Can I encrypt the home folder after I have installed Linux Mint 11?

Question

If I did not choose to encrypt the home folder during the installation of Linux Mint 11, can I encrypt the home folder after it has been installed?

Also what does in encrypt in the home folder?

Is it for every user on the system?

What type of encryption is it?

Can I decrypt or remove the encryption later and if so how?

Answer 1

Basically, all from Ask Ubuntu at the bottom of this page. I found more information there than on the mint forum site. While these are all for Ubuntu systems they should work on your Mint11.

(Side bar mint12 seems to have an encrypt bug- to be patched at next release).

• How to encrypt-home-drive-after-installation

• How to.1

  (sudo apt-get install ecryptfs-utils)

• How to.2
  (sudo ecryptfs-migrate-home -u USER)

There are other answers on this and other pages + the 'Related' on the right hand side.

What it does:

The home folder is where all of your files and settings when you choose this option your home folder is encrypted. This prevents anyone who is not logged in as you from being able to access your home folder.

From the Ubuntu developer himself:

• Decrypt or remove all encryption

  To decrypt a built-in encryption in Linux – Ubuntu

Another user:

• Not sure, but you should be able to encrypt as above per user.

Type of encryption or type in terminal: " ~ $ man encrypt "