Cross-platform & FOSS encryption for USB sticks?

ness2616 · 10-25-2014, 06:16 PM

I'm looking for a free and open-source USB drive encryption program that is both Linux and Windows-compatible. Unfortunately, TrueCrypt is no longer an option, but there must be alternatives... does anyone know of one that is Win & Linux compatible? Thanks!

everest40 · 10-26-2014, 02:25 AM

A couple of ideas:
① VeraCrypt is a fork of TrueCrypt.
② TruPax is a Java program that can read and write TrueCrypt files.

ness2616 · 10-28-2014, 04:28 PM

Thank you for this info. I'd like to see something that is not based on TrueCrypt, because I was a bit concerned about its abrupt discontinuation, but perhaps it is still the best thing there is.

Do you trust TrueCrypt with highly personal data? Is TrueCrypt completely open source now? If teams are working on creating new versions of it like this, then I'm assuming the source code is getting attention and some amount of thorough review. I hope this is the case.

I do see that new security features have been built into it, such as modern algorithms and many more rounds of encryption to protect against brute force techniques. Would you consider the program's encryption to be highly secure and as good as dm-crypt/LUKS, or better?

everest40 · 10-29-2014, 01:06 AM

I don't know much about the original TrueCrypt except that it is still undergoing a formal code audit. This tweet is from a few days ago:

Quote:

Originally Posted by https://twitter.com/kennwhite/status/526137266402787328

@etrusiauk took a hiatus, but far from dead. Announcement in the next week or so. @matthew_d_green

VeraCrypt is licensed under the OSI-approved Microsoft Public License, which suggests that either they got permission from the TrueCrypt developers to fork it or did not feel a need to ask for permission.

As for whether TrueCrypt is trustworthy, I'll have to leave that for someone more knowledgable to answer:

Quote:

Originally Posted by https://www.grc.com/misc/truecrypt/truecrypt.htm

TrueCrypt is still safe to use... Those who believe that there is something suddenly “wrong” with TrueCrypt because its creators have decided they no longer have so much to give are misguided... Note that once TrueCrypt has been independently audited it will be the only mass storage encryption solution to have been audited.