How To Create Encrypted Folder on Ubuntu, Easily!

Hello readers! Today, I'd like to write a post about EncFS. It's known as Encrypted Filesystem which helps you to create an encrypted filesystem in the user-space (no root user). It can give you a simple and easy way to protect your data from wrong hand even he/she has gained access to your computer. Password is needed to open the encrypted folder, without that, it can be accessed. It's a good way to add an additional security layer to your sensitive documents.

As you can see the picture above, all files located in the encrypted folder are named with random string and can not be opened without mount the encrypted folder, of course, you will need the password to do so.

OK! I will give you step by step in how create encrypted folder on Ubuntu. Let's get started!

First thing first, please install the "EncFS" package from Ubuntu repository:

• sudo apt-get install encfs

You have to create to folders: one folder to store the data and one folder as mount point. In this post, I create folder "secret" to store the data and "mntpoint" as a mount point:

• mkdir -p secret mntpoint

Then, run the following command to create encrypted folder on "secret" folder and "mntpoint" as its mount point.

• encfs ~/secret ~/mntpoint

You'll be asked to choose the one of the available configuration method. For a sake of simplicity, we'll use "pre-configured paranoia mode" so type "p" and press Enter to continue:

Then, please enter the password. The password is needed to mount the "secret" folder.

Congratulation! Your encrypted folder has been created, your encrypted folder should be mounted now. Please check it on your favorite File Manager.

Unmount Encrypted Folder
Your encrypted folder will remain accessible until you unmount it. Use this command to do so:

• fusermount -u ~/mntpoint

Mount Encrypted Folder
To open your encrypted folder, you have to mount it first. Execute the following command:

• encfs ~/secret ~/mntpoint

Regards :)