ecryptfs and password

[James McKenzie]

On 5/1/11 5:18 PM, Bill Davidsen wrote:
> Gregory Hosler wrote:
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>> On 04/25/2011 09:48 AM, Digimer wrote:
>>> On 04/24/2011 09:46 PM, ssc1478 wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I'm new to Fedora - been using Ubuntu for years.  I just installed
>>>> Fedora 14 to my laptop and selected to encrypt /home.
>>>>
>>>> When I boot, I have to enter the password for the encrypted directory.
>>>>    Did I set it up wrong?  I didn't expect to have to enter the password
>>>> at boot but instead thought the login password would be enough.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks!
>>>>
>>>> Phil
>>> It encrypts the partition, so when the system tries to mount /etc/fstab
>>> partitions, of which /home is likely one, it requires the password then.
>> alternately, you can setup /etc/crypttab so that the password is not entered
>> manually.
>>
> This adds no security at all from the encryption. The only reason to use
> encryption and then build in the pass phrase is to allow you to claim that the
> data was encrypted if you lose the machine, therefore giving you legal cover if
> the data you lost belongs to customers. I can't decide if that's a sleazy legal
> trick to provide cover without the effort to have security, or if it just shows
> how little the average user knows about security in the first place.
False security is worse than no security at all.  Never store a 
passphrase on a readable device.  It should be stored in the brain, just 
like passwords and such.  BTW, this would never pass a security 
inspection at any of the places I've worked at.

James McKenzie