[id='con_introduction-to-luks_{context}']
= Introduction to LUKS

Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS) is a specification for block device encryption.  It establishes an on-disk format for the data, as well as a `passphrase/key` management policy.

LUKS uses the kernel device mapper subsystem with the `dm-crypt` module. This arrangement provides a low-level mapping that handles encryption and decryption of the device data. You can use the `cryptsetup` utility to perform user-level operations such as creating and accessing encrypted devices.

What LUKS does::  {blank}
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** LUKS encrypts entire block devices and is therefore well-suited for protecting the contents of mobile devices such as removable storage media or laptop disk drives.
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** The underlying contents of the encrypted block device are arbitrary. This makes it useful for encrypting [command]`swap` devices. This can also be useful with certain databases that use specially formatted block devices for data storage.
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** LUKS uses the existing device mapper kernel subsystem.
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** LUKS provides passphrase strengthening which protects against dictionary attacks.
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** LUKS devices contain multiple key slots, allowing users to add backup keys or passphrases.

What LUKS does *not* do::  {blank}
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** LUKS is not well-suited for applications requiring more than eight users to have distinct access keys to the same device.
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** LUKS is not well-suited for applications requiring file-level encryption.
