Wipe LUKS Disk Encryption Key for Root Disk from RAM during Shutdown to defeat Cold Boot Attacks #997
Labels
crypt
Issues related to the crypt module
enhancement
Issue adding new functionality
shutdown
Issues related to the shutdown module
Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
Defeat Cold Boot Attacks by wiping LUKS disk encryption during shutdown.
What is a Cold Boot Attacks? See:
Describe the solution you'd like
Run
cryptsetup close
at end of shutdown procedure.Quote
cryptsetup close
(previouslycryptsetup lukseClose
) man page (bold added):Maybe
cryptsetup close
could be done duringdracut-shutdown
?This would not wipe all secrets from RAM to defeat a cold boot attack but at least remove one of the most important secrets, the root disk LUKS encryption key.
Describe alternatives you've considered
Linux kernel feature:
This issue can probably not be redirected at the Linux kernel. While a generic solution
Wipe RAM to defeat Cold Boot Attacks
(systemd/systemd#17242) probably belongs into the kernel, this does not. For the kernel to be able to wipe the memory, encrypted LUKS devices need to be properly closed first.cryptsetup close
does that.systemd feature:
systemd does not wipe the LUKS disk encryption key for root disk from RAM during shutdown. And as I understand systemd developer @poettering Lennart Poettering, this isn't up to systemd either. It's up to the initrd / initramfs. (systemd/systemd#17887)
Quote myself (systemd/systemd#17887 (comment)):
Quote systemd developer @poettering Lennart Poettering (systemd/systemd#17887 (comment)):
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