Ivan Čukić

dr Ivan Čukić

Author of "Functional Programming in C++", KDE developer and Free/Libre software enthusiast

For inquiries about KDE projects (requesting features, submitting bugs, asking general questions etc.), you can use:

KDE Community Forum
Bug reporting site
#plasma IRC channel

You need to contact me directly?

KDE related:
ivan.cukic [at] kde.org

Non KDE related things:
ivan [at] this domain

IRC Network: libera.chat
Nick: ivan|home
Channel: #plasma

Projects

Blog categories

Functional Programming in C++

If you like C++, you might be interested in my book. It contains quite a few gems of modern C++ programming.

It is available for purchase at:

Patronage

Plasma Vault: The new backend for CryFS

Published by Ivan Čukić in the KDE development: Plasma Vault section, on 26 April 2018

As you might have seen before, there were some issues with CryFS for which I had to switch Vault to use EncFS by default for Plasma 5.12 since it is a long-term support release.

Now that 5.12 is behind us, I’ve had the time to revamp the CryFS backend to use the latest features that Sebastian implemented in cryfs 0.9.9.

Plasma Vault now communicates the error messages reported by cryfs clearly and is able to upgrade the cryfs filesystem when you upgrade to a new cryfs version.

The new version of Plasma Vault is ready for testing (it is in master, Plasma 5.13 beta will be released in a few weeks).

Comments:

Joe
Hello, what are the future plans for Vaults? Will apps be able to use vaults to store sensitive information, settings and content?
Ivan Čukić
At the moment, I'm focussing on stability. I don't want to make the system more complex -- complexity is not a friend of security.

There were some talks of the possibility of using vaults for index files of akonadi GPG-encrypted mail, but I'm not sure how that will pan out.
Luca
Hi, is there some way to unlock KDE Vaults unlocking the KWallet?
Ivan Čukić
No. That is not planned as it beats the purpose of vaults. You should probably encrypt your whole home directory.
lesto
Why should it break the purpose of vaults? I to log in and do everything as normal, then open up my vault, and that will request the password/key to kwallet, that then in turn is using my HW key to authenticate me.

This to me seems way more safe/reasonable:
If i encrypt my whole home, once i logged in (again using this key), all my precious document will be always available instead of only when i need them (once or twice for month), thus exposing those document unnecessary.

This will make easy to set up very complex password.

Now, there are good reason against the "one key to lock the all", but there are also good reason as pro; let the user choose
Ivan Čukić
It would break the purpose because KWallet is not a secure password storage.

If this was allowed, the fact you close a vault would not mean a thing. Any process could unlock it just by asking KWallet for the password.
Plasma Vault: The new backend for #CryFS https://cukic.co/2018/04/2… | Dr. Roy Schestowitz (罗伊)
[...] Plasma Vault: The new backend for #CryFS https://cukic.co/2018/04/26/plasma-vault-the-new-backend-for-cryfs/ #kde #plasma #gnu #linux #encryption [...] [...]

Write a new comment...