Re: File-backed loop devices and "lock ups"

[Christian Kujau <evil@xxxxxxxxxx>]

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Phil H schrieb:
>  
> a) What exactly is a "lock up"?

well, the computer "locks up" ;-)
it stops working, the reset switch can be of help then...

> b) Is this a threat to the security of the encryption
> (watermarks etc), or is it a threat to the integrity
> of the original data itself (ie you might lose
> the data altogether), or is it both?

i'm not aware of security issues with file-backed loop devices, but if the
machine locks up, your partition did not get cleanly unmounted as on a
regular shutdown - hence some data might be lost. journaling filesystems
would provide fs-integrity, but not data integrity.

> c) Is this a version-dependant issue? 
> I have experimented with file-backed loops on v1.6i-1
> (old and not recommended, I know, but that's what's inside my distro)
> and nothing has ever 'locked up'.

lucky you ;-)
maybe this thread will clear things up a bit, more to find on the web:
http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0402.1/1718.html

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