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I've done a few obvious searches on google and google scholar and not turned up any security analysis of FreeBSD's geli. Is there some out there, or has it gone unanalyzed since its introduction circa 2005? Frustratingly, it seems to have sprung into existence fully-formed and without explanation of the choices in e.g., deriving encryption keys from a master key via HMAC or deriving the key to the master key from passphrase and key files.

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  • $\begingroup$ Got any suggested links for reading about how geli works and how its crypto works? Any overviews or other resources that you think might be a helpful place to start for those who might want to start taking a look at it? If yes, that might be worth editing into your question. $\endgroup$
    – D.W.
    Dec 6, 2013 at 1:42
  • $\begingroup$ Also, have you tried contacting the authors? If there's such a study they'll most likely know about it $\endgroup$
    – rath
    Dec 6, 2013 at 6:25
  • $\begingroup$ I seem to remember some discussion prior to development on sci.crypt. Last time I looked, the design of geli was perfectly standard, but I never carefully looked at it. $\endgroup$
    – K.G.
    Dec 6, 2013 at 14:20
  • $\begingroup$ D.W., I haven't even found much description of the format itself. I've studied the source code enough to independent software that provides read-only access to aes-128-xtr geli volumes, but that doesn't make me feel too qualified to give an exposition of the design of geli. $\endgroup$
    – Jeff Epler
    Dec 7, 2013 at 3:41
  • $\begingroup$ K.G., thanks for pointing me at sci.crypto. There seems to be at least one thread worth reading, which I found starting at derkeiler.com/Newsgroups/sci.crypt/2005-07/0959.html $\endgroup$
    – Jeff Epler
    Dec 7, 2013 at 3:41

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