FreeOTFE

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FreeOTFE

FreeOTFE v3.00

Developed by

Sarah Dean

Latest release

v3.00 / Dec 16, 2007

Microsoft Windows, PocketPC, and Linux

Genre

Transparent disk encryption

FreeOTFE is an open source "on-the-fly" disk encryption (OTFE — On The Fly Encryption) program for PCs and PDAs (FreeOTFE4PDA). It creates "virtual disks" - anything written to which is automatically encrypted before being stored on the computer's hard drive or USB drive.

1 Overview
2 Algorithms implemented
- 2.1 Ciphers
  - 2.1.1 Cipher modes
- 2.2 Hashes
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Overview

FreeOTFE was initially released by Sarah Dean in 2004, and was the first open source disk encryption system that provided a modular architecture allowing 3rd parties to implement additional algorithms if required.

This software is compatible with Linux encrypted volumes (e.g. LUKS, cryptoloop, dm-crypt), allowing data encrypted under Linux to be read (and written) freely. It was the first open source transparent disk encryption system to support Windows Vista and PDAs ^[1]

FreeOTFE also allows "hidden volumes" to be created, giving plausible deniability and deniable encryption, and also has the option of encrypting entire partitions or disks.

[edit] Algorithms implemented

Due to its architecture, FreeOTFE provides great flexibility to the user with its encryption options.

[edit] Ciphers

There are a number of ciphers implemented in FreeOTFE, including:

All of the NIST AES finalists are included in FreeOTFE, and all of the ciphers can be used with multiple different keylengths

[edit] Cipher modes

Originally FreeOTFE offered encryption using CBC with ESSIV, though from v3.00 introduced LRW and the more secure (though slightly slower) XTS mode, which supersedes LRW in the IEEE P1619 standard for disk encryption.