# Why have Truecrypt hide partitions?

## audiodef

I was thinking about Truecrypt and how it says it can hide encrypted partitions. It seems to me that if someone comes into possession of a machine with an encrypted partition, that person could look at the hard drive casing and determine its actual size, and figure out that there might be an encrypted partition on it. 

So, what would be the advantage of that?

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## massimo

Something like [1] comes to my mind.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deniable_encryption

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## Ahenobarbi

They even explain this on their own page.

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## audiodef

"Concerns have, however, been raised for the level of plausible deniability in hiding information this way – the contents of the "outer" container filesystem (in particular the access or modification timestamps on the data stored) could raise suspicions as a result of being frozen in its initial state to prevent the user from corrupting the hidden volume."

"Deniable encryption has also been criticized because of its main inability in defending users from rubber-hose cryptanalysis. Possession of deniable encryption tools could lead attackers to continue an investigation even after a user pretends to cooperate, providing an expendable password to some decoy data."

This is what I was getting at. Ultimately, someone could maintain disbelief that the real data has been provided based on this. 

Anyway, plausible deniability breaks down in lethal situations such as "give us the file with the safe combination or we'll kill your wife and kids". The safe combo will either work or not, resulting in the continued longevity of spouse and offspring - or not.   :Twisted Evil: 

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## wjholden

 *audiodef wrote:*   

> Anyway, plausible deniability breaks down in lethal situations such as "give us the file with the safe combination or we'll kill your wife and kids". The safe combo will either work or not, resulting in the continued longevity of spouse and offspring - or not.  

 That's so extreme though. I remember once some dude on /. was worried biometrics weren't secure because someone might steal your fingerprint. Brother, if somebody puts piano wire around my fingers I promise I'll tell you the root password...

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## audiodef

 *wjholden wrote:*   

> Brother, if somebody puts piano wire around my fingers I promise I'll tell you the root password...

 

 :Laughing: 

Yeah, me too!

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