Linux Basics: How to hide, lock, encrypt, and secure your files on Linux (2024)

On this page

  1. Hiding Files
  2. Locking Files
  3. Securing Files
  4. Encrypting Files

Hiding, locking, or even encrypting your files and folders on Linux is pretty easy, and for whatever reason you want to do this there are many different approaches that you can follow. Here is a quick guide on how to hide, lock, and secure your files in the easiest way possible.

Hiding Files

Whatever file or folder you want to hide on your system, you may simply add a dot (.) at the start of its name and confirm the renaming action. If your file manager isn’t configured to show hidden files, the file/folder will disappear from view. You may toggle hidden files with “Ctrl+h” or open a terminal and typing “ls -a”.

Linux Basics: How to hide, lock, encrypt, and secure your files on Linux (1)

Of course, it is easily understood that hiding isn’t a serious security measure but only a prerequisite to avoid mistakes in the deletion of files, etc. Do not expect that hiding something will protect it from other users of the system, and if you want something like that you should proceed to the locking part of this guide.

Locking Files

The easiest way to lock others from even viewing a file is to change its permissions. Simply right-click on the file, select the “Properties” option, then click on the “Permissions” tab, and finally change the type of access of other users to “None”.

Linux Basics: How to hide, lock, encrypt, and secure your files on Linux (2)

You may even lock the file from yourself if you want for an extra security step, and you may also do so through the terminal with the command “chmod go-w yourfileame” and then “go+w” to get back permission to write the file/folder.

Securing Files

OK, the above was good but if you need to really secure a file or folder you will need to lock it with a password. The easiest way to do this is is by using your default file archiving tool to create a new archive, and then enabling the password option and setting a password. Note that this can’t be done in all types of archive files, and your best bet for this to work right is the “zip” files.

Linux Basics: How to hide, lock, encrypt, and secure your files on Linux (3)

Encrypting Files

Encrypting is the best way to secure your file so I am mentioning this step as the final one of this quick guide. One of the simplest tools to use for this task is a packet called “mcrypt” that works through the terminal by simply typing the mcrypt command followed by the filename. The utility will prompt you to enter a password twice and then it will generate a new file of a NetCDF type.

Linux Basics: How to hide, lock, encrypt, and secure your files on Linux (4)

If you delete the original file, then you are left with the encrypted one that needs your password to get decrypted with the “mcrypt -d” command as shown below.

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Linux Basics: How to hide, lock, encrypt, and secure your files on Linux (2024)

FAQs

How to password protect files in Linux? ›

2. Encryption using GnuPG
  1. Access the terminal on your desktop.
  2. Makes use of the cd command and Is command to open the directory from which you want to choose a file for encryption.
  3. Once the directory is opened, enter this command: gpg -c filename.
  4. Lastly, you'll be asked to enter a passphrase.

How do I lock a file in Linux? ›

To enable mandatory file locking in Linux, two requirements must be satisfied:
  1. We must mount the file system with the mand option (mount -o mand FILESYSTEM MOUNT_POINT).
  2. We must turn on the set-group-ID bit and turn off the group-execute bit for the files we are about to lock (chmod g+s,g-x FILE).
Mar 18, 2024

How can I encrypt a file in Linux? ›

Right-click on the file you wish to encrypt and select Encrypt from the context menu. This action will open the Seahorse application. In the Seahorse window, you will see a list of your encryption keys. If you haven't created any keys yet, you can generate a new one by clicking on the + icon and following the prompts.

How to make a file read protected in Linux? ›

To change file and directory permissions, use the command chmod (change mode). The owner of a file can change the permissions for user ( u ), group ( g ), or others ( o ) by adding ( + ) or subtracting ( - ) the read, write, and execute permissions.

How do I restrict access to a file in Linux? ›

Restricting file access on Linux and UNIX
  1. Change the ownership of the folder. chown -R root:root auth_dir. The authentication process takes place in the auth_dir folder.
  2. Change the permissions for the folder. chmod -R 700 auth_dir.

How do I protect a file system in Linux? ›

SFS requires that the user creates a directory and name it with the prefix 'ecrypt' to store the encrypted file data, such as ecryptdir. Any directory on the system with the prefix 'ecrypt' will basically tells the system that the newly created directory will contain encrypted data.

How do I make Linux secure? ›

Linux System Hardening: Top 10 Security Tips
  1. Enable Strong Authentication.
  2. Create an SSH Key Pair.
  3. Keep the System Up to Date.
  4. Remove Unnecessary Software.
  5. Disable Root Login.
  6. Check and Close Open Ports.
  7. Enable a Firewall.
  8. Harden Your Linux system with SELinux or AppArmor.
Sep 27, 2023

How to create a file lock? ›

How to lock your Windows files and folders
  1. Find the folder or file you want to encrypt in Windows File Explorer.
  2. Right-click on the item and select Properties.
  3. Click Advanced to open up the Advanced Attributes settings.
  4. Check the box for Encrypt contents to secure data.
Mar 11, 2022

How to securely encrypt files? ›

Right-click (or press and hold) a file or folder and select Properties. Select the Advanced button and select the Encrypt contents to secure data check box. Select OK to close the Advanced Attributes window, select Apply, and then select OK.

Does Linux have built in encryption? ›

Linux devices can be encrypted in one of two ways: Full-disk encryption: Encrypting the block device before it is mounted on the system. File-based encryption: Encrypting only a folder or file using native filesystem features.

How to encrypt password in Linux command? ›

Procedure
  1. Use the following command to encrypt the password: $NCHOME/omnibus/bin/nco_sql_crypt password. The utility outputs an encrypted version of the password.
  2. Copy the encrypted password into your script.

How to lock a file in Linux? ›

We use bash scripts to access the same file and will also use the flock command to enforce exclusive access to the file. Process A attempts to acquire an exclusive lock on data. txt using the flock command, In this script, the flock command tries to acquire an exclusive lock (-x) on the file data.

What is 777 permission in Linux? ›

777 - all can read/write/execute (full access). 755 - owner can read/write/execute, group/others can read/execute. 644 - owner can read/write, group/others can read only.

What are the basic Linux file permissions? ›

The three basic permission types found in Linux file and directory permissions are: read, write, and execute.

How do I protect a file with a password? ›

Protect a document with a password
  1. Go to File > Info > Protect Document > Encrypt with Password.
  2. Type a password, press OK, type it again and press OK to confirm it.
  3. Save the file to make sure the password takes effect.

What is the password file command in Linux? ›

The passwd command in Linux is a powerful tool that allows system administrators and users to manage password-related tasks. Its primary purpose is to change user passwords, but it offers additional functionalities such as updating password aging policies, unlocking accounts, and more.

How to encrypt passwords in Linux? ›

mkpasswd – Encrypt a Password in Linux

The mkpasswd command is a part of the whois package, and it is not installed on most modern Linux distributions, you need to install it using your distribution's package manager. Now run the makepasswd command, which will encrypt the password with salt.

How do I lock a user password in Linux? ›

Method 1: Using the “passwd” command

In Linux, we can use the “passwd” command with the “-l” option to lock a user account. This option locks a user account, preventing the user from logging in. Step 1: Open the terminal and run the following command as the root user or with superuser privileges.

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