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
CGD ? 2003-08-14[2] Free, open source (BSD) NetBSD 2.0+ ?
TrueCrypt TrueCrypt Foundation 2004-02-02[3] Free, open source (custom) Linux 2.6, Windows NT-based Actively developed
dm-crypt/cryptsetup 2004-03-11[4] 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[5] 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[6]
cryptoloop No Yes[7] Yes No No
CGD No ? Yes[8] Yes[9] Yes[10]
TrueCrypt Yes No No No Yes
dm-crypt/cryptsetup No Yes[7] Yes No No
dm-crypt/LUKS No Yes[7] 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
CGD Yes Yes Yes No[10] Yes
TrueCrypt No No No Yes No
dm-crypt Yes Yes Yes Yes[11] Yes
FreeOTFE No Yes ? Yes ?

Modes of operation

Name Plain CBC CBC with ESSIV LRW
BestCrypt Yes No No
PGPDisk ? ? ?
cryptoloop Yes No No
CGD Yes[12] No No
TrueCrypt Yes No Yes[13]
dm-crypt Yes Yes Yes[14]
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. ^ "man 4 cgd in NetBSD 2.0". CGD manual page as it first appeared in NetBSD 2.0. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  3. ^ "TrueCrypt version history". Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  4. ^ dm-crypt was first included in Linux kernel version 2.6.4: http://lwn.net/Articles/75404/
  5. ^ "FreeOTFE version history". Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  6. ^ PGP private keys are always protected by strenghtened passphrases
  7. ^ a b c dm-crypt and cryptoloop volumes can be mounted from the initrd before the system is booted
  8. ^ Poul-Henning Kamp (2005-03-02). "FUD about CGD and GBDE". freebsd-hackers mailing list post. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  9. ^ Federico Biancuzzi (2005-12-21). "Inside NetBSD's CGD". interview with Roland Dowdeswell. ONLamp.com. {{cite web}}: Text "accessdate-2006-12-24" ignored (help)
  10. ^ a b Roland C. Dowdeswell, John Ioannidis. "The CryptoGraphic Disk Driver" (PDF). CGD design paper. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  11. ^ dm-crypt can encrypt a file-based volume when used with the losetup utility included with all major Linux distributions
  12. ^ "man 4 cgd in NetBSD-current". NetBSD current manual page on CGD. 2006-03-11. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
  13. ^ New containers created with TrueCrypt versions 4.1 and up use LRW, old containers use plain CBC
  14. ^ Starting with Linux kernel version 2.6.20, CryptoAPI supports the LRW mode: http://lwn.net/Articles/213650/


See also