Re: [PATCH v6 0/2] IV Generation algorithms for dm-crypt

[Eric Biggers]

On Fri, Jun 23, 2017 at 04:13:41PM +0800, Herbert Xu wrote:
> Binoy Jayan <binoy.jayan@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > ===============================================================================
> > dm-crypt optimization for larger block sizes
> > ===============================================================================
> > 
> > Currently, the iv generation algorithms are implemented in dm-crypt.c. The goal
> > is to move these algorithms from the dm layer to the kernel crypto layer by
> > implementing them as template ciphers so they can be used in relation with
> > algorithms like aes, and with multiple modes like cbc, ecb etc. As part of this
> > patchset, the iv-generation code is moved from the dm layer to the crypto layer
> > and adapt the dm-layer to send a whole 'bio' (as defined in the block layer)
> > at a time. Each bio contains the in memory representation of physically
> > contiguous disk blocks. Since the bio itself may not be contiguous in main
> > memory, the dm layer sets up a chained scatterlist of these blocks split into
> > physically contiguous segments in memory so that DMA can be performed.
> 
> There is currently a patch-set for fscrypt to add essiv support.  It
> would be interesting to know whether your implementation of essiv
> can also be used in that patchset.  That would confirm that we're on
> the right track.
> 

You can find the fscrypt patch at https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/9795327/

Note that it's encrypting 4096-byte blocks, not 512-byte.  Also, it's using
AES-256 for the ESSIV tfm (since it uses a SHA-256 hash) but AES-128 for the
"real" encryption.  It's possible this is a mistake and it should be AES-128 for
both.  (If it is, it needs to be fixed before it's released in 4.13.)

Eric