Idea: Encryption plugin architecture for file-systems

Tamas Nagy
2001-04-21T18:53:24Z

Hello,

Lot of people would like to know their data in secure place, and the
frequent usage of compression softwares could be time-consuming and boring
sometime.

Idea:
extend the current file-system with an optional plug-in system, which allows
for file-system level encryption instead of file-level. This could be used
transparently for applications or even for file-system drivers. This
doesn't mean an encrypted file-system, but a transparent encryption of a
media instead.

Advantages:
#1: optional security level for every data, without user interaction.
#2: if this idea is used e.g. for portable media (like cdrom), your backup
could be in safe also.
#3: (almost;)) everybody could create own security plugin for their data,
and not have to trust on the designers of a secure file systems.

I suspect that this idea may appeared in the past:(, but I haven't heard
about it;).

So, what do you think about this? Is Linux kernel enough flexible to do
this? What changes are necessary to do such a thing? Is there any other way,
to have own security for file-systems or portable medias? Is this
implementation could be used in the US?

Best regards,
Tamas Nagy