From: EVERHART@Arisia.GCE.Com
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 13:17:46 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: re: Opiated file systems
Message-ID: <960718203303.62@Arisia.GCE.Com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Hmm...
I can set up a cryptodisk on a not necessarily contiguous file on
another cryptodisk; the software is free. The second cryptodisk
would appear to be just a binary file on the first; would it not
be an obscured filesystem? (The drivers have been given away for years
public domain for vms, vax or alpha, in source. My old rsx11d driver
was published similarly back in 1977 or 78.) In fact, though, the
containing file of a cryptodisk does not have to have any specific
name or location, and can be hidden away as though it were, say,
a sound file or something else among the rest of the system store.

Before someone comes demanding your keys, they first have to realize
that something might in fact be encrypted. My approach would be to have
lots of these obscured cryptodisks for the stuff I wanted private,
if I wanted to hide a lot, and have the usual assortment of cleartext
stuff of all sorts lying around. The default operation mode forgets
the keys automatically once you log off...or even at dismount. 

If you're stuck with a whole partition being hidden, this is harder to
do. When any file of over a few kb can be a separate filestructure
when the proper magic is applied, locating the keys can be impossible.

glenn