iB::Topic::How do I password protect my USB installation?

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Topic: How do I password protect my USB installation?

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mreintz

Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: July 2006

Posted: July 06 2006,10:13

Hi all,

I'm no stranger to Linux but I'm a bit new to DSL's way of saving some information and not other. I've tried a lot of Googling before resorting to asking you guys. Maybe I'm just a bad Googler, but I'd sure appreciate some help.

OK, what I've got right now is the embedded version of the 3.0.1 revision of DSL running on my USB key (this one: ftp://ibiblio.org/pub....d.zip). I've not installed it to my hard disk and I'm not booting from the USB key; I'm just running the dsl-windows.bat script.

I've set up the environment as I like it with RSA keys and e-mail accounts and want to use it as my "PortaLinux" when I'm travelling. My only problem is security! How do I password protect this?? I've tried:

$ sudo passwd dsl

This apparently lets me set up a password, but I'm never prompted for it when I reboot.

adding "secure" to the dsl-windows.bat script

This prompts me for passwords, but when I reboot it prompts me again! I want it to ask for the password I stated before!

adding "protect" to the dsl-windows.bat script

This apparently makes a new file image encrypted with my key, but where do I retrieve it? The next time I boot it just prompts me again, and if I boot without the "protect" option I'm back to the unprotected image.

I realize I'm 99% being very stupid about this but I really can't figure it out.

A big thanks to anyone who can help me on this!

mreintz

Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: July 2006

Posted: July 07 2006,12:23

Pretty please...?

roberts

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Posts: 4983
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: July 09 2006,01:17

It is protect that you would want to use.
And pick a password of 8 or more characters.

But, once done, then delete the back.tar.gz otherwise
without the password the backup.tar.gz would be loaded up.

Without the backup.tar.gz and without the correct password then the backup.des is not loaded.
Using protect boot option makes the backup triple des protected.

mreintz

Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: July 2006

Posted: July 09 2006,07:30

Hey thanks! I knew it had to be something like that. I'll try it out as soon as I can get my hands on a Windows box. BTW, when I tried this out earlier it looked as though it would prompt me for a new password each and every time I booted with the PROTECT option. Did I remember incorrectly or am I supposed to use the PROTECT keyword when starting the image and some other when booting an already existing image?

I guess I'll be able to find out once I've got that Win box :-)

Again, thanks!

mreintz

Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: July 2006

Posted: July 09 2006,18:17

Hi again,

I've tried this, and still can't figure it out. If I leave the PROTECT keyword in the "dsl-windows.bat" file, it will always prompt me for a new password every time I boot the image. If I remove it, it backs up to my unprotected image, as you said.

I tried finding and removing the backup.tar.gz file as instructed, but can't find it anywhere. In the "linux file system" I did a find / backup* to no avail. In the Windows file system there's no such thing. There is a 60MB file called "harddisk" which seems to contain the entire image. There's another one called KNOPPIX which seems to contain the OS. If I delete "harddisk", it will *not* re-generate itself.

I've tried to see if there are any new files popping up, but there aren't. What am I missing?? :-(

I'd really appreciate some more help, since apparently I'm a total n00b ;-)

7 replies since July 06 2006,10:13

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