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SubjectRe: Userland encrypted filesystem that root cannot access.
On Mon, Feb 21, 2000 at 09:00:32AM +0000, Glenn McGrath wrote:
> Im just a bit out of my depth here, but would it be possible to have
> encrypted memory ?
> Like the physical memory is encrypted but it is mapped to virtual memory
> which is unencrypted, to get to this secure virtual memory, you would
> have to use a special encryption module.
> This may narrow the security risk to how the encryption module behaves
> within the kernel.
> I though of this when remember ages ago there was "ram doubler" software
> for other operating systems that compressed memory, they allowed
> programs to reside in memmory in compresed form.

Right, except that that compressed RAM is decompressed whenever it is
used in a working space or in cache. The same would have to be true
of the encrypted RAM, a small amount of it would be decrypted in RAM
whenever it is being used and so root would be able to copy those bits
that are decrypted and re-assemble it later, if root didn't find the
key cached in RAM first.

> Like i said, im out of my depth, maybe this would be just shifting the
> problem, i hope im not just demonstrating my ignorance.

It doesn't hurt to be creative and ask questions...

> Thanks
>
> Glenn McGrath
>
> "H. Peter Anvin" wrote:
> >
> > Grendel wrote:
> > > >
> > > > While mounted? No. Root has access to the entire machine and
> > > Why not? Just never decrypt data on fs read. Feed the client with encrypted
> > > data and leave it to them to decrypt it.
> > >
> >
> > Then it's not an encrypted **FILESYSTEM**. Application level encryption
> > is a whole other matter. Even so, root can intercept the client process
> > and read the data out of its memory.
> >
> > -hpa
> >
> > -
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>
> -
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slainte mhath, RGB
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