Install and Configure TrueCrypt With GUI On Ubuntu 7.10

Version 1.0
Author: Oliver Meyer <o [dot] meyer [at] projektfarm [dot] de>
Last edited 12/18/2007

This document describes how to set up TrueCrypt with GUI on Ubuntu 7.10. TrueCrypt is a free open-source encryption software for desktop usage.

This howto is a practical guide without any warranty – it doesn’t cover the theoretical backgrounds. There are many ways to set up such a system – this is the way I chose.

1 Preparation

Set up a standard Ubuntu 7.10 system and update it.

2 Needed Packages

First we install some needed packages with the synaptic package manager.

• sun-java6-jre
• python-pexpect

You’ll see this window during the installation – mark the corresponding checkbox and proceed if you agree with the license agreement.

Afterwards check if all went well – open a terminal and enter.

java -version

The output should look like this:

java version “1.6.0_03”
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_03-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.6.0_03-b05, mixed mode, sharing)

3 Truecrypt

3.1 Installation

Open http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads.php within your browser and download the latest stable version for Ubuntu 7.10 (.tar.gz-file containing the .deb-package).

Afterwards unpack the .tar.gz-file, …

… switch to the folder with the unpacked files and install the .deb-package with the GDebi package installer (simply double click on the package). Click on “Install Package” to start the installation.

Enter the root password.

The package and its dependencies are being installed.

3.2 System Configuration

Please note, that the following steps (3.2.1 – 3.2.3) can be done automatically by the tcgui installer (step 4). Proceed if you have problems with the tcgui-installer or want to configure the system manually in the first place – otherwise go ahead with step 4.

3.2.1 Users & Groups

We have to add the group “truecrypt” to the system and afterwards we add the root-account and our user-account to it. The settings for users and groups are available in the gnome system menu.

Enter the root password.

Click on “Manage Groups“.

Click on “Add Group“.

Insert “truecrypt” (without the quotes) as name for the new group, mark the checkbox next to the root and your username and click on “OK“.

3.2.2 Sudo

Next we configure sudo in order that TrueCrypt is useable without a password query – open a terminal and enter:

sudo visudo

Add the following line:

%truecrypt ALL=(root) NOPASSWD:/usr/bin/truecrypt

It should look like this:

# /etc/sudoers
#
# This file MUST be edited with the 'visudo' command as root.
#
# See the man page for details on how to write a sudoers file.
# Defaults
Defaults        !lecture,tty_tickets,!fqdn
# Uncomment to allow members of group sudo to not need a password
# %sudo ALL=NOPASSWD: ALL
# Host alias specification
# User alias specification
# Cmnd alias specification
# User privilege specification
root    ALL=(ALL) ALL
# Members of the admin group may gain root privileges
%admin ALL=(ALL) ALL
%truecrypt ALL=(root) NOPASSWD:/usr/bin/truecrypt

To save the changes press CTRL+O (STRG+O on a german keyboard) and hit enter. Close the editor via CTRL+X (STRG+X on a german keyboard).

3.2.3 TrueCrypt Group

As a last resort we have to assign TrueCrypt itself to the new group that we created at step 3.2.1. Open terminal and enter:

sudo chgrp truecrypt /usr/bin/truecrypt

Afterwards we check if all went well – enter:

truecrypt -l

If you’re NOT asked for a system password and the output looks like this …

No volumes mapped

… all is fine.

4 TrueCrypt GUI (tcgui)

Tcgui provides a GUI that is similar to the windows GUI for truecrypt. It’s licensed unter the GPL.

4.1 Download

Open http://tcgui.tc.funpic.de/en/download.htm (http://tcgui.tc.funpic.de/download.htm for German users) within your browser and download the latest version (When I was writing this howto the latest version was 0.4).

Afterwards unpack the file.

4.2 Installation

Open a terminal, switch to the unpacked files and run the installer.

cd Desktop/tcgui-0.4/
sudo bash install.sh $USER

Note: Don’t replace $USER with your username – simply copy & paste the line.

Choose your language (german or english) and answer the following questions with no (n) – unless you haven’t realized step 3.2.1 till 3.2.3. After the installation finished you have to log out and back in to take the changes effect.

4.3 Access The GUI

The TrueCrypt GUI is available in the gnome applications menu.

Click on “Yes” if you agree with the warranty agreement.

The GUI appears – make yourself familiar with it.

Note: Please have a look at the readme in the tcgui-folder (on your desktop). Which functions are working without problems and which not is described at the end of the file – so you should read it before you you’re playing around with the GUI 🙂

4.4 Deinstallation

If you want to deinstall the TrueCrypt GUI open a terminal and enter:

sudo bash /usr/share/tcgui/uninstall.sh

Note: The group “truecrypt” will not be deleted and the changes in the sudo configuration will not be restored.

5 Links

TrueCrypt: http://www.truecrypt.org/
TrueCrypt License: http://www.truecrypt.org/license.php
TrueCrypt Linux manpage: http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/linux-manpage.php
TrueCrypt GUI (en): http://tcgui.tc.funpic.de/en/index.htm
TrueCrypt GUI (de): http://tcgui.tc.funpic.de/index.htm
Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com/