# cryptsetup-luksHeaderBackup

## NAME



           cryptsetup-luksHeaderBackup - store a binary backup of the LUKS
           header and keyslot area
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **cryptsetup** _luksHeaderBackup_ **--header-backup-file <file>**
           **[ <options>] <device>**
    


## DESCRIPTION



           Stores a binary backup of the LUKS header and keyslot area.
    
           Using '-' as a filename writes the header backup to a file named
           '-'.
    
           The backup file and a passphrase valid at the time of backup allow
           decryption of the LUKS data area, even if the passphrase was later
           changed or removed from the LUKS device. Note that with a header
           backup, you lose the ability to wipe the LUKS device securely by
           just overwriting the header and keyslots. You must either securely
           erase all header backups or overwrite the encrypted data area.
    
           **< options> **can be [--header, --header-backup-file,
           --disable-locks].
    


## 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 is 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 the
               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.
    
           **--header-backup-file** _file_
               Specify a file with the header backup file.
    
           **--help** , **-?**
               Show help text and default parameters.
    
           **--usage**
               Show short option help.
    
           **--version** , **-V**
               Show the program version.
    


## CRYPTSETUP



           Part of cryptsetup project
           <https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/>. This page is part of
           the _Cryptsetup_ ((open-source disk encryption)) project.
           Information about the project can be found at 
           ⟨https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup⟩. If you have a bug
           report for this manual page, send it to dm-crypt@saout.de. This
           page was obtained from the project's upstream Git repository
           ⟨https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup.git⟩ on 2025-08-11. (At
           that time, the date of the most recent commit that was found in
           the repository was 2025-08-01.) If you discover any rendering
           problems in this HTML version of the page, or you believe there is
           a better or more up-to-date source for the page, or you have
           corrections or improvements to the information in this COLOPHON
           (which is _not_ part of the original manual page), send a mail to
           man-pages@man7.org
    
    cryptsetup 2.8.1-git            2025-08-09      _CRYPTSETU...ADERBACKUP_(8)
    


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