Re: how to backup to an encrypted usb drive?
On 11/14/18, Reco <recoverym4n@enotuniq.net> wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 14, 2018 at 10:50:44AM -0500, Lee wrote:
>> On 11/14/18, Reco <recoverym4n@enotuniq.net> wrote:
>> > Hi.
>> >
>> > On Wed, Nov 14, 2018 at 10:01:38AM -0500, Lee wrote:
>> >> What are you using to backup your files to an encrypted usb drive?
>> >
>> > For the backup itself - dump(8) or xfsdump(8) (filesystem dependent).
>>
>> Which seems to require restore or xfsrestore?
>
> Precisely.
>
>
>> https://linux.die.net/man/8/xfsdump
>> The media format used by xfsdump can only be understood by xfsrestore.
>> I can't tell from a quick look at dump/restore if I can look at files
>> on the backup media or not
>
> No, you do not. You'll need restore/xfsrestore first.
> The whole purpose of a good filesystem backup is to capture all
> file/directory attributes (which include, but aren't limited to POSIX
> permissions, POSIX ACLs, SELinux labels, capability labels, extended
> attributes to name a few). That's where dump/xfsdump guarantee you to
> capture anything that a filesystem supports.
>
> If you're content with losing all this metadata in your backup - there
> are rsync, cpio or tar. Or all those 'backup solutions' based on those.
Do I need all that metadata? This is for me at home so it's pretty
much a single user machine.
>> > For the encryption of this hypothetical drive (I don't use USB drives
>> > for these purposes) - luks only.
>>
>> Why don't you like USB drives for these purposes?
>
> Because backing up something to NFS share is easier.
but leaves you open to cryptolocker ransomware & various 'oh shit!'
moments when I do something stupid. Offline & offsite is worth a
certain amount of inconvenience to me.
> And, I'm strong believer of 'machine works, human thinks' principle.
> Automating backups to NFS (and replicating them from there) is simple.
> Automating backup to USB drive - that's something that cannot be done
> without human intervention.
>
>> In other words, what am I missing?
>
> Encrypted backups have their purpose, of course. For storing backups
> offsite (whenever it's physical or cloud) encryption is invaluable.
>
> But, the encryption is only as secure as the management of the
> encryption key, and the only relatively secure example of that I can
> come up with is gpg. And utilizing gpg for unattended backups is painful
> to say the least.
Which is why I liked truecrypt. Is luks roughly equivalent for
encrypting the whole drive?
Thanks
Lee
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