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F R E E O P E N - S O U R C E O N - T H E - F L Y E N C R Y P T I O N
USER’S GUIDE
www.truecrypt.org
Version Information
TrueCrypt User’s Guide, version 7.1a
Released by TrueCrypt Foundation on February 7, 2012
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 6
BEGINNER’S TUTORIAL .............................................................................................................. 7
How to Create and Use a TrueCrypt Container ....................................................................... 7
How to Create and Use a TrueCrypt-Encrypted Partition/Device ......................................... 25
TRUECRYPT VOLUME ................................................................................................................ 26
CREATING A NEW TRUECRYPT VOLUME ........................................................................................ 26
Hash Algorithm ...................................................................................................................... 26
Encryption Algorithm ............................................................................................................ 26
Quick Format ......................................................................................................................... 27
Dynamic ................................................................................................................................. 27
Cluster Size ............................................................................................................................ 27
TrueCrypt Volumes on CDs and DVDs ................................................................................ 27
Hardware/Software RAID, Windows Dynamic Volumes ..................................................... 28
Additional Notes on Volume Creation .................................................................................. 28
FAVORITE VOLUMES ....................................................................................................................... 29
SYSTEM FAVORITE VOLUMES ......................................................................................................... 31
SYSTEM ENCRYPTION ............................................................................................................... 33
Hidden Operating System ...................................................................................................... 33
Operating Systems Supported for System Encryption ........................................................... 34
TrueCrypt Rescue Disk .......................................................................................................... 34
PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY ......................................................................................................... 37
HIDDEN VOLUME ............................................................................................................................ 38
Protection of Hidden Volumes Against Damage ................................................................... 40
Security Requirements and Precautions Pertaining to Hidden Volumes ............................... 43
HIDDEN OPERATING SYSTEM .......................................................................................................... 47
Process of Creation of Hidden Operating System ................................................................. 49
Plausible Deniability and Data Leak Protection .................................................................... 50
Possible Explanations for Existence of Two TrueCrypt Partitions on Single Drive ............. 50
Safety/Security Precautions and Requirements Pertaining to Hidden Operating Systems ... 52
MAIN PROGRAM WINDOW ....................................................................................................... 54
Select File .............................................................................................................................. 54
Select Device ......................................................................................................................... 54
Mount ..................................................................................................................................... 54
Auto-Mount Devices .............................................................................................................. 54
Dismount ................................................................................................................................ 54
Dismount All .......................................................................................................................... 55
Wipe Cache ............................................................................................................................ 55
Never Save History ................................................................................................................ 55
Exit ......................................................................................................................................... 55
Volume Tools ........................................................................................................................ 56
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PROGRAM MENU ............................................................................................................................. 57
Volumes -> Auto-Mount All Device-Hosted Volumes ......................................................... 57
Volumes -> Dismount All Mounted Volumes ....................................................................... 57
Volumes -> Change Volume Password ................................................................................. 57
Volumes -> Set Header Key Derivation Algorithm .............................................................. 57
Volumes -> Add/Remove Keyfiles to/from Volume ............................................................. 58
Volumes -> Remove All Keyfiles from Volume ................................................................... 58
Favorites -> Add Mounted Volume to Favorites ................................................................... 58
Favorites -> Organize Favorite Volumes ............................................................................... 58
Favorites -> Mount Favorites Volumes ................................................................................. 58
Favorites -> Add Mounted Volume to System Favorites ...................................................... 58
Favorites -> Organize System Favorite Volumes .................................................................. 58
System -> Change Password .................................................................................................. 58
System -> Mount Without Pre-Boot Authentication ............................................................. 58
Tools -> Clear Volume History ............................................................................................. 59
Tools -> Traveler Disk Setup ................................................................................................. 59
Tools -> Keyfile Generator .................................................................................................... 59
Tools -> Backup Volume Header .......................................................................................... 59
Tools -> Restore Volume Header .......................................................................................... 59
Settings -> Preferences .......................................................................................................... 60
MOUNTING TRUECRYPT VOLUMES ................................................................................................. 62
Cache Password in Driver Memory ....................................................................................... 62
Mount Options ....................................................................................................................... 62
PARALLELIZATION .................................................................................................................... 63
PIPELINING .................................................................................................................................... 63
HARDWARE ACCELERATION .................................................................................................. 64
HOT KEYS ....................................................................................................................................... 65
KEYFILES ....................................................................................................................................... 66
Keyfiles Dialog Window ....................................................................................................... 66
Security Tokens and Smart Cards .......................................................................................... 67
Keyfile Search Path ................................................................................................................ 68
Empty Password & Keyfile.................................................................................................... 68
Quick Selection ...................................................................................................................... 68
Volumes -> Add/Remove Keyfiles to/from Volume ............................................................. 69
Volumes -> Remove All Keyfiles from Volume ................................................................... 69
Tools -> Keyfile Generator .................................................................................................... 69
Settings -> Default Keyfiles ................................................................................................... 69
SECURITY TOKENS & SMART CARDS ................................................................................... 71
PORTABLE MODE ........................................................................................................................ 72
Tools -> Traveler Disk Setup ................................................................................................. 72
LANGUAGE PACKS ...................................................................................................................... 74
Installation ............................................................................................................................. 74
ENCRYPTION ALGORITHMS .................................................................................................... 75
4
AES ........................................................................................................................................ 75
Serpent ................................................................................................................................... 76
Twofish .................................................................................................................................. 76
AES-Twofish ......................................................................................................................... 76
AES-Twofish-Serpent ............................................................................................................ 76
Serpent-AES .......................................................................................................................... 77
Serpent-Twofish-AES ............................................................................................................ 77
Twofish-Serpent ..................................................................................................................... 77
HASH ALGORITHMS ................................................................................................................... 78
RIPEMD-160 ......................................................................................................................... 78
SHA-512 ................................................................................................................................ 78
Whirlpool ............................................................................................................................... 78
SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEMS....................................................................................... 79
COMMAND LINE USAGE ............................................................................................................ 80
Syntax .................................................................................................................................... 82
Examples ................................................................................................................................ 82
SECURITY MODEL ....................................................................................................................... 83
SECURITY REQUIREMENTS AND PRECAUTIONS ............................................................. 86
Data Leaks.............................................................................................................................. 86
Paging File ............................................................................................................................. 87
Memory Dump Files .............................................................................................................. 87
Hibernation File ..................................................................................................................... 88
Unencrypted Data in RAM .................................................................................................... 89
Physical Security .................................................................................................................... 89
Malware ................................................................................................................................. 90
Multi-User Environment ........................................................................................................ 90
Authenticity and Integrity ...................................................................................................... 91
Choosing Passwords and Keyfiles ......................................................................................... 91
Changing Passwords and Keyfiles ......................................................................................... 92
Trim Operation ....................................................................................................................... 92
Wear-Leveling ....................................................................................................................... 93
Reallocated Sectors ................................................................................................................ 93
Defragmenting ....................................................................................................................... 94
Journaling File Systems ......................................................................................................... 94
Volume Clones ....................................................................................................................... 95
Additional Security Requirements and Precautions ............................................................... 95
HOW TO BACK UP SECURELY ................................................................................................. 96
Non-System Volumes ............................................................................................................ 96
System Partitions ................................................................................................................... 96
General Notes ......................................................................................................................... 98
MISCELLANEOUS......................................................................................................................... 99
Using TrueCrypt Without Administrator Privileges .............................................................. 99
Sharing over Network .......................................................................................................... 100
TrueCrypt Background Task ................................................................................................ 101
5
Volume Mounted as Removable Medium ........................................................................... 102
TrueCrypt System Files & Application Data ....................................................................... 103
How to Remove Encryption ................................................................................................. 105
Uninstalling TrueCrypt ........................................................................................................ 106
Digital Signatures ................................................................................................................. 107
TROUBLESHOOTING ................................................................................................................ 109
INCOMPATIBILITIES ................................................................................................................ 118
KNOWN ISSUES & LIMITATIONS .......................................................................................... 119
Known Issues ....................................................................................................................... 119
Limitations ........................................................................................................................... 119
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ....................................................................................... 122
TECHNICAL DETAILS ............................................................................................................... 134
NOTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 134
ENCRYPTION SCHEME ................................................................................................................... 135
MODES OF OPERATION .................................................................................................................. 137
HEADER KEY DERIVATION, SALT, AND ITERATION COUNT .......................................................... 138
RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR ................................................................................................... 139
KEYFILES ...................................................................................................................................... 141
TRUECRYPT VOLUME FORMAT SPECIFICATION ............................................................................ 143
COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................. 145
SOURCE CODE ............................................................................................................................... 145
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................................... 146
CONTACT ...................................................................................................................................... 146
LEGAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................. 146
VERSION HISTORY .................................................................................................................... 147
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................... 148
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 149
