
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* LUKS is not useful for applications requiring many (more than eight) users to have distinct access keys to the same device.
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* LUKS does not work for applications requiring file-level encryption.
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