Encrypting data on local servers?
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
Since I already use ZFS for my data storage, I just created a private dataset for sensitive data. I also have my services split based on if it's sensitive or not, so the non sensitive stuff comes up automatically and the sensitive stuff waits for me to log in and unlock the dataset.
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
Unless the crook happens to be extremely nerdy or its law enforcement, already being a Linux formatted partition feels it should be enough for a rando breaking in and stealing a computer.
That being said, something like a PiKVM connected to your server (and Tailscale) could let you enable both UEFI/boot password and propt for LUKS decryption upon boot.
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
I'd go with the Full Disk Encryption. You can be sure everything is encrypted that way. Any additional complexity adds ways to mess up and compromise security. Entering the password is a bit cumbersome. But that's part of the deal. I just carry my computer keyboard to my NAS and enter the password each time I need to reboot. Which doesn't happen that often. There also used to be some tutorial somewhere on how to put an SSH server into the initrd so you can enter the password over network.
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Since I already use ZFS for my data storage, I just created a private dataset for sensitive data. I also have my services split based on if it's sensitive or not, so the non sensitive stuff comes up automatically and the sensitive stuff waits for me to log in and unlock the dataset.
Not using ZFS but a similar approach:
All my data (paperless, and other docker container data) is encrypted with LUKS on a separate disk. The OS is running unencrypted on the SD card (using a Raspberry Pi). This way I can swap out the system and relink the docker container data if needed.
Yes, I do need to unlock after a reboot, but since the system is fully up, that's done easily via ssh.Still looking into ways to unlock it automatically on certain criteria...
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
I'm using https://github.com/dracut-crypt-ssh/dracut-crypt-ssh on some of my servers. The initrd opens an ssh port where you can login and enter the passphrase.
Setting it up is non-trivial, but it works well.
Haven't tried it on Debian but there should be something similar. -
I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
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I'm using https://github.com/dracut-crypt-ssh/dracut-crypt-ssh on some of my servers. The initrd opens an ssh port where you can login and enter the passphrase.
Setting it up is non-trivial, but it works well.
Haven't tried it on Debian but there should be something similar.This is actually really interesting, I might have to try this.
I currently use a USB stick with a key file on it that I need to plug in on boot. Something like this but it wasn't that easy for me. https://openterprise.it/2022/07/fedora-unlock-luks-full-disk-encrypted-system-using-usb-stick/
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Luks FDE, and install dropbear-initramfs, configure ssh authorized_keys and rebuild initramfs. Then you can access initramfs via ssh to type luks password.
A more detailed guide for dropbear:
https://www.cyberciti.biz/security/how-to-unlock-luks-using-dropbear-ssh-keys-remotely-in-linux/If I remember correctly, the only outdated bit of information is that the IP configuration doesn't happen anymore in the initramfs configuration but you must pass a parameter at the kernel by editing /etc/default/grub and passing
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="ip=192.168.x.x:::::"where 192.168.x.x is the IP address that you want at boot
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
If you want to encrypt only the data partition you can use an approach like https://michael.stapelberg.ch/posts/2023-10-25-my-all-flash-zfs-network-storage-build/#encrypted-zfs to ulock it at boot.
TL;DR: store half of the decryption key on the computer and another half online and write a script that at boot fetches the second half and decrypt the drive. There is a timewindow where a thief could decrypt your data before you remove the key if they connect your computer to the network, but depending on your thread model can be acceptable.
you can also decrypt the root portion with a similar approach but you need to store the script in the initramfs and it is not trivial.Another option I've seen suggested is storing the decryption key on a USB pendrive and connect it with a long extension cord to the server. The assumption is that a thief would unplug all the cables before stealing your server.
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
Other options are LUKS with Tang and Clevis, or LUKS with SSH and Dropbear.
Sorry, I have no details.
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Unless the crook happens to be extremely nerdy or its law enforcement, already being a Linux formatted partition feels it should be enough for a rando breaking in and stealing a computer.
That being said, something like a PiKVM connected to your server (and Tailscale) could let you enable both UEFI/boot password and propt for LUKS decryption upon boot.
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
I use LUKS on my systems. I use mandos and wireguard in intramfs to connect to a mandos server to unlock LUKS during boot.
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I use LUKS on my systems. I use mandos and wireguard in intramfs to connect to a mandos server to unlock LUKS during boot.
What's mandos? I don't find anything useful when searching for it.
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What's mandos? I don't find anything useful when searching for it.
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What's mandos? I don't find anything useful when searching for it.
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
I've been there, I used the "encrypted partition to be unlocked after boot via SSH"-option, but it quickly became tedious to have to input the password every time it rebooted. I wanted something that could recover by itself (I.e. start everything up again after a potential crash), so that I could maximize uptime and the investigate the crash later.
So I ended up disabling encryption. What I did instead was to find services with E2EE for my most sensitive stuff. Joplin for my personal notes is currently the only thing I have encrypted. Nextcloud has experimental E2EE, though I'm not really using it as of right now. Everything I deem too sensitive to trust my server with unencrypted, I store on encrypted flash drives.
I think the risk of the server itself being compromised/hacked is bigger than physical theft (at least in my case), and if you take some good precautionary measures, even that risk is pretty small unless you're being directly targeted by a skilled adversary. If the latter is the case, don't store sensitive stuff on something with an IP address.
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft)…
Lock the case shut. Run a security wire (like for laptops) to the case and mount the other end to something big / immovable.
Truly paranoid: 24/7 video surveillance.
Super truly paranoid: same as above but in a locked room
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
Could you just secure the physical location?
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I am looking for some recommendations on how to secure the data of my physical servers (against physical theft), that I am about to set up. I am new to selfhosting but have a few years of experience running Linux on a desktop.
My usecase is a simple debian(?) server at home with Paperless ngx and Tailscale for when I am away from home.
The question is how to encrypt the data while still being able to keep the server updated.
Coming from Desktop my first thought was to simply enable FDE on install. But that would mean supplying the password everytime the server needs to reboot for an update. Could someone provide some insights on how often updates to debian require a reboot?
My second thought was to use an encrypted data partition. That way the server could reboot and I could use wireguard to ssh in and open the partition even when I am away from home for a longer time.
I am open to other ideas!
I wanted to encrypt against physical theft but then I realized that the server weighs 20kg and there's more valuable and lighter stuff to steal. And a thief would never be able to mount the zfs array, they'll just fence my $2000 server for $50 and someone else will sell it piece by piece on ebay. And between people who buys used drives online on ebay almost nobody is going to do a full surface scan of a 12tb drive in the hopes of finding valuable data.
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Unless the crook happens to be extremely nerdy or its law enforcement, already being a Linux formatted partition feels it should be enough for a rando breaking in and stealing a computer.
That being said, something like a PiKVM connected to your server (and Tailscale) could let you enable both UEFI/boot password and propt for LUKS decryption upon boot.
I wouldn't rely on the thief not knowing how to read linux partitions. That very well may be the case, but the person they sell your hardware to will know better, considering they are in the market of purchasing used server hardware.
I self host and my threat model is the thief selling my server to someone who knows what to do with it, but not knowing how to extract encryption keys from the memory of a running server before unpluging it. That being said I haven't figured out encryption yet so watching this thread.
