EncFS

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Resources

EncFS (Encrypted File System) is a userspace encryption method that creates an directory containing encrypted files with hashed filenames.

Installation

Kernel

KERNEL Enable FUSE

File systems  --->
    [*] FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace) support

Note
When enabling a built-in (non-modular) feature or driver in the kernel remember a recompile will be needed and the new kernel loaded into memory (system reboot) before changes will take effect. This step should be completed before moving on to other sections in this article.

USE flags

USE flags for sys-fs/encfs An implementation of encrypted filesystem in user-space using FUSE

nls Add Native Language Support (using gettext - GNU locale utilities)

Data provided by the Gentoo Package Database · Last update: 2023-01-29 07:46 More information about USE flags

Emerge

Install sys-fs/encfs:

root #emerge --ask sys-fs/encfs

Configuration

Deployment

EncFS makes a hidden directory to store encrypted data then uses FUSE to mount a decrypted directory.

Note
Make sure the ~/ is empty or non-empty mount point error messages will be present.

user $encfs ~/.encfs ~/encfs

After running the command setup will ask if a .encfs directory should be made, press the Y key then press Enter. Another question will come up regarding setting up the encryption scheme, etc. Press Enter to accept defaults. Enter the password to the prompt twice to finish the set up process.

Once finished encrypted files can be fed to ~/encfs

Locking

The fusermount command can be used to unmount FUSE file systems. To unmount the FUSE decrypted directory run:

user $fusermount -u ~/encfs

Remember that the files located in ~/encfs will not be available while it is unmounted.

Unlocking

To mount the decrypted FUSE directory use the encfs command:

user $encfs ~/.encfs ~/encfs

Running this command will make encrypted files located in ~/.encfs available in the ~/encfs directory.

Usage

Examples

Running a simple ls on the ~/encfs directory while the decrypted FUSE file system is mounted will display all the files that were fed into the EncFS storage area:

user $ls ~/encfs

foo bar

Running ls on the ~/.encfs directory will output hash encrypted filenames:

user $ls ~/.encfs

OtyK9QEW3,1a1qnC5Um5tc-S  s9CN,iacV1bM5SxN1TOI8JB2

External resources

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/EncFS - EncFS on the Arch wiki.