Create an encrypted home directory on Linux

Contents

• System environment
• System preparation
• Parameters
• Create a container
• Encrypt the container
• Make a file system in the container
• Commands for mounting and umounting
  • Mount container
  • Umount container

System environment

• CentOS 8.1

System preparation

yum install cryptsetup

Parameters

Set the size of the encrypted container in megabytes.

SIZE=1024

Set the path to the encrypted container.

CONTAINER=/root/data.bin

Set the filesystem.

FILESYSTEM=ext3

Set the container ID.

MOUNT_ID=homedir

Set the mount directory.

MOUNT_DIR=/home/

Create a container

This command can be executed for a long time.

dd if=/dev/urandom of=$CONTAINER bs=1M count=$SIZE

Encrypt the container

Answer the question and enter the encryption password.

cryptsetup -y luksFormat $CONTAINER

Make a file system in the container

cryptsetup luksOpen $CONTAINER $MOUNT_ID

mkfs -t $FILESYSTEM -j /dev/mapper/$MOUNT_ID

cryptsetup luksClose $MOUNT_ID

Commands for mounting and umounting

Mount container

echo "cryptsetup luksOpen $CONTAINER $MOUNT_ID && mount /dev/mapper/$MOUNT_ID $MOUNT_DIR"

Umount container

echo "umount $MOUNT_DIR && cryptsetup luksClose $MOUNT_ID"