Unable to backup VeraCrypt header

[jinnko]

I'm unable to take a backup of a VeraCrypt header:

# zuluCrypt-cli -B -t vcrypt -d /dev/sde -e fde -f veracrypt.header
ERROR: Argument for path to a backup  header file is missing

The volume is successfully decrypted, so I have also tried using the mapped device:

# zuluCrypt-cli -B -t vcrypt -e fde -d /dev/mapper/zuluCrypt-0-NAAN-sde-4015614529 -f ./veracrypt.header
ERROR: A non supported device encountered,device is missing or permission denied
Possible reasons for getting the error are:
1.Device path is invalid.
2.The device has LVM or MDRAID signature

Am using the latest zuluCrypt installed from the release packages on github.com

# zuluCrypt-cli -v
zuluCrypt-cli: invalid option -- 'v'
run zuluCrypt-cli --help for help
Version  : 5.3.0
Copyright: 2011-2017 Francis Banyikwa,[email protected]
License  : GPLv2+

[mhogomchungu]

The argument to back up header path is "-z" so your command should be

zuluCrypt-cli -B -t vcrypt -d /dev/sde -e fde -z veracrypt.header

[jinnko]

Thanks @mhogomchungu. Unfortunately it now fails as follows:

# zuluCrypt-cli -B -t vcrypt -d /dev/sde -e fde -z veracrypt.header

Enter passphrase in the volume:
ERROR: Wrong password entered or volume is not a veracrypt volume

I'm sure the volume password being provided is correct.

[mhogomchungu]

Its impossible for me to test this kind of volume because i no longer have a TrueCrypt/VeraCrypt volume that is encrypted using fde.

[vlijmenfileer]

Hi @jinnko, id you ever get further with this and if so, how?

I come here in desperation as I can not find anything on my issue.

I get the same message (on device path / LVM / RAID) in somewhat different circumstances: I have for years used VeraCrypt, and later on zulumount/zulucrypt to access TC / VC volumes from within a VirtualBox machine hosted on my laptop.

Host: Debian 9
Guest: VB 5.2.6 -> 5.2.10 + Ubuntu 17 -> 18, also Debian 9 & Buster on 5.2.10

It all worked fine until the Ubuntu guest was updated from 17 to 18. I got errors on that shared folders access, and as in cases like that almost always something VB is in the way I updated that from 5.2.6 to 5.2.10. But it did not help.

I get the same errors on Debian stable and testing.

Access to the volumes directly from my laptop remains without issue, so it seems it is either something Linux, or something VB that changed. But I have no idea what.

[mhogomchungu]

@vlijmenfileer

Your problem is different because you are getting the error when attempting to unlock a volume while the OP is reporting a problem when creating a backup header.

Do you still get the problem when you unlock the volume in read only mode?. The problem could be on you trying to unlock a volume in read/write mode while the volume is read only due to permissions reasons that are outside zuluCrypt control.

[vlijmenfileer]

@mhogomchungu

I just tried that. Same result.

Also checked permissions, all seems OK, difference being that on the laptop the volume is rwx for root:root, in the VM rwx for root:vboxsf. My VM user is member of vboxsf.
Anyhow I already resorted trying as root on both, no difference.

B.t.w. both cli versions of zuluCrypt and zuluMount give the simpler "ERROR: volume could not be opened with the presented key" I'm guessing the gui digs a bit deeper with acquiring error messages.

[vlijmenfileer]

I just tried two things:

1. In the VM, in the user's home directory, create and access a zuluCrypt-gui generated "Normal TrueCrypt" volume -> OK
2. In the VM, in a VirtualBox shared folder, create and access a zuluCrypt-gui generated "Normal TrueCrypt" volume -> NOK; "Failed to create a volume"
   Interestingly, the intended volume file has actually been created in the Shared Folder, but it gets removed as soon as I click away the error message.
   I'm at a loss, ugh.

[PaulStogov]

The argument to back up header path is "-z" so your command should be

zuluCrypt-cli -B -t vcrypt -d /dev/sde -e fde -z veracrypt.header

Then something should be done with the [zuluCrypt-cli --help] output. Now it states as:

-B         create a luks or truecrypt header backup
-R         restore a luks or truecrypt header on a device from backup

options that goes with above operations:
-z         file system type installed(ext2,ext3,ext4* etc)
-f         path to keyfile or luks header backup