# Disk Encryption on Linux

_2026-02-19_

> Quick guide to disk encryption using LUKS on Linux. No fluff, just commands.

Quick guide to disk encryption using LUKS on Linux. No fluff, just commands.

## Creating an encrypted partition

```
cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/sdX
cryptsetup open /dev/sdX encrypted
mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/encrypted
```

## Mounting

```
mount /dev/mapper/encrypted /mnt/secure
```

Auto-mounting via `/etc/crypttab` + `/etc/fstab`.

## Header backup (essential!)

```
cryptsetup luksHeaderBackup /dev/sdX --header-backup-file header.bak
```

If you lose the header, your data is lost forever.

Simple and reliable. LUKS — the de facto standard for Linux.