Password Protecting Sd Cards In Pandora

[borgqueenx]

I would like to have password protecting on my sd cards. that sd cards can only be accesed with a password. I have already searched for posibilities for my removable hard drive, but couldnt find anything. i only had one solution, but it broke my hard drive.

Im searching for something that will work on pandora and on pc's.
So my data is always save.(nothing is save ofcource, but at least it will be save for noobies).

and now im on the question...will the pandora also have pasword protecting itself?

 

[marshal]

The only effective protection would be to encrypt the whole medium. Linux has built-in support for this but I don't know how easy it would be to set up.

You could only use other open-source alternative to do full hard drive encryption (and can probably can encrypt any volumm in full regardless if it's a physical hard-drive or an sd card).

I recommend you check out Truecrypt (www.truecrypt.org). It is opensource and you can easily encrypt your usb harddrive with it for exemple. There are version for linux, mac and windows.

Just so you know, it isn't GPL licence but uses the "TrueCrypt Collective License". That's the reason why it's not included in the Ubuntu repository I believe. Nothing to worry too much about though if you want my opinion (and you can get .deb package)

 

[borgqueenx]

The only effective protection would be to encrypt the whole medium. Linux has built-in support for this but I don't know how easy it would be to set up.

You could only use other open-source alternative to do full hard drive encryption (and can probably can encrypt any volumm in full regardless if it's a physical hard-drive or an sd card).

I recommend you check out Truecrypt (www.truecrypt.org). It is opensource and you can easily encrypt your usb harddrive with it for exemple. There are version for linux, mac and windows.

Just so you know, it isn't GPL licence but uses the "TrueCrypt Collective License". That's the reason why it's not included in the Ubuntu repository I believe. Nothing to worry too much about though if you want my opinion (and you can get .deb package)

okay, i have a few questions about encryption.
is it still possible to copy and paste files?, nice and easy? or do i have to encrypt those files again?
And how does a other device reads the files? I need a pasword or something to decrypt?
and reading and opening on the pandora? do i need to enter a pasword once, then only re-enter it when the pandora shuts down and boots up again? or.....?

 

[dflemstr]

The definitve guide to using LUKS on a drive in Linux:

1. Find out the name of the partition, e.g. /dev/sdb1 or /dev/hde2 or whatever. Please do not use whole devices like /dev/sda or /dev/hdb.

2. Install cryptsetup on your computer/Pandora. It might already be installed on the Pandora, who knows.

3. Type "cryptsetup luksFormat <partition>" as root to encrypt your drive. The tool will ask you for a password etc. Note that this will destroy EVERYTHING on the partition.

4. Open the partition with "cryptsetup luksOpen <partition> encrypted". This will ask you for the password, and if it's correct, you will find your unencrypted drive in /dev/mapper/encrypted. Put something other than "encrypted" in the command to rename the unencrypted drive.

5. Create a file system on the unencrypted drive. E.g. "mkfs.ext2 /dev/mapper/encrypted".

6. Mount the unencrypted drive with "mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /some/mount/point". You can now add files to the drive by goign to the /some/mount/point folder.

7. When you are done, just write "unmount /some/mount/point" and "cryptsetup luksClose encrypted"

8. When you want to open the device again, write "cryptsetup luksOpen <partition> encrypted" followed by "mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /some/mount/point"


All of the above can be set up to happen automatically for you, so that the machine asks for your password on boot, or when you want to open the drive by clicking on it etc. The above methods are just good to use if you don't want to look through multiple manuals to learn how to do it in a GUI.

 

[dflemstr]

okay, i have a few questions about encryption.
is it still possible to copy and paste files?, nice and easy? or do i have to encrypt those files again?
And how does a other device reads the files? I need a pasword or something to decrypt?
and reading and opening on the pandora? do i need to enter a pasword once, then only re-enter it when the pandora shuts down and boots up again? or.....?

1. Yes, of course you'll be able to copy&paste files; you can always do that in any kidn of folder in Linux. The encryption will happen int he background automatically for you.
2. You need a password to "open" the device; and after that you can copy files from/to it until you "close" it again.
3. If you use TrueCrypt, you'll just have to install it on Windows/your other Linux machine too to open the partition. If you use LUKS, it will work out-of-the-box on most Linux machines, but you will need to install a program on Windows.
4. You enter the password when you open the device, and then you can close the device whenever you want to (when the device is closed, you need a password to open it again).

 

[borgqueenx]

The definitve guide to using LUKS on a drive in Linux:

1. Find out the name of the partition, e.g. /dev/sdb1 or /dev/hde2 or whatever. Please do not use whole devices like /dev/sda or /dev/hdb.

2. Install cryptsetup on your computer/Pandora. It might already be installed on the Pandora, who knows.

3. Type "cryptsetup luksFormat <partition>" as root to encrypt your drive. The tool will ask you for a password etc. Note that this will destroy EVERYTHING on the partition.

4. Open the partition with "cryptsetup luksOpen <partition> encrypted". This will ask you for the password, and if it's correct, you will find your unencrypted drive in /dev/mapper/encrypted. Put something other than "encrypted" in the command to rename the unencrypted drive.

5. Create a file system on the unencrypted drive. E.g. "mkfs.ext2 /dev/mapper/encrypted".

6. Mount the unencrypted drive with "mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /some/mount/point". You can now add files to the drive by goign to the /some/mount/point folder.

7. When you are done, just write "unmount /some/mount/point" and "cryptsetup luksClose encrypted"

8. When you want to open the device again, write "cryptsetup luksOpen <partition> encrypted" followed by "mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /some/mount/point"


All of the above can be set up to happen automatically for you, so that the machine asks for your password on boot, or when you want to open the drive by clicking on it etc. The above methods are just good to use if you don't want to look through multiple manuals to learn how to do it in a GUI.

alright i have not understood a thing of what you just said. i need a nice and easy setup app. But encryption and passwords sounds like a nice solution.

I hope craig and ED can give us the option to do this.

 

[Bosbeetle]

The definitve guide to using LUKS on a drive in Linux:

1. Find out the name of the partition, e.g. /dev/sdb1 or /dev/hde2 or whatever. Please do not use whole devices like /dev/sda or /dev/hdb.

2. Install cryptsetup on your computer/Pandora. It might already be installed on the Pandora, who knows.

3. Type "cryptsetup luksFormat <partition>" as root to encrypt your drive. The tool will ask you for a password etc. Note that this will destroy EVERYTHING on the partition.

4. Open the partition with "cryptsetup luksOpen <partition> encrypted". This will ask you for the password, and if it's correct, you will find your unencrypted drive in /dev/mapper/encrypted. Put something other than "encrypted" in the command to rename the unencrypted drive.

5. Create a file system on the unencrypted drive. E.g. "mkfs.ext2 /dev/mapper/encrypted".

6. Mount the unencrypted drive with "mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /some/mount/point". You can now add files to the drive by goign to the /some/mount/point folder.

7. When you are done, just write "unmount /some/mount/point" and "cryptsetup luksClose encrypted"

8. When you want to open the device again, write "cryptsetup luksOpen <partition> encrypted" followed by "mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /some/mount/point"


All of the above can be set up to happen automatically for you, so that the machine asks for your password on boot, or when you want to open the drive by clicking on it etc. The above methods are just good to use if you don't want to look through multiple manuals to learn how to do it in a GUI.

alright i have not understood a thing of what you just said. i need a nice and easy setup app. But encryption and passwords sounds like a nice solution.

I hope craig and ED can give us the option to do this.

Ever used linux before? I havent (well three days of ubuntu to fix a broken HD) but by just reading up on linux and how to use this post makes perfect sense. Maybe start reading some linux basics before the pandora arrives.

 

[borgqueenx]

The definitve guide to using LUKS on a drive in Linux:

1. Find out the name of the partition, e.g. /dev/sdb1 or /dev/hde2 or whatever. Please do not use whole devices like /dev/sda or /dev/hdb.

2. Install cryptsetup on your computer/Pandora. It might already be installed on the Pandora, who knows.

3. Type "cryptsetup luksFormat <partition>" as root to encrypt your drive. The tool will ask you for a password etc. Note that this will destroy EVERYTHING on the partition.

4. Open the partition with "cryptsetup luksOpen <partition> encrypted". This will ask you for the password, and if it's correct, you will find your unencrypted drive in /dev/mapper/encrypted. Put something other than "encrypted" in the command to rename the unencrypted drive.

5. Create a file system on the unencrypted drive. E.g. "mkfs.ext2 /dev/mapper/encrypted".

6. Mount the unencrypted drive with "mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /some/mount/point". You can now add files to the drive by goign to the /some/mount/point folder.

7. When you are done, just write "unmount /some/mount/point" and "cryptsetup luksClose encrypted"

8. When you want to open the device again, write "cryptsetup luksOpen <partition> encrypted" followed by "mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /some/mount/point"


All of the above can be set up to happen automatically for you, so that the machine asks for your password on boot, or when you want to open the drive by clicking on it etc. The above methods are just good to use if you don't want to look through multiple manuals to learn how to do it in a GUI.

alright i have not understood a thing of what you just said. i need a nice and easy setup app. But encryption and passwords sounds like a nice solution.

I hope craig and ED can give us the option to do this.

Ever used linux before? I havent (well three days of ubuntu to fix a broken HD) but by just reading up on linux and how to use this post makes perfect sense. Maybe start reading some linux basics before the pandora arrives.

naaaa, im to lazy for that i usally learn over time when using a device.
But i hope i can use all the games, apps and emulators when im using the encryption app.

 

[dflemstr]

But i hope i can use all the games, apps and emulators when im using the encryption app.

Now, I'm sorry for asking, but why wouldn't you be able to do that? Encryption is completely separate from the rest of the system; your encrypted drive will look like a normal folder when it's unencrypted, and everything happens in the background (all of the encryption/decryption stuff), so I don't understand why you think that everything would stop working and that the system would explode just because you encrypt a drive. Encryption has been built into the Linux kernel for years, and it works perfectly, and even with slower and less integrated systems like TrueCrypt, the same will be true. The technology has existed for years, it works and it works beautifully. Stop worrying already!

 

[borgqueenx]

But i hope i can use all the games, apps and emulators when im using the encryption app.

Now, I'm sorry for asking, but why wouldn't you be able to do that? Encryption is completely separate from the rest of the system; your encrypted drive will look like a normal folder when it's unencrypted, and everything happens in the background (all of the encryption/decryption stuff), so I don't understand why you think that everything would stop working and that the system would explode just because you encrypt a drive. Encryption has been built into the Linux kernel for years, and it works perfectly, and even with slower and less integrated systems like TrueCrypt, the same will be true. The technology has existed for years, it works and it works beautifully. Stop worrying already!

alright, thanks But i need a seperate app on all pc's installed if i want to use the sd card on those devices?

 

[dflemstr]

alright, thanks But i need a seperate app on all pc's installed if i want to use the sd card on those devices?

Yes, Windows does not have a built-in transparent encryption backend like Linux does*; you have to install alternatives.

For using LUKS devices, you have to use a format that Windows can read for your encrypted disk (e.g. FAT-32 or NTFS) and then you just install FreeOTFE to open the disks.

If you use TrueCrypt, you also have to use Windows formats for the disks (FAT-32 or NTFS) and you need to install TrueCrypt on both Windows and Linux.

*Windows Vista and later do have whole-drive encryption features, but they don't work on arbitrary devices and there's no keyring management. Also, disks that are encrypted using Vista's tools aren't readable on other platforms.

 

[mosschops]

But i hope i can use all the games, apps and emulators when im using the encryption app.

Now, I'm sorry for asking, but why wouldn't you be able to do that? Encryption is completely separate from the rest of the system; your encrypted drive will look like a normal folder when it's unencrypted, and everything happens in the background (all of the encryption/decryption stuff), so I don't understand why you think that everything would stop working and that the system would explode just because you encrypt a drive. Encryption has been built into the Linux kernel for years, and it works perfectly, and even with slower and less integrated systems like TrueCrypt, the same will be true. The technology has existed for years, it works and it works beautifully. Stop worrying already!

alright, thanks But i need a seperate app on all pc's installed if i want to use the sd card on those devices?

yes, because the data on the card would be encrypted. that is the point surely?

[edit] technically you could install the app on the card in another partition and encrypt the rest of the device (this is what i do on my memory sticks i carry data around on). but in effect you would need the program to decrypt the data in any machine.

as for the instructions above being complicated. this is linux, the above is day one kindergarden stuff.

 

[dflemstr]

as for the instructions above being complicated. this is linux, the above is day one kindergarden stuff.

Yeah, especially since the commands almost are English sentences (well, not really, but yeah):

cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sda1 decrypteddevice

Using the crypt setup tool, use the LUKS system to open the partition /dev/sda1 as "decrypteddevice".

mkfs.ext2 /dev/mapper/decrypteddevice

Make a file system of type ext2 on the device called "/dev/mapper/decrypteddevice"

(of course I'm just kidding. You should not have to use the command line for this; I can make a tool for you in 5 min that you can use instead )

 

[borgqueenx]

as for the instructions above being complicated. this is linux, the above is day one kindergarden stuff.

Yeah, especially since the commands almost are English sentences (well, not really, but yeah):

cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sda1 decrypteddevice

Using the crypt setup tool, use the LUKS system to open the partition /dev/sda1 as "decrypteddevice".

mkfs.ext2 /dev/mapper/decrypteddevice

Make a file system of type ext2 on the device called "/dev/mapper/decrypteddevice"

I only worked with linux before in the days that 90% of the internet was blocked at school, and i just pushed the ubuntu live cd in.
I never entered any code.

Im sorry that im noob, but i dont know how to create a file system. in windows its easy to select it in the formatting menu.
and whats a LUKS system....?

 

[dflemstr]

I only worked with linux before in the days that 90% of the internet was blocked at school, and i just pushed the ubuntu live cd in.
I never entered any code.

Im sorry that im noob, but i dont know how to create a file system. in windows its easy to select it in the formatting menu.
and whats a LUKS system....?

Yeah, we won't expect you to use the CLI at all, I'm just messing around It's not necessary to use the CLI for everything, but it's the easiest way to do things with sometimes.

It's really easy to format partitions in Linux. Just type "mkfs.<type> <partition>" to make a file system. If we want to format a partition with ext2, we use "mkfs.ext2". If we want to format it with reiserfs, use "mkfs.reiserfs", etc. The only exception to this rule is the FAT32 file system; you use "mkdosfs" for that (FAT32 is a DOS file system). If you don't want to use the CLI to format drives, just use the "gparted" (GNOME Partition Editor) program instead.

BTW: every time you read "mk" in a Linux command, read it as "make". Same for:
"cp" → "copy"
"mv" → "move"
"rm" → "remove"
"ins" → "insert"
"ln" → "link"
"man" → "manual" or "manager"

So for example, the "insmod" command inserts kernel modules, or the "ln" command makes file links, or "rmdir" removes a directory.

LUKS stands for Linux Unified Key Setup. It's just a system that manages cryptos and encryption keys for you; you use it to encrypt files and drives.

 

[Poem58]

While I have no need for encryption per se, once my Pandora arrives I may want to try this out just to have a little bit more experience doing this sort of thing and working more with Linux. Not that it is hard core Linux type stuff or anything. Just kinda cool to do once. The instructions here seem quite easy (and it sounds like there will be Pandora software for this) but it still seems to me to be way too much effort for anything other than hiding your porn collection....lol

And before someone reminds me that Top-secret Pentagon files COULD be stored on the Pandora, It's a gaming handheld and seriously the most "sensitive" data will in most cases be porn.

So, maybe I should start being interested in porn just so I can have a need to encrypt stuff...lol I'm not knocking it, just isn't my thing...

 

[dflemstr]

While I have no need for encryption per se, once my Pandora arrives I may want to try this out just to have a little bit more experience doing this sort of thing and working more with Linux. Not that it is hard core Linux type stuff or anything. Just kinda cool to do once. The instructions here seem quite easy (and it sounds like there will be Pandora software for this) but it still seems to me to be way too much effort for anything other than hiding your porn collection....lol

And before someone reminds me that Top-secret Pentagon files COULD be stored on the Pandora, It's a gaming handheld and seriously the most "sensitive" data will in most cases be porn.

So, maybe I should start being interested in porn just so I can have a need to encrypt stuff...lol I'm not knocking it, just isn't my thing...

In some countries (not Sweden but others), ROMs are illegal to use, own, touch or even look at. Yeah.

Also, as you know, it's impossible to protect any device that an intruder has physical access to, EXCEPT when using encryption. An intruder could take your SD cards and open it on another computer, scan the NAND using its pins or bypass the device password entirely just by changing the kernel boot arguments, but if a device is encrypted, it's impossible to break into (unless you happen to have 32 billion years of time to do it because that's how long it takes to break strong cryptos).

Point is, if you have anything that you happen to care about and you think someone else would be interested in stealing, you want to encrypt your drives.

 

[Kag]

http://www.freeotfe.org/
You can try FreeOTFE
Iz portable so no installations.

 

[marshal]

While I have no need for encryption per se, once my Pandora arrives I may want to try this out just to have a little bit more experience doing this sort of thing and working more with Linux. Not that it is hard core Linux type stuff or anything. Just kinda cool to do once. The instructions here seem quite easy (and it sounds like there will be Pandora software for this) but it still seems to me to be way too much effort for anything other than hiding your porn collection....lol

And before someone reminds me that Top-secret Pentagon files COULD be stored on the Pandora, It's a gaming handheld and seriously the most "sensitive" data will in most cases be porn.

So, maybe I should start being interested in porn just so I can have a need to encrypt stuff...lol I'm not knocking it, just isn't my thing...

I recently started encrypting my notebook the performance cost being fairly low. So if my notebook get stolen while it's off I can be pretty much sure that nobody will have access my data.

I don't have anything really confidential on my computer... still I got all my personal emails, password to email accounts, wireless access key, ssh key...

If my notebook got stolen and was not encrypted I would have to think about changing all those password and wireless key just in case. That's one less thing to worry about.

 

[Enverex]

Encrypting the FS on the fly cripples performance in every benchmark I've seen, so expect any data accesses to hammer the processor and be roughly 1/8th the speed they normally are.