Simple method needed to encrypt a single directory

Support & Help Requests
1

I am looking for a simple method needed to encrypt a single directory.

I just want one directory that only I can read, copy to it, you know--the works.

Did that make sense?

2

You can create a filesystem as a file, use encryption mechanisms for creating the filesystem, then mount the file using the method shown in this posting:

fs="privateFileSystem"
mountpoint="/dev/fuse"
fsCryptOpts=" ... to be determined ..."

# Create the 4 GB file that will become the filesystem
dd if=/dev/zero of=${fs} bs=1024 count=4194304

# Create a formatted filesystem inside that file
# N.B.  Add desired encryption options
mkfs -t ext3 ${fsCryptOpts} ${fs}

# Mount the encrypted file system
mount -t ext3 -o loop ${fs} ${mountpoint}

I strongly recommend you read this article for how to "tweak" the above to suit your own needs. I discusses the use of "cryptsetup" and the LUKS facility for handling encrypted filesystems.

The alternative is the process outlined in this other article for only a specific folder.

It all depends on how you want to approach it, I guess. The first approach would be universal, whereas the second would be specific to folders only.

There are also 2 additional methods/tools which could be used. Those are:

Looking over those pages, they each have their strengths/weaknesses, but those pages offer a lot of detail on how to use them.

Hope that helps!

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3

I am looking for something way simpler.

In Windows I used special characters for the directory.

I would think UM would be able to do that.

I found this, but how do I use this table?

  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  a  b  c  d  e  f        
  ----------------------------------------------

0 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

1 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

2 ! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . /

3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ; < = > ?

4 @ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

5 P Q R S T U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ _

6 ` a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o

7 p q r s t u v w x y z { | } ~ 
----------------------------------------------

8 Ç ü é â ä à å ç ê ë è ï î ì Ä Å

9 É æ Æ ô ö ò û ù ÿ Ö Ü ¢ £ ¥ ₧ ƒ

a á í ó ú ñ Ñ ª º ¿ ⌐ ¬ ½ ¼ ¡ « »

b ░ ▒ ▓ │ ┤ ╡ ╢ ╖ ╕ ╣ ║ ╗ ╝ ╜ ╛ ┐

c └ ┴ ┬ ├ ─ ┼ ╞ ╟ ╚ ╔ ╩ ╦ ╠ ═ ╬ ╧

d ╨ ╤ ╥ ╙ ╘ ╒ ╓ ╫ ╪ ┘ ┌ █ ▄ ▌ ▐ ▀

e α ß Γ π Σ σ µ τ Φ Θ Ω δ ∞ φ ε ∩

f ≡ ± ≥ ≤ ⌠ ⌡ ÷ ≈ ° ∙ · √ ⁿ ² ■
----------------------------------------------
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f

4

What exactly are you trying to do?

Encrypt the contents of the directories ?

OR ... using non-language character sequences to obfuscate the meaning/usage/contents of a directory's name ?

If only the latter, you could consider something like the Ceasar Cipher. But that is easily circumvented.

OR ... using the above listed character sets that you presented, you could create your own encryptor/decryptor, by simply writing a program that maps characters uniquely from one to another, and the reverse for decrypting. The result of that would be unique to yourself, and the mapping could be as randomized as you choose to make it!

That could be done using 2 arrays of characters, one for "raw text" in and one for "encrypted mapping" to give the "unreadable" result. That could easily be accomplished with an awk script, and have an option for encrypt and decrypt. :slight_smile:

1 Like
5

I used to be a technical writer for British Petroleum.

So it can be frustrating trying to express myself clearly. (I think it is part of my cognitive disorder.)

I really appreciate your patience.

And your use of probing questions.

Here is what I would like.

For example, my relative sometimes is nosy.

I would like it to be difficult for them to see a directory that I keep confidential
files in.

That should make it clearer.

6

If they don't understand the concept of hidden files, you could create a folder with a name that starts with ".".

7

Ok, I did that and switched off "show hidden files" in Thunar.

Is there a way other than going back and forth clicking and un-clicking?

I think I can work on a batch file.

I do not want anyone posting the answer.

I learn by doing, making mistakes, and going on.

Thanks.

8

Hi fixit - you may remember we had a few suggestions for you in an earlier post: Require password for only a single directory

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9

I will look at it later when my pain is not so bad.

1 Like
10

Keep in mind that if your relative doesn't know your admin password you should be safe.

Create a separate user account for them, change the password on your own account, always require password for login (for your own account), and make sure all your own files are chmod 660 and directories are chmod 770.

Also make sure your default umask is 117 to make sure any new files are created as 660.

That way, he has no visibility, whether the files are dot files or in plain sight.

Lastly, (this is MUCH harder) make sure that you block anyone but yourself from booting from a Live USB stick to access our files. I don't know how to achieve that, but I am sure others in the Community can give you guidance on that. :slight_smile:

1 Like
11

Thanks so much.

For the longest, only I had access to my computer.

So I made it so I rarely was prompted for my password.

People who visit me know only Windows.

I will do some research so that if there is no keyboard or download activity, it will prompt me for a password.

I also want it to prompt me for a password when I boot my computer up.

(I am feeling pretty good right now at 2:40 a.m. Minimal glute pain.)

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12

I just use the internal LUKS functionnality in the Disk app. Easy to use. It's not for folder, but it's same for me, it's an item in caja as a folder to write in.

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13

Prompting for password when booting, most securely, is to go into the BIOS and add a boot password there. Just make sure that you NEVER lose that! :slight_smile:

With a BIOS-protected password, there is no need for a login screen for password.

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