Encrypted hard drive asking for password every time

Jediwan@lemy.lol to Linux@lemmy.ml – 96 points –

I recently switched to Linux (Zorin OS) and I selected "use ZFS and encrypt" during installation. Now before I can log in it asks me "please unlock disk keystore-rpool" and I have to type in the encryption password it before I'm able to get to the login screen.

Is there a way to do this automatically like with Windows or MacOS? Zorin has biometric login which is nice but this defeats the purpose especially because the encryption password is long and tedious to type in.

Also might TPM have anything to do with this?

EDIT: Based on the responses I have to assume some of you guys live in windowless underground bunkers sealed off with concrete because door locks "aren't secure against battering rams". Normal people don't need perfect encryption they just want to add an extra hurdle or two for the crackhead who steals the PC. I assumed Linux had a system similar to what Windows or MacOS has been doing for a decade but I am apparently wrong.

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If you're having it automatically unlock the drive at boot, it kind of defeats the purpose. If someone steals your tower, they can boot it and copy the unencrypted contents since it automatically unlocks.

OP isn't asking for it to decrypt automatically. OP is asking for the entering the decryption password to also log you in. That way you only have to type the password once, instead of twice.

GDM has an autologin feature, OP should use it.

It depends on where the encryption data is stored. If the bootloader and bios/efi are locked down and the data to unlock is stored in an encrypted enclave or one is using a TPM (and not an external chip one that can be sniffed with a pi), that's a reasonable protection for the OS even if somebody gains physical access.

You could also store the password in the EFI, or on a USB stick etc. It doesn't help you much against longer-term physical access but it can help if somebody just grabs the drive. It's also useful to protect the drive if it's being disposed of as the crypto is tied to other hardware.

Even just encrypting the main OS with the keys in the boot/initrd has benefit, as ensuring that part is well-wiped makes asset disposal safe(r). Some motherboards have an on-board SDCard or USB slot which your can use for the boot partition. It means I don't have to take a drill to my drives before I dispose of them

I dont think you can. Can you read SSD storage while that is running? The drive needs to be decrypted using the TPM, and that should only work when its plugged in.

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