1

Is there a tool like the Bitlocker to encrypt the whole Ubuntu partition? To be more specific every time I try to boot in the Windows partition a Bitlocker screen shows up and asks me to insert a password. Is it possible to do the same in Ubuntu?

und3rd06012
  • 1,449
  • 3
  • 27
  • 41

1 Answers1

2

Yes.

Could use whole-disk encryption like LUKS/dm-crypt/cryptsetup, or file/folder (like home folder) encryption with eCryptfs or EncFS. See their man pages for more info.

Here's an excellent overview/guide from Arch, I'm 98% sure the tools are available in Ubuntu/Debian too: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Disk_encryption

Here's some other Questions that are related. It seems that enabling whole-disk dm-crypt style encryption after installing is at least very difficult, apparently it's easier to do a fresh install with full disk encryption

Community
  • 1
Xen2050
  • 8,705
  • Without doing format and reinstallation of Ubuntu? – und3rd06012 Dec 13 '14 at 17:34
  • Is it possible to give a step by step tutorial because I think I will do something that I will regret. – und3rd06012 Dec 13 '14 at 17:44
  • 1
    encryping your home foldler only with ecryptfs should be possible, with ecryptfs-migrate-home. I think there are guides to encrypt the whole disk without re-installing, but it may be just as easy (if not easier) to re-install with full encryption. I don't have a guide handy, but there should be good info on askubuntu somewhere, or a reliable guide from Ubuntu's own help pages, or a distribution like Debian (Ubuntu's based on it) and arch has great help web pages too on https://wiki.archlinux.org I didn't think there was anything worth keeping secret in the whole system drive so haven't used – Xen2050 Dec 14 '14 at 02:07
  • Thank you all for help and attention. I' ll see what I can find. – und3rd06012 Dec 14 '14 at 09:33
  • @underdog012 I've added the direct link to the arch wiki, excellent overview of encryption types available, and 2 other related Q's about adding full disk encryption after installing - basically can't. The Ubuntu installer should have an easy way to encrypt when it installs. – Xen2050 Dec 14 '14 at 10:57
  • I found related questions as well but all they say is what you just told me.It's impossible to do it without reinstallation.I saw a user how was suggesting a solution but I think it's very hard to do it since you have start transferring data to a safe place and then start the encryption process and then migrate your data again. So to sum up it's practically impossible to do it. – und3rd06012 Dec 14 '14 at 11:02
  • 1
    If you already have Ubuntu installed, you can backup your current home folder, and use it on a new installed system, almost all of your settings are in your home, that's pretty good... Or to encrypt just your home now, there's ecryptfs-migrate-home – Xen2050 Dec 14 '14 at 11:10
  • Yes,but what about the programs that I have installed? :) It's a huge hassle for me to reinstall everything because the programs that I have installed are quite large and the take to time to install. – und3rd06012 Dec 14 '14 at 12:09
  • There's a somewhat "easy" solution to save a list of installed packages http://askubuntu.com/a/99151 But a fresh install could be an opportunity to do a clean upgrade too... – Xen2050 Dec 14 '14 at 12:19
  • Can the solution that you show backup programs that are out of the software center? Programs like the newest Eclipse,Anjuta,Qt Creator,Cuda Toolkit,Intel Parallel studio,etc...? – und3rd06012 Dec 14 '14 at 12:35
  • 1
    It should save anything installed with apt or dpkg, and Software center uses apt so yes. It would not backup programs installed from downloaded tar.gz files and just copied into place though, and not all config files are in your home folder, but I think some of the linked answers might mention that? Lots of answers in that page – Xen2050 Dec 14 '14 at 12:42
  • Once again thanks for your valuable help.I am going to give it a try. – und3rd06012 Dec 14 '14 at 12:50
  • No problem! Feel free to select/check-mark/upvote my answer if it helped :) – Xen2050 Dec 14 '14 at 12:55