truecrypt

truecrypt [options] [VOLUME [MOUNT_POINT]]

-m, --mount
    Mounts the specified encrypted volume to a mount point.

-d, --dismount
    Dismounts the specified encrypted volume or all currently mounted volumes.

-c, --create
    Starts the TrueCrypt Volume Creation Wizard to create a new encrypted volume.

-l, --list
    Lists all currently mounted TrueCrypt volumes.

-t, --text
    Runs TrueCrypt in text-based user interface mode, suitable for terminals without graphical support.

--fs-options=options
    Specifies filesystem mount options (e.g., 'rw,uid=1000').

--keyfiles=file1[,file2...]
    Specifies one or more keyfiles to use for authentication.

--password=password
    Provides the volume password non-interactively. Use with caution, as this can expose your password in command history.

--non-interactive
    Suppresses all interactive prompts, assuming default or specified options.

VOLUME
    The path to the encrypted volume file or device (e.g., /dev/sdXn, /path/to/volume.tc).

MOUNT_POINT
    The directory where the encrypted volume should be mounted.

TrueCrypt was a widely used free and open-source disk encryption software designed to provide on-the-fly encryption for entire disk partitions or storage devices. It also allowed users to create encrypted virtual disk files that operated like regular files but securely stored data. The software supported various encryption algorithms (e.g., AES, Serpent, Twofish) and hash functions, offering a high degree of configurability. TrueCrypt gained significant popularity due to its cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, and Linux) and its perceived robustness in protecting data confidentiality. However, its development ceased abruptly in May 2014, with a warning from the official project website advising against its continued use due to potential security vulnerabilities. As a result, TrueCrypt is no longer recommended for secure data encryption, and users are strongly advised to migrate to actively maintained alternatives like VeraCrypt.

Important Security Warning: TrueCrypt was officially discontinued in 2014 and is no longer maintained. It has not received any security updates since then. The official TrueCrypt website, at the time of discontinuation, explicitly warned that the software 'may contain unfixed security vulnerabilities.' While subsequent independent security audits did not find evidence of a deliberate backdoor, they did identify various vulnerabilities and design weaknesses that confirm its obsolescence. Therefore, the use of TrueCrypt for securing sensitive data is strongly discouraged. Users should migrate to actively maintained and audited alternatives like VeraCrypt to ensure data security and integrity.

While TrueCrypt is considered obsolete and insecure for new encryption, it may still be encountered on older systems for accessing existing encrypted volumes. It is crucial to understand that continued use for sensitive data protection is highly insecure due to the lack of updates and known vulnerabilities. Users with existing TrueCrypt volumes are strongly advised to decrypt their data and re-encrypt it using a modern, actively maintained encryption solution such as VeraCrypt, or native operating system encryption tools like LUKS with cryptsetup on Linux. This migration is essential to mitigate potential security risks.

TrueCrypt was first released around 2004 and rapidly gained traction as a robust, open-source disk encryption solution. Its ability to encrypt entire partitions, devices, or create hidden volumes, coupled with its cross-platform compatibility, made it a go-to tool for privacy-conscious users. However, in May 2014, the TrueCrypt development team abruptly ceased all activity, posting a cryptic message on their official website stating that the software was 'not secure' and recommending users migrate to BitLocker (on Windows). This sudden and unexplained discontinuation, along with the ambiguous warning, led to widespread concern and speculation within the security community. Although subsequent independent security audits did not confirm a 'backdoor,' they did identify various flaws and design concerns. The cessation of TrueCrypt's development directly led to the creation of forks and successors, most notably VeraCrypt, which aimed to audit, fix, and continue the project's legacy with active maintenance and transparent development.

cryptsetup(8), dm-crypt, veracrypt