7 Encrypting Partitions And Files - Novell LINUX ENTERPRISE SERVER 10 SP2 - INSTALLATION AND ADMINISTRATION Installation Manual

Encrypting Partitions and Files
Every user has some confidential data that third parties should not be able to access.
The more you rely on mobile computing and on working in different environments and
networks, the more carefully you should handle your data. The encryption of files or
entire partitions is recommended if others have network or physical access to your
system. Laptops or removable media, such as external hard disks or USB sticks, are
prone to being lost or stolen. Thus, it is recommended to encrypt the parts of your file
that hold confidential data.
There are several ways to protect your data by means of encryption:
Encrypting a Hard Disk Partition
You can create an encrypted partition with YaST during installation or in an already
installed system. Refer to Section 47.1.1, "Creating an Encrypted Partition during
Installation" (page 871) and Section 47.1.2, "Creating an Encrypted Partition on a
Running System" (page 872) for details. This option can also be used for removable
media, such as external hard disks, as described in Section 47.1.4, "Encrypting the
Content of Removable Media" (page 873).
Creating an Encrypted File as Container
You can create an encrypted file on your hard disk or on a removable medium with
YaST at any time. The encrypted file can then be used to store other files or folders.
For more information, refer to Section 47.1.3, "Creating an Encrypted File as a
Container" (page 872).
Encrypting Home Directories
With SUSE Linux Enterprise, you can also create encrypted home directories for
users. When the user logs in to the system, the encrypted home directory is
Encrypting Partitions and Files
47
869