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View Full Version : Is it possible to encrypt a single file or folder?



user1397
October 6th, 2010, 08:27 AM
I know that when installing ubuntu you have the option of encrypting your home folder, but what if you just want a single folder or even a single file encrypted and nothing else?

Is there a way to do this easily?

Megaptera
October 6th, 2010, 08:31 AM
There might be other ways, but TrueCrypt is simple & effective:

http://linuxandfriends.com/2010/02/03/how-to-truecrypt-setup-on-ubuntu-linux/

Paqman
October 6th, 2010, 08:33 AM
Is there a way to do this easily?

Yep, install seahorse-plugins, make yourself an encryption key in Passwords and Encryption Keys and then you'll be able to encrypt files from a right click.

surfer
October 6th, 2010, 08:47 AM
a very simple way to encrypt a directory is encfs (http://www.arg0.net/encfs) (you can install it with synaptic).

mcduck
October 6th, 2010, 09:43 AM
a very simple way to encrypt a directory is encfs (http://www.arg0.net/encfs) (you can install it with synaptic).

..and to make things even simpler, you can use Cryptkeeper, a nice & simple Gnome GUI for EncFS. :)

surfer
October 6th, 2010, 11:12 AM
..and to make things even simpler, you can use Cryptkeeper, a nice & simple Gnome GUI for EncFS. :)

oh, didn't know about that one. i'll try it right away!

t0p
October 6th, 2010, 11:16 AM
And yet another alternative (the method I use) is cfs. It's available through Synaptic.

Isn't Linux wonderful. So much choice.

HermanAB
October 6th, 2010, 12:16 PM
Good grief...

$ gpg -c filename

pwnst*r
October 6th, 2010, 01:59 PM
Good grief...

$ gpg -c filename

Are you Charlie Brown or something?

HermanAB
October 6th, 2010, 05:18 PM
Lucie, is that you!?

pwnst*r
October 6th, 2010, 06:51 PM
Nope, but you didn't have to be an *** to the OP for a simple question.

user1397
November 2nd, 2010, 04:31 PM
i forgot to say thanks for all the replies guys, but i actually have one more question, if you chose not to encrypt your home folder when installing, but want to do it now, how would you go about doing that?

FuturePilot
November 2nd, 2010, 04:48 PM
i forgot to say thanks for all the replies guys, but i actually have one more question, if you chose not to encrypt your home folder when installing, but want to do it now, how would you go about doing that?


ecryptfs-migrate-home

Preferably done from a console.

Or manually http://blog.dustinkirkland.com/2009/06/migrating-to-encrypted-home-directory.html

undecim
November 2nd, 2010, 05:02 PM
ecryptfs-migrate-home

Preferably done from a console.

Or manually http://blog.dustinkirkland.com/2009/06/migrating-to-encrypted-home-directory.html

That command needs to be run as root. I would recommend doing it from a recovery console. You need to install ecryptfs-utils first. It also needs the username with -u option, (i.e. run it as "ecryptfs-migrate-home -u username")

You should also make a backup of your home directory first (to an external hard drive, for example)

I think it will also tell you to log in before restarting to make sure you can access your files. You can do that from the recovery console with "sudo -iu nobody sudo -iu username" (so that you type in your password to unlock it)

After that, just exit the $ shell, and type "reboot"

sharkey77
April 30th, 2013, 08:06 AM
Yep, install seahorse-plugins, make yourself an encryption key in Passwords and Encryption Keys and then you'll be able to encrypt files from a right click.

When you launch the encrypted file it creates a new unecrypted file. This is not secure, the unecrypted file can be easily recovered even if deleted.

codemaniac
April 30th, 2013, 08:23 AM
Old thread. Closed.