Is there any app for locking pendrive...?

Hello,

I am having a pen drive which I have to use in Linux as well as in Windows (in office). Is there any possibility such that it prompts for a password before depicting its contents so that only some authorized persons can view it even when it is visible anywhere…?

Thanks.

You can use encryption TrueCrypt should be usable in both Windows and Linux

Is it possible to use this when I have pen drive already full with data?

Yep…

You could also compress it all together and then use gpg but its more of a headache than Truecrypt.

Yes, and I was more looking for a simple GUI method…Came to know that Truecrypt is called as “Realcrypt” in openSUSE. But the problem is that without formatting the whole drive, its not possible to do this (I came to know)…Its okay for small drives, but there is an issue because I have a 320 GB hard disk (external) which is full with data and upon which I wish to provide a password/encryption!

I’m not aware of any crypt programs other then truecrypt that work across different OS’s. There are solutions that can encrypt files or directories but I don’t think they will work across OS’s

Procedure would be copy data off device create the Truecrypt volume and copy data back to the now encrypted device.

You say the device is full. encryption can add some overhead so that may be an issue. So how full. is there any free space?

On 2014-01-31 12:16, panchparmeshthi wrote:

> Yes, and I was more looking for a simple GUI method…Came to know that
> Truecrypt is called as “Realcrypt” in openSUSE. But the problem is that
> without formatting the whole drive, its not possible to do this (I came
> to know)…Its okay for small drives, but there is an issue because I
> have a 320 GB hard disk (external) which is full with data and upon
> which I wish to provide a password/encryption!

There is no other way than encryption, and all methods require reformatting.

It is possible, though, to create a large file, encrypted, which is used
as another virtual disk. I understand truecrypt supports this.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

The device is full in the sense that out of 320 GBs only around 30-40 MBs are free. Apart from it, anyhow I would have to copy the files on the hard drive and move them back. Else, I am thinking to do encryption in individual directories separately, so that I can do this and it could be better. Also, I didn’t find Truecrypt in the Yast. I guess it is Realcrypt in openSUSE which should (?) work in different OS…I guess.

I believe if you want to use Truecrypt itself you have to download a binary from the Truecrypt website or compile it from the source they provide. Not sure about Realcrypt though, never used it myself.

Yes, that’s what I said. I don’t have any idea of how to compile but you probably mean to download the .rpm files and use it then by the instructions which could be on the Truecrypt’s website. If I use Realcrypt, can one assure me that it could be used in Windows again using some crypt method or using Truecrypt itself.

They only provide a tar that you have to extract and then run an executable for setup.

As for the source code you have to go to this link and download that tar. Compiling is usually not difficult but it might involve installing some extra libraries. I would suggest just using the binaries and only compile if you really feel it is necessary

Ugh stupid 10 minute edit rule. I asked in the IRC channel and it seems you can use cryptsetup to mount the volumes in Linux.

You mean “cryptsetup” to be used in Linux and “Truecrypt” in Windows for the associated the decryption. I see. I check out these options. Thanks. Ok some licensing issues…

On 2014-02-02 09:36, panchparmeshthi wrote:
>
> You mean “cryptsetup” to be used in Linux and “Truecrypt” in Windows for
> the associated the decryption. I see. I check out these options. Thanks.
> Ok some licensing issues…

If you use an external hard disk instead of a flash disk, there is also
hardware encryption. See “man hdparm”, the section “ATA Security Feature
Set”. It doesn’t need drivers and works on any operating system; you
just need an application that enters the passwords when needed.

I’ve never used it. I have not read much about real usage, specially in
Linux.

I doubt that flash media has this feature.

On external hard disks via USB, you need that the enclosure chipset
allows using this. The encoding is handled by the hard disk, internally,
but not all enclosures support the entire ATA command set.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

Well, I see these options. How great it could be if there were a single application for any external device/disk so that it just needed a password to open irrespective of any operating system! I wish programers can achieve this in the near future or may be late!

On 2014-02-03 08:56, panchparmeshthi wrote:
>
> Well, I see these options. How great it could be if there were a single
> application for any external device/disk so that it just needed a
> password to open irrespective of any operating system! I wish programers
> can achieve this in the near future or may be late!

I think you misunderstand.

Having access to the ATA security set I mentioned, and passwords, needs
that the HARDWARE of the external enclosure you use has it.

Applications to set/unset the password, there are several. But they will
not work at all if the hardware doesn’t support it.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

You mean there are many apps which could be used for assigning password on the external hard disks but those apps are dependent on the hardware upon which they are implemented, like whether accepted or not by that external hard disk, I guess. Further, those external hard disks work in different distros (like sometimes even in Windows), so actually the app which provided password in one distro, is not necessarily able to open the same hard disk if seen in other distro.

For example, if I set a password on 1 GB external usb stick using Realcrypt in openSUSE, and then I use the same stick in Windows, I need some app to decrypt the same. For that I need a Windows app or Truecrypt to perform this function but may be Truecrypt might have different version no. (of course different than Realcrypt’s) but still it must be able to do that job. Like this?

On 2014-02-03 16:56, panchparmeshthi wrote:
>
> robin_listas;2621745 Wrote:
>> Applications to set/unset the password, there are several. But they will
>> not work at all if the hardware doesn’t support it.
>
> You mean there are many apps which could be used for assigning password
> on the external hard disks but those apps are dependent on the hardware
> upon which they are implemented, like whether accepted or not by that
> external hard disk, I guess. Further, those external hard disks work in
> different distros (like sometimes even in Windows), so actually the app
> which provided password in one distro, is not necessarily able to open
> the same hard disk if seen in other distro.

The hardware involved is on the hard disk, not on the computer nor on
the enclosure. If you have an app to activate the password, same
password should work on any other operating system. Should, mind: there
are things like charsets, implementation errors, etc. The “ATA Security
Feature Set” is a standard.

You have to test it.

And be warned: the manual says it is experimental in Linux. It could
brick your hard disk for ever.

> For example, if I set a password on 1 GB external usb stick using
> Realcrypt in openSUSE,

NO! I’m not talking of realcrypt or any other software encryption. I’m
talking of the “ATA Security Feature Set”. Please pay attention.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

Okay, ‘ATA Security Feature Set’ means that is only on that external hard disk (in our case, external). Now that app (which does the job of providing password and unlocking the same) should also be on that hard disk? And that particular app is dependent of the hard disk irrespective of distro. I guess this is the meaning.

Thanks.