Dirlock - A New Rust Tool to Manage Encrypted Filesystems

Learn about Dirlock, a new Rust-based tool for managing encrypted filesystems through native filesystem encryption using the kernel's fscrypt API in this 39-minute conference talk by Alberto Garcia from Igalia at a Linux Foundation event. Explore the three main categories of Linux data encryption technologies, including block device encryption like LUKS and stacked filesystem encryption like EncFs or gocryptfs, before diving deep into Dirlock's innovative approach as a third category solution. Discover how Dirlock provides flexible file encryption capabilities suitable for both user accounts and arbitrary directories, featuring comprehensive PAM integration for seamless authentication workflows. Examine the tool's support for hardware-backed security mechanisms including FIDO2 and TPM technologies, and understand how its D-Bus API enables easy management and integration with existing Linux desktop environments. Gain insights into the technical implementation details of native filesystem encryption and learn how Dirlock leverages Rust's safety and performance characteristics to deliver a robust encryption solution that bridges the gap between existing encryption approaches.