[gentoo-user] Initrd-script questions

[gentoo-user] Initrd-script questions

[Florian Philipp]

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Hi list!

I'd like to have some advice on my situation:

I have a custom init-script (derived from genkernel). What it already
does is to let gpg ask for a passphrase to decrypt a file on /boot and
then to use to content of that file as the key to a LUKS-formatted swap
(logical volume) which is then used to resume from disk.

What I would also like to do is to use the very same key for other
lvm-volumes like /var and /var/tmp but that doesn't seem that easy.

First idea: Just do the same as with the swap-volume. However, all other
mappings are gone after resuming/booting.

Second idea: Write the plaintext-keyfile to /boot and then use it
via /etc/conf.d/cryptfs before removing it in a secure manner (srm,
provided by app-misc/secure-delete). Problem: When resuming, /boot is
already mounted. Writing to it and then resuming leads to filesystem
corruption.

Third idea: Using a dedicated volume for storing the plaintext key.
Cumbersome, doesn't reduce the risk that srm isn't enough to protect the
key.

So ... what I'd need is a way to transfer data between an initial
ramdisk and the real init. Ideally in form of tmpfs-mountpoint.

I don't think my odds are very high but I just wanted to ask...

Thanks in advance!

Florian Philipp

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Re: [gentoo-user] Initrd-script questions

[Neil Bothwick]

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On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:56:30 +0100, Florian Philipp wrote:

> Third idea: Using a dedicated volume for storing the plaintext key.
> Cumbersome, doesn't reduce the risk that srm isn't enough to protect the
> key.

You could use an encrypted volume to store the key. Your init script asks
for the key for that volume, then all other volumes use key(s) stored on
that volume. I do this, but have no idea how it will work with suspend.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright
until you hear them speak.

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