Provided by: volume-key_0.3.9-4_amd64 
NAME
volume_key - work with volume encryption secrets and escrow packets
SYNOPIS
volume_key [OPTION]... OPERAND...
DESCRIPTION
volume_key extracts "secrets" used for volume encryption (for example keys or passphrases) and stores
them into separate encrypted "escrow packets", uses a previously created escrow packet to restore access
to a volume (e.g. if the user forgets a passphrase), or manipulates the information in escrow packets.
The mode of operation and operands of volume_key are determined by specifying one of the --save,
--restore, --setup-volume, --reencrypt, --dump or --secrets options. See the OPTIONS sections for
details.
OPTIONS
In all options described below, VOLUME is a LUKS device, not the plaintext device containted within:
blkid -s TYPE VOLUME
should report TYPE="crypto_LUKS".
The following options determine the mode of operation and expected operands of volume_key:
--save Expects operands VOLUME [PACKET]. Open VOLUME. If PACKET is provided, load the secrets from it.
Otherwise, extract secrets from VOLUME, prompting the user if necessary. In any case, store
secrets in one or more output packets.
--restore
Expects operands VOLUME PACKET. Open VOLUME and use the secrets in PACKET to make VOLUME
accessible again, prompting the user if necessary (e.g. by letting the user enter a new
passphrase).
--setup-volume
Expects operands VOLUME PACKET NAME. Open VOLUME and use the secrets in PACKET to set up VOLUME
for use of the decrypted data as NAME.
Currently NAME is a name of a dm-crypt volume, and this operation makes the decrypted volume
available as /dev/mapper/NAME.
This operation should not permanently alter VOLUME (e.g. by adding a new passphrase); the user can
of course access and modify the decrypted volume, modifying VOLUME in the process.
--reencrypt
Expects operand PACKET. Open PACKET, decrypting it if necessary, and store the information in one
or more new output packets.
--dump Expects operand PACKET. Open PACKET, decrypting it if necessary, and output the contents of
PACKET. The secrets are not output by default.
--secrets
Expects operand PACKET. Open PACKET, decrypting it if necessary, and output secrets contained in
PACKET.
--help Show usage information.
--version
Show version of volume_key.
The following options alter the behavior of the specified operation:
-b, --batch
Run in batch mode. Read passwords and passphrases from standard input, each terminated by a NUL
character. If a packet does not match a volume exactly, fail instead of prompting the user.
-d, --nss-dir DIR
Use private keys in NSS database in DIR to decrypt public key-encrypted packets.
-o, --output PACKET
Write the default secret to PACKET.
Which secret is the default depends on volume format: it should not be likely to expire, and it
should allow restoring access to the volume using --restore.
--output-data-encryption-key PACKET
Write the data encryption key (the key directly used to encrypt the actual volume data) to PACKET.
--output-passphrase PACKET
Write a passphrase that can be used to access the volume to PACKET.
--create-random-passphrase PACKET
Generate a random alphanumeric passphrase, add it to VOLUME (without affecting other passphrases)
and store the random passphrase into PACKET.
-c, --certificate CERT
Load a certificate from the file specified by CERT and encrypt all output packets using the public
key contained in the certificate. If this option is not specified, all output packets are
encrypted using a passphrase.
Note that CERT is a certificate file name, not a NSS certificate nickname.
--output-format FORMAT
Use FORMAT for all output packets. FORMAT can currently be one of asymmetric (use CMS to encrypt
the whole packet, requires a certificate), asymmetric_wrap_secret_only (wrap only the secret,
requires a certificate), passphrase (use GPG to encrypt the whole packet, requires a passphrase).
--unencrypted
Only dump the unencrypted parts of the packet, if any, with --dump. Do not require any passphrase
or private key access.
--with-secrets
Include secrets in the output of --dump
EXIT STATUS
volume_key returns with exit status 0 on success, 1 on error.
NOTES
The only currently supported volume format is LUKS.
EXAMPLE
Typical usage of volume_key proceeds as follows. During system installation or soon after, back up the
default secret of a volume, and add a system-specific random passphrase. Encrypt both using a
certificate:
volume_key --save VOLUME -c CERT -o PACKET_DEFAULT --create-random-passphrase PACKET_PASSPHRASE
Store PACKET_DEFAULT and PACKET_PASSPHRASE outside of the computer.
If the user forgets a passphrase, and you can access the computer, decrypt PACKET_DEFAULT using the
certificate private key (which should never leave a secure machine):
volume_key --reencrypt -d NSS_DB PACKET_DEFAULT -o PACKET_DEFAULT_PW
Then boot the computer (e.g. using a "rescue mode"), copy PACKET_DEFAULT_PW to it, and restore access to
the volume:
volume_key --restore VOLUME PACKET_DEFAULT_PW
If the user forgets the passphrase, and you cannot access the computer, decrypt the backup passphrase:
volume_key --secrets PACKET_PASSPHRASE
and tell the backup passphrase to the user. (You can later generate a new backup passphrase.)