Comparison of disk encryption software

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Technical feature comparison of different disk encryption software.


Background information

Name Developer Introduced date Licensing Operating system support Development status
BestCrypt Jetico 1993 Commercial, limited source code Linux 2.6, Windows NT-based, Windows 9x, Windows 3.1, DOS Maintained
PGPDisk PGP Corporation 1998 Commercial, closed source? Windows NT-based Maintained
cryptoloop 2003-07-02[1] Free, open source (GPL) Linux 2.5-2.6 Deprecated, known vulnerabilities
TrueCrypt TrueCrypt Foundation 2004-02-02[2] Free, open source (custom) Linux 2.6, Windows NT-based Actively developed
CGD (Cryptographic Disk) ? 2004-02-26 Free, open source (BSD) NetBSD ?
dm-crypt/cryptsetup 2004-03-11[3] Free, open source (GPL) Linux 2.6 Actively developed
dm-crypt/LUKS Clemens Fruhwirth ? Free, open source (GPL) Linux 2.6 Actively developed
FreeOTFE Sarah Dean 2004-10-10[4] Free, open source (custom) Windows NT-based, Pocket PC Actively developed

Features

Name Hidden containers Pre-boot authentication Custom authentication Multiple keys Passphrase strengthening
BestCrypt Yes No No ? ?
PGPDisk No No No Yes Yes[5]
cryptoloop No Yes[6] Yes No No
TrueCrypt Yes No No No Yes
CGD No ? Yes[7] ? Yes[8]
dm-crypt/cryptsetup No Yes[6] Yes No No
dm-crypt/LUKS No Yes[6] Yes Yes Yes
FreeOTFE Yes No No No Yes

Layering

Name Whole disk Partition Logical volume File Swap space
BestCrypt No ? No Yes Yes
PGPDisk Yes Yes ? Yes ?
cryptoloop Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
TrueCrypt No No No Yes No
CGD Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
dm-crypt Yes Yes Yes Yes[9] Yes
FreeOTFE No Yes ? Yes ?

Modes of operation

Name Plain CBC CBC with ESSIV LRW
BestCrypt Yes No No
PGPDisk ? ? ?
CGD Yes[10] No No
cryptoloop Yes Yes Yes[11]
TrueCrypt Yes No Yes[12]
dm-crypt Yes Yes Yes[11]
FreeOTFE Yes Yes No

Notes and references

  1. ^ Initial cryptoloop patches for the Linux 2.5 development kernel: http://uwsg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0307.0/0348.html
  2. ^ "TrueCrypt version history". Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  3. ^ dm-crypt was first included in Linux kernel version 2.6.4: http://lwn.net/Articles/75404/
  4. ^ "FreeOTFE version history". Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  5. ^ PGP private keys are always protected by strenghtened passphrases
  6. ^ a b c dm-crypt and cryptoloop volumes can be mounted from the initrd before the system is booted
  7. ^ Poul-Henning Kamp (2005-03-02). "FUD about CGD and GBDE". freebsd-hackers mailing list post. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  8. ^ Jacob Appelbaum. "Modern Disk Encryption Systems" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  9. ^ dm-crypt can encrypt a file-based volume when used with the losetup utility included with all major Linux distributions
  10. ^ Jan Danielsson (2006-07-25). "CBC and LRW?". mailing list post. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  11. ^ a b Starting with Linux kernel version 2.6.20, CryptoAPI supports the LRW mode: http://lwn.net/Articles/213650/
  12. ^ New containers created with TrueCrypt versions 4.1 and up use LRW, old containers use plain CBC

See also