Linux Encryption security is an ongoing concern and a multi-layered approach is optimal. In addition to the steps taken by *lab in network and system administration, you can take the additional step of encrypting your sensitive data. Encryption represents the last line of defense since even if other security levels are breached and your data becomes accessible, encrypted files cannot be read without the decryption key. There are several methods of encrypting data in Linux. Presented here are two tools: encFS for creating an encrypted filesystem and gpg for encrypting single files. EncFS provides an encrypted filesystem in user-space. It uses a pass-through design and is modeled after CFS - the original Cryptographic Filesystem by Matt Blaze, published in 1993. EncFS runs without any special permissions and uses the FUSE library and Linux kernel module to provide the filesystem interface. It is open source software, licensed under the GPL. More information is available at http://arg0.net/wiki/encfs. encFS is currently installed on lectura and york. The main page is available on those machines and at http://arg0.net/users/vgough/encfs-man.html. If requested, encFS can be installed on faculty and RA/TA desktops. Note that due to NFS restrictions, encFS directories on the NetApps (e.g., /home) must be created with specific permissions. gpg (GnuPG) is an encryption and signing tool. More information is available at http://www.gnupg.org/documentation.
Request a free trial of ezNcrypt