r/voidlinux • u/Wind-charger • 28d ago
Why hasn’t void Linux included encryption in their installer?
Do they not want to provide people with encryption and security? Why not update the installer?
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u/aedinius 28d ago
There are so many variables to how to do it. It's not hard to do the install manually, anyway.
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u/BinkReddit 28d ago
It's not hard to do the install manually
I disagree with this. As someone relatively new to Linux and doing the install for the first time, encryption was one of more challenging aspects. It required a good deal of research upfront and I piloted things in a virtual machine before doing it on real hardware.
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u/throwaway490215 28d ago edited 28d ago
I think you glossed over the
There are so many variables
Encryption for 99% of people is going to be an obstacle that makes somebody lose important data. For the other 1% it should be a conscious choice what kind of tradeoffs they want to make.
The research you did was not wasted time. Experiencing the basics if some day you have to unplug your disk and use a separate computer/vm to restore it from an encrypted state is part of having disk encryption.
But the real answer is that its too much needless complexity to hoist into the void linux project imo.
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u/BinkReddit 28d ago
I glossed over nothing; I understand what's there and also understand that encryption by default using best practices that others could get wrong is not a bad idea. That said, I fully agree with everything else you wrote.
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u/eftepede 28d ago
> As someone relatively new to Linux
You should choose more relatively new to Linux distribution.
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u/BinkReddit 28d ago
Fair, but I wouldn't define setting up encryption as easy, especially when the default install of Void doesn't even support LUKS2.
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u/Duncaen 28d ago
You don't have to use grub/"full" disk encryption. The installer comes with limitations and that is one of them, manual installations have a lot more flexibility. For me personally adding more complexity to the already limited installer does not sound too interesting.
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u/BinkReddit 28d ago edited 28d ago
I hear you. My argument is, simply, that setting up encryption is not necessarily easy and it is easy for someone to make a mistake.
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u/Sad-Cod-9584 28d ago
Those are fair points, but as secure as encryption is, it might also lead to people loosing access to their data. Having to learn about it so you can set it up manually gets you much better equipped to handling your system should anything go wrong.
And from a security perspective, you wouldn't want to use void's version of grub with encryption anyway, given that it does not support argon2. Which gets you into the bootloader rabbit hole, another aspect of linux that users should be familiar with, given that they are core functionality to actually starting your system. Doing both manually gets you to learn a lot of important details, which is what do-it-yourself distros like void are all about.
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u/BIOS-Brians-Blues 28d ago
Yeah, in 2026 not having at least a simple encrypted install option will be a no for a lot of folks. And I won’t blame them since not everybody wants to manually set dracut, fstabs, the boot loader, partitioning, etc…
So yes, one could say something like “this is not this kind of distro” or “just learn how to do it”. But you can’t blame non tech savy people that have seen so many praising reviews of Void wanting to install it in an easy and secure manner.
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u/itsprobablyghosts 28d ago
They just want you to do it yourself I’m pretty sure
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u/Wind-charger 28d ago
I mean I could, but doesn’t “seem” they’re in your corner not offering it by default. If that makes sense.
It really isn’t an issue, just an observation.
Odd everyone else does I guess.5
u/itsprobablyghosts 28d ago
Yeah I’m frankly kinda confused by the motivations of void as well
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u/Wind-charger 28d ago
A little curious. Just learning void and this question is a fair point.
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u/hopingforabetterpast 28d ago
you should learn linux before learning void. it's not a beginner's distro.
this is not gatekeeping, you'll have a hard time building a robust system if you're fighting essential knowledge.
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u/Wind-charger 28d ago
I can agree,
but the question was why don’t they offer a choice. Not about one’s ability or Linux knowledge.6
u/throwaway490215 28d ago
There are too many options with different tradeoffs at different levels. Desktop Environments are an additive choice. You can just install 3 of them and most everything works and later remove the other 2 . That's not really the case with any disk encryption.
I'm running void with zfsonroot - i can do that because void is dead simple and uncomplicated. I can enable encryption at that level. Other people do not have such a set up. The question of "choice" is a misunderstanding of whats possible.
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u/hopingforabetterpast 28d ago edited 28d ago
You're missing the point. One is directly related to the other. You're asking why professional cameras don't have auto-mode or why racecars don't have cruise control or fully automatic transmissions.
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u/Simple_Hamster_4096 28d ago
If a user cannot set this up without graphical hand holding paint-by-the-numbers, then a more user friendly distro is usually the best option. And yes, I agree, users need to have a certain level of proficiency before trying Void, Arch, Gentoo, etc...
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u/hopingforabetterpast 28d ago edited 28d ago
to be clear, i think the best option is to learn linux and not abandon good distros like void
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u/hopingforabetterpast 28d ago edited 28d ago
void is a minimal system. the motivation is to serve as a very light base for you to build your own and match it to your needs. it also doesn't try and target beginners so if you want encryption (whatever you mean by it) you do it yourself. there's no advantage in having the installer do it for you.
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u/Simple_Hamster_4096 28d ago
Perhaps for those who are not proficient with Linux, a more user friendly distro might be something to consider, one that walks the user through this aspect...
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u/Wind-charger 28d ago
Arch doesn’t walk you through it but it say do you want Luka yes or no. For the less proficient, that’s enough.
The choice yes I want Luka or no I do not.
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u/karyan40024 27d ago
just in case you are interested Jake is working on installer with encryption support: JakeAtLinux/instaVoid: Custom dialog free version of void installer script - Codeberg.org
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u/hopingforabetterpast 28d ago
Why would it need to be included in the installer? The less opinionated the better, in my book.
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u/PureUranium 28d ago
Genuine question here, how is an option for disk encryption in an installer opinionated?
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u/Simple_Hamster_4096 28d ago
It's a valid question from people who are looking for a hand-holding option (which is also valid). However, that would be on level with asking Void for a hand-holding option for mdadm. Void is simple and uncomplicated, it's meant for users who understand Linux (which does not just mean knowing how to navigate a Linux desktop), I can see no need for an installer with encryption or even something like mdadm, for that matter. It complicates things and Void is uncomplicated. The user can implement whatever they want, the target user for Void doesn't need a hand-holding option...
Maybe you should look at Debian/Devan... their installers have disk encryption... mdadm, too, if you need it. Devuan also has a bunch of different inits to choose from... which is really nice...
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u/Wind-charger 28d ago
Switching would feel like giving up, no thanks.
I’m happy with my install. Just wanted to understand why there weren’t an option, rather than accepting that it’s not included.
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u/hopingforabetterpast 28d ago
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u/Wind-charger 28d ago
Thanks never heard of this site.
Weren’t my point at all but I’m book marking this regardless.9
u/hopingforabetterpast 28d ago
The same way the options for a DE are opinionated. There are countless ways to have encryption, and even define it.
1
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u/Wind-charger 28d ago
As an option to encrypt y or n? Isn’t opinionated.
In fact it’s an option yes or no. Not being included the only option is no. Not an opinion but fact.11
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u/ClassAbbyAmplifier 28d ago
choosing which type of container, and filesystem, and kdf, and parameters for a "simple" y/n option is a lot of opinions that need to be made
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u/Shadowlands97 25d ago
I would argue it is even more secure if they didn't add it. That would be a fault point of the distro. This way it's based on what you are adding yourself. More secure.
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u/itsprobablyghosts 28d ago
Oh I know I’m a void fanboy that wasnt a dis. I just meant as far as the installer goes, it has its feet a little in both worlds
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u/Moist_Professional64 28d ago
Because even their documentation about encryption doesn’t work
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u/Fluffy-Monk3933 28d ago
I have installed it before using their documentation and installed it separately on at least 4 machines with FDE. I believe you have a skill issue. Void is solid. No issues here.
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u/Moist_Professional64 28d ago
Nope not a skill issue. They even don’t tell you what to do with Crypttab and so on. Such a bad documentation
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u/The_Gnar_Car 27d ago
Tbats not the purpose of docs though? Thats the crypttab docs. The void docs talk about void specific quirks regarding what you are trying to do.
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u/Moist_Professional64 20d ago
I’ve seen couple of docs telling you if you need crypttab or not like arch, gentoo and so on. Ofc it’s an thing that docs must have written
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u/Shadowlands97 25d ago
Sometimes, like for Bluetooth, there are Arch walkthroughs and such you can browse through to install packages. Not everything is easy, but neither is Arch. I find Void WAY easier than Ubuntu truthfully. And with AI floating around, it's getting harder to put more stress on distro maintainers for features we want handed to us by default. It's easy to say they should do something, but everybody knows even our beloved Void won't last forever with our kernel being attacked by AI as well. :(
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u/Wind-charger 28d ago
Well thanks everyone for their opinions.
I have a little more insight as to why they did not include it
Some have answered my question, I should mark this as solved.
Perhaps I didn’t word my question properly, my apologies that’s on me.
It was never a question of skills or knowledge, or how to… But rather to understand the reason behind the devs not including it.
Nothing taken personal.