A few weeks ago, I discovered pam_mount. This wonderful piece of software allows you to type in a single password, log into your system and mount all encrypted drives at the same time, by using the same password for your encrypted drive as your login password. While this makes your encryption password slightly less secure, as there is a hashed version of it available, it also makes it so much more convenient to use ecryption in the first place. If you would go unecrypted otherwise, it is definitely worth a look.
Archive for the ‘administration’ Category
Hassle-free Encryption
Saturday, July 12th, 2008Crossloop
Monday, November 26th, 2007An important addition for the non-local friendly administrator: CrossLoop. This is a piece of software I have long been looking for. Often I have to give computer support over the phone to friends and relatives. I have always wanted to set up a VNC or Remote Desktop connection but have feared either security or complexity issues (or both). With this tool, both problems have vanished. Just download, install and start. Let your friend tell you the security number displayed in large friendly letters and connect to his computer via an encrypted VNC channel that will find its way through NAT and firewalls.
On the the downside: It is “just” freeware (and not open source) and it is “just” VNC and not NX Server (NoMachine, FreeNX) or Remote Desktop but hey, its free its usable and its drop-dead easy to set up.