Installing and setting up basic security in TrueCrypt

TrueCrypt was a popular disk encryption tool, but development stopped in 2014. Its successor — VeraCrypt — is actively developed, independently audited, and fully compatible with TrueCrypt volumes. Use VeraCrypt.

This chapter covers VeraCrypt installation on macOS and Linux. Windows installation is straightforward and needs no explanation.

Installing VeraCrypt on macOS

1. Download the latest installer from veracrypt.fr → Downloads → macOS

2. Run the .dmg file and drag VeraCrypt to Applications

3. On first launch, macOS may block the app as 'unidentified developer'

4. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click 'Open Anyway'

5. VeraCrypt installs a kernel extension (FUSE). macOS will ask for approval in the same Security settings

6. A restart may be required after installing the extension

Note: macOS 11+ uses macFUSE. If it's not installed automatically, download it from osxfuse.github.io.

Installing VeraCrypt on Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

Open a terminal and run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install veracrypt

If the package isn't in repositories, download it from veracrypt.fr → Downloads → Linux:

sudo dpkg -i veracrypt-*.deb

Installing VeraCrypt on Linux Mint

1. Download the Generic Installer from the official website

2. Extract the archive — you'll find a file named veracrypt-*-setup-x64

3. Run in terminal: sudo ./veracrypt-*-setup-x64

4. Select option 1 — Install

5. Read the license agreement (press space to scroll) and accept it by typing 'yes'

6. Wait for installation to complete

7. If VeraCrypt doesn't appear in the apps menu, restart the system

Note: VeraCrypt cannot be installed in live Linux environments (e.g. Tails) since changes don't persist. Tails uses LUKS encryption instead.

After installation

Launch VeraCrypt. If it shows a list of volume slots, installation was successful. Next step: create an encrypted container or encrypt a partition — see the relevant chapters.

Migrating from TrueCrypt

VeraCrypt can open old TrueCrypt volumes. When mounting, select 'TrueCrypt Mode'. We recommend re-creating containers in VeraCrypt format for better security.