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rapt
Asked: 2015-06-03 08:35:37 +0800 CST

Access encrypted home directory of one user when I am logged in as another user

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On Ubuntu 14.04 I have created an encrypted home directory for a certain user A (with ecryptfs-utils & cryptsetup). However I am usually logged in as another user B. When I am logged in as user B, how could I access the contents of the home directory of user A as if it was not encrypted?

For example, since user B is an Admin, and I have user B's login credentials, I am (kind of) able to see the contents of user A's home directory from nautilus, but all I see there is some encrypted stuff.

14.04

3 Answers

  1. User B being an admin does not mean it can decrypt the home directory of user A. The reason is that only when User A logs in the home folder is made available as if was not encrypted.

    I believe this behavior is intended and it is - and should not be - possible.

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  2. I just founds this page looking for a similar solution and I can confirm I just did an su myuser and logged in from terminal

    Then with root I could access all the files in myuser's home directory - actually using Mint but its based on Ubuntu so should be the same.

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  3. The ecryptfs mount overlays the existing home dir. When you sudo su - other-user you become that user, but that doesn't mount the ecryptfs over the existing home dir. For that you can use ecryptfs-mount-private.

    related (my question): Do I need unencrypted files underneath encrypted overmount?

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