VeraCrypt is a free, open-source disk encryption software for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can encrypt whole partitions or storage devices and is also capable of creating Encrypted Virtual hard drives. VeraCrypt is an excellent tool for ensuring the confidentiality of your data. It is easy to use and offers a wide range of features, making it an ideal choice for both beginners and experienced users; especially being highly customizable, you can tailor it to your specific needs. VeraCrypt is a perfect solution for anyone who wants to keep their data safe and secure.
The following tutorial will teach you how to install VeraCrypt on Debian 11 Bullseye using a third-party repository with the command line terminal with how to import and install, update, and, if required, remove.
Update Debian
First, update your system to ensure all existing packages are up to date to avoid conflicts.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -yInstall VeraCrypt
By default, VeraCrypt is not available on Debian, so you will need to import a third-party repository maintained by Alex P.
sudo apt install dirmngr ca-certificates software-properties-common gnupg gnupg2 apt-transport-https curl -yThe next task is to import the GPG key to verify the authenticity of the repositories packages.
curl -fsSL https://notesalexp.org/debian/alexp_key.asc | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/alexp_key.gpg > /dev/nullWith the GPG key now imported, you can proceed to import the LaunchPAD PPA with the following command.
echo 'deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/alexp_key.gpg] https://notesalexp.org/debian/bullseye/ bullseye main' | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/alexp.listBefore you continue, run an APT update to reflect the newly imported PPA.
sudo apt updateNow install the application.
sudo apt install veracrypt -yHow to Launch VeraCrypt
Launching can be done in a few ways now that you have the software installed.
First, the software can be launched using the following command.
veracryptMost desktop users may elect to use the application icon to open the software, which can be achieved using the following path.
Activities > Show Applications > VeraCrypt.
Once open, you can begin to use the disk encryption software. First-time users, I highly recommend visiting the official documentation as even though the program GUI is straightforward, you may miss certain features that may be helpful.
How to Update/Upgrade VeraCrypt
The best method to ensure your installation is up-to-date is to open the command line terminal and run the following command.
sudo apt upgrade && sudo apt upgradeThe command will also ensure all other packages that use the APT package manager, including your system packages, are up-to-date. I suggest that users new to Linux run this command frequently to ensure your system works as intended, even if you have automatic GUI updates or notifications.
How to Remove (Uninstall) VeraCrypt
Use one of the following commands to suit the original installation method for users who no longer require the application.
sudo apt-get install veracrypt --purge -yNext, you should remove the PPA for users who will not use the software again.
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/alexp.listDo not remove the repository if you have installed other applications from this repository. If you accidentally do, just re-import it using the command and the start of the tutorial.
Comments and Conclusion
VeraCrypt is a powerful and user-friendly data encryption tool that should be considered for anyone looking to protect their data. It offers a variety of features that make it an excellent choice, including on-the-fly encryption for Debian. If you are looking for an alternative to TrueCrypt, VeraCrypt is a great option.
