First off, what “persistence” means in this context. When you boot from a live USB or DVD, any changes you make to the system (such as installing new tools or modifying configuration files) are lost when you reboot. Persistence allows you to save these changes across multiple boots so that they persist between sessions.
To set up encrypted and unencrypted persistence on a USB key for Kali Live, follow these steps:
1. Insert the USB key into your computer’s USB port.
2. Open GParted (you can do this by running “gparted” in a terminal or searching for it in your application menu).
3. In GParted, select the USB key from the list of devices on the left-hand side.
4. Click on the partition that you want to use for persistence and click on the “Edit” button at the top of the window.
5. Select “Encrypt” from the dropdown menu next to “Device.”
6. Choose a strong encryption algorithm (such as AES-256) and set a passphrase. This will ensure that your data is protected even if someone gains physical access to your USB key.
7. Click on the “Add” button at the bottom of the window to create a new partition for unencrypted persistence. Make sure to select “Primary Partition” from the dropdown menu next to “Partition Type.”
8. Set the size of the partition (you can use all available space or choose a smaller amount if you prefer).
9. Click on the “Add” button again to create another new partition for encrypted persistence. Make sure to select “Logical Partition” from the dropdown menu next to “Partition Type.”
10. Set the size of the partition (you can use all available space or choose a smaller amount if you prefer).
11. Click on the “Close” button at the bottom of the window to save your changes and exit GParted.
12. Restart Kali Live and select the USB key as your boot device. You should now have both encrypted and unencrypted persistence available!
This will save you time and effort compared to manually creating partitions in GParted.