Cryptsetup and LUKS provide open-source disk encryption, including full-disk encryption.
Tomb
Tomb makes strong encryption easier for everyday use by creating locked folders that can be transported and hidden in a filesystem.
About Tomb
Tomb is a command-line tool for GNU/Linux that creates encrypted volumes called tombs. A tomb is a single file whose contents are kept secret, and it can be renamed, moved, or hidden inside a filesystem; once opened with its key file, it appears as a normal folder. Tomb files and their keys are meant to be kept apart, for example with the tomb on a hard disk and the key on a USB stick.
Keys are protected by a user-chosen password, and tombs are operated with commands such as dig, forge, lock, open, close, and slam. Tomb can read a key from standard input, handle several open tombs at once, and open a tomb stored on a cloud service through a locally mounted filesystem, which the project describes as keeping contents out of reach of remote servers; encryption, key handling, and any SSH or cloud setup remain the user's responsibility. It runs only on GNU/Linux and WSL2 starting with Windows 11, and requires root access to the machine or sudo access to the script.
Key features
- Creates encrypted tomb files opened with a separate, password-protected key file
- Hides keys inside JPEG images via tomb bury and tomb exhume with steghide
- Engraves keys as printable QR codes for paper backup, recoverable with any phone
- Expands an existing tomb with tomb resize; shrinking is not supported
- Accepts a key from standard input so keys can stay on a remote server
- Runs multiple tombs at once and closes them all with tomb slam all
Best for: GNU/Linux users comfortable with the command line who want encrypted storage folders with keys kept on separate media.
Good for
- Encourages physical separation of key files from the tomb file itself
- Built on standard Linux components, including dm-crypt and LUKS via cryptsetup
- Status and error messages are translated into many human languages
Watch out for
- Operated from a terminal and requires root or sudo access to the script
- Works only on GNU/Linux and WSL2 starting with Windows 11
- Tombs can be expanded but not shrunk
Tomb at a glance
- Website
- dyne.org/software/tomb
- Category
- Privacy & Security › Desktop & OS Privacy
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Free
- Platforms
- Linux, Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Tomb alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
Use a YubiKey challenge-response at system startup to open a LUKS-encrypted disk volume.
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Shufflecake is a Linux tool for creating multiple hidden filesystems with plausible deniability.
gocryptfs provides file-based encryption through a mountable FUSE filesystem.
Detect possible macOS ransomware by monitoring file encryption activity with RansomWhere?.
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Tomb FAQ
Which systems does Tomb run on?
Tomb works only on GNU/Linux systems and WSL2 starting with Windows 11.
Do I need administrator rights to use it?
Yes. Tombs are operated from a terminal command line and require root access to the machine, or sudo access to the script.
Can an existing tomb be made smaller?
No. The tomb resize command can expand a tomb to give it more space, but it cannot shrink one.
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