81 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
81 lines
1.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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publish: true
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permalink: /apps/veracrypt
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title: VeraCrypt
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created: 2026-01-29T14:04:18.863-07:00
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modified: 2026-02-05T12:16:30.767-07:00
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tags:
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- encryption
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- security
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- backup
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cssclasses: ""
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---
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VeraCrypt is free open-source disk encryption software. I use it predominantly for encrypting data on portable devices (see [[10-19 LIFE/13 TECH SETUP/13.12 PROCESSES/Backups]] for more details).
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## Installation
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**Arch Linux:**
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```bash
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sudo pacman -S veracrypt
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```
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**Other distributions:**
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Download from https://veracrypt.io/en/Downloads.html
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## Usage
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### Create an encrypted volume
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```bash
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veracrypt -c
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```
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Follow the interactive prompts to:
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1. Choose volume type (normal or hidden)
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2. Select volume location (file or device)
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3. Pick encryption algorithm (AES recommended)
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4. Set volume size
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5. Create password
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### Mount a volume
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```bash
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# Mount to /mnt/veracrypt1 (default slot 1)
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veracrypt /path/to/volume /mnt/veracrypt1
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# Mount with specific slot
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veracrypt --slot=2 /path/to/volume /mnt/veracrypt2
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```
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### Dismount
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```bash
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# Dismount specific volume
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veracrypt -d /mnt/veracrypt1
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# Dismount all
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veracrypt -d
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```
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## Common Options
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| Option | Description |
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|--------|-------------|
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| `-c` | Create new volume |
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| `-d` | Dismount |
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| `--slot=N` | Use slot N (1-64) |
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| `-t` | Text mode (no GUI) |
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| `--non-interactive` | For scripts |
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| `-p PASSWORD` | Provide password (insecure, avoid) |
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## Portable Drive Setup
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For encrypted USB drives:
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1. Create a file-hosted volume on the drive
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2. Copy the portable VeraCrypt binary to the drive
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3. Now usable on any machine without installation
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## Tips
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- Use keyfiles for additional security (combine with password)
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- For full disk encryption on Linux, consider LUKS instead
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- Hidden volumes provide plausible deniability
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- Always safely eject before removing portable drives
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