Messages in this thread |  | | Date | Tue, 11 Feb 1997 7:41:12 -0600 | From | "Ray Van Tassle-CRV004" <> | Subject | RE: Encrypted "virtual" disk |
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Unless I'm missing something, the loop device does exactly what you want (except for the timed auto-unmount). It used to have a deadlock bug, but I fixed that for 2.0.0. It still has a minor performance problem, but I've sent a patch to Linus--maybe it'll get in someday......
Regards, Ray ________________________________________________________ To: linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu@INTERNET Cc: jeremey@veriweb.com@INTERNET From: jeremey@veriweb.com@INTERNET on Mon, Feb 10, 1997 6:03 PM Subject: z-Encrypted "virtual" disk
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I am interested in writing a cryptographic "virtual" disk or filesystem. My goals/ideas are the following:
o To be able to create/mount/unmount files (fixed size) as encrypted disks, or some other scheme to avoid actually having to partition. Using files has the advantage of piggybacking off the already existing fs code and allowing encrypted disks on any fs.
o Not being required to create a physical partition is critical. An arbitrary number of encrypted disks, easy to create, should be possible.
o The crypto-fs code would require a passphrase upon mounting. It would be nice to auto-unmount after a period of time specified by mount.
o When a file is read by something in user-space, the crypto-fs maps the request to some part of the file as it exists in the mind of the underlying "real" file system, reads the requested portion, and then decrypts it.
o Writing works much the same way, encrypting before "really" writing.
I'm starting to pilfer through the exising fs code now. If anyone has suggestions, pointers, a better design meeting the basic goals, etc, please contact me. Unfortunately, I am in the U.S., and given the asshole export laws, this will not be exportable (legally). If anything like this has already been done, please point me there. Thanks.
- -- =-----------------------------------------------------------------------= Jeremey Barrett VeriWeb Internet Corp. Senior Software Engineer http://www.veriweb.com/
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