CRYPTSETUP-LUKSKILLSLOT(8) Maintenance Commands CRYPTSETUP-LUKSKILLSLOT(8)
NAME
cryptsetup-luksKillSlot - wipe a key-slot from the LUKS device
SYNOPSIS
cryptsetup luksKillSlot [<options>] <device> <key slot number>
DESCRIPTION
Wipe the key-slot number <key slot> from the LUKS device. Except running
in batch-mode (-q) a remaining passphrase must be supplied, either
interactively or via --key-file. This command can remove the last
remaining key-slot, but requires an interactive confirmation when doing
so. Removing the last passphrase makes a LUKS container permanently
inaccessible.
<options> can be [--key-file, --keyfile-offset, --keyfile-size,
--header, --disable-locks, --type, --verify-passphrase, --timeout].
WARNING: If you read the passphrase from stdin (without further argument
or with '-' as an argument to --key-file), batch-mode (-q) will be
implicitly switched on and no warning will be given when you remove the
last remaining passphrase from a LUKS container. Removing the last
passphrase makes the LUKS container permanently inaccessible.
NOTE: If there is no passphrase provided (on stdin or through --key-file
argument) and batch-mode (-q) is active, the key-slot is removed without
any other warning.
OPTIONS
--batch-mode, -q
Suppresses all confirmation questions. Use with care!
If the --verify-passphrase option is not specified, this option also
switches off the passphrase verification.
--debug or --debug-json
Run in debug mode with full diagnostic logs. Debug output lines are
always prefixed by #.
If --debug-json is used, additional LUKS2 JSON data structures are
printed.
--disable-locks
Disable lock protection for metadata on disk. This option is valid
only for LUKS2 and ignored for other formats.
WARNING: Do not use this option unless you run cryptsetup in a
restricted environment where locking is impossible to perform (where
/run directory cannot be used).
--header <device or file storing the LUKS header>
Use a detached (separated) metadata device or file where the LUKS
header is stored. This option allows one to store ciphertext and
LUKS header on different devices.
For commands that change the LUKS header (e.g. luksAddKey), specify
the device or file with the LUKS header directly as the LUKS device.
--help, -?
Show help text and default parameters.
--key-file, -d name
Read the passphrase from file.
If the name given is "-", then the passphrase will be read from
stdin. In this case, reading will not stop at newline characters.
See section NOTES ON PASSPHRASE PROCESSING in cryptsetup(8) for more
information.
--keyfile-offset value
Skip value bytes at the beginning of the key file.
--keyfile-size, -l value
Read a maximum of value bytes from the key file. The default is to
read the whole file up to the compiled-in maximum that can be
queried with --help. Supplying more data than the compiled-in
maximum aborts the operation.
This option is useful to cut trailing newlines, for example. If
--keyfile-offset is also given, the size count starts after the
offset.
--timeout, -t <number of seconds>
The number of seconds to wait before timeout on passphrase input via
terminal. It is relevant every time a passphrase is asked. It has no
effect if used in conjunction with --key-file.
This option is useful when the system should not stall if the user
does not input a passphrase, e.g. during boot. The default is a
value of 0 seconds, which means to wait forever.
--type <device-type>
Specifies required device type, for more info read BASIC ACTIONS
section in cryptsetup(8).
--usage
Show short option help.
--verify-passphrase, -y
When interactively asking for a passphrase, ask for it twice and
complain if both inputs do not match. Ignored on input from file or
stdin.
--version, -V
Show the program version.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs at cryptsetup mailing list <cryptsetup@lists.linux.dev> or
in Issues project section
<https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/-/issues/new>.
Please attach output of the failed command with --debug option added.
SEE ALSO
Cryptsetup FAQ
<https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/wikis/FrequentlyAskedQuestions>
cryptsetup(8), integritysetup(8) and veritysetup(8)
CRYPTSETUP
Part of cryptsetup project <https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/>.
cryptsetup 2.7.5 2025-05-04 CRYPTSETUP-LUKSKILLSLOT(8)
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