# integritysetup

## NAME



           integritysetup - utility for configuring and managing dm-integrity
           devices
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **integritysetup <action> [<options>] <action args>**
    


## DESCRIPTION



           **Integritysetup** is a utility for configuring and managing kernel
           dm-integrity devices.
    
           Kernel device-mapper **dm-integrity** target emulates an additional
           data integrity tag per disk sector and provides transparent data
           integrity protection of block devices.
    
           You can configure these additional integrity tags directly with
           **integritysetup** , or indirectly (for authenticated encryption)
           through **LUKS2** and cryptsetup(8). Unlike **dm-verity** , **dm-integrity**
           devices support both read and write operations. The kernel
           performs data integrity checking transparently using a selected
           checksum or cryptographic hash algorithm.
    
           Integrity devices can be activated during boot through
           integritytab(5), which is part of systemd(1).
    


## BASIC ACTIONS



           Integritysetup supports these operations:
    
       **FORMAT**
           **format <device>**
    
           Formats <device> (calculates space and dm-integrity superblock and
           wipes the device).
    
           **< options> **can be [--data-device, --batch-mode, --no-wipe,
           --journal-size, --interleave-sectors, --tag-size, --integrity,
           --integrity-key-size, --integrity-key-file, --sector-size,
           --progress-frequency, --progress-json].
    
       **OPEN**
           **open <device> <name>**
           create <name> <device> (OBSOLETE syntax)
    
           Open a mapping with <name> backed by device <device>.
    
           If the integrity algorithm of the device is non-default, then the
           algorithm should be specified with the --integrity option. This
           will not be detected from the device.
    
           **< options> **can be [--data-device, --batch-mode,
           --journal-watermark, --journal-commit-time, --buffer-sectors,
           --integrity, --integrity-key-size, --integrity-key-file,
           --integrity-no-journal, --integrity-recalculate,
           --integrity-recalculate-reset,--integrity-recovery-mode,
           --allow-discards].
    
       **CLOSE**
           **close <name>**
           remove <name> (OBSOLETE syntax)
    
           Removes existing mapping <name>.
    
           **< options> **can be [--deferred] or [--cancel-deferred].
    
       **STATUS**
           **status <name>**
    
           Reports status for the active integrity mapping <name>.
    
       **DUMP**
           **dump <device>**
    
           Report parameters from the on-disk stored superblock.
    
       **RESIZE**
           **resize <name>**
    
           Resizes an active mapping <name>.
    
           If --size (in 512-byte sectors) or --device-size is not specified,
           the size is computed from the underlying device. After resize, the
           **recalculating** flag is set. If --wipe flag is set and the size of
           the device is increased, the newly added section will be wiped.
    
           Increasing the size of integrity volumes has been possible since
           the Linux kernel version 5.7; shrinking should work on older
           kernels, too.
    
           **< options> **can be [--size, --device-size, --wipe].
    


## OPTIONS



           **--allow-discards**
               Allow the use of discard (TRIM) requests for the device. This
               option is available since the Linux kernel version 5.7.
    
           **--batch-mode** , **-q**
               Do not ask for confirmation.
    
           **--bitmap-flush-time** _ms_
               Bitmap flush time in milliseconds.
    
               **WARNING:** In case of a crash, it is possible that the data and
               integrity tag don’t match if the journal is disabled.
    
           **--bitmap-sectors-per-bit** _sectors_
               The number of 512-byte sectors per bitmap bit must be a power
               of two.
    
           **--buffer-sectors** _sectors_
               The number of sectors in one buffer.
    
               The tag area is accessed using buffers; the large buffer size
               means the I/O size will be larger, but there could be less
               I/Os issued.
    
           **--cancel-deferred**
               Removes a previously configured deferred device removal in the
               **close** command.
    
           **--data-device** _< data_device>_
               Specify a separate data device that contains existing data.
               The <device> will then contain calculated integrity tags and a
               journal for data on <data_device>.
    
               To not wipe the data device after initial format, also specify
               --no-wipe option and activate with --integrity-recalculate to
               recalculate integrity tags automatically.
    
           **--debug**
               Run in debug mode with full diagnostic logs. Debug output
               lines are always prefixed by **#**.
    
           **--deferred**
               Defers device removal in the **close** command until the last user
               closes it.
    
           **--help** , **-?**
               Show help text and default parameters.
    
           **--integrity** , **-I** _algorithm_
               Use internal integrity calculation (standalone mode). The
               integrity algorithm can be CRC (crc32c/crc32), a
               non-cryptographic hash function (xxhash64) or a hash function
               (sha1, sha256).
    
               For HMAC (hmac-sha256), you must specify an integrity key and
               its size.
    
           **--integrity-bitmap-mode** , **-B**
               Use alternate bitmap mode (available since Linux kernel 5.2),
               where dm-integrity uses a bitmap instead of a journal. If a
               bit in the bitmap is 1, the corresponding region’s data and
               integrity tags are not synchronized - if the machine crashes,
               the unsynchronized regions will be recalculated. The bitmap
               mode is faster than the journal mode because we don’t have to
               write the data twice. However, it is also less reliable
               because if data corruption happens when the machine crashes,
               it may not be detected.
    
           **--integrity-inline**
               Store integrity tags in hardware sector integrity fields. The
               device must support sectors with additional protection
               information (PI, also known as DIF - data integrity field) of
               the requested size. Another storage subsystem must not use the
               additional field (the device must present a "nop" profile in
               the kernel). Note that some devices must be reformatted at a
               low level to support this option; for NVMe devices, see
               nvme(1) id-ns LBA profiles.
    
               No journal or bitmap is used in this mode. The device should
               operate with native speed (without any overhead).
    
               This option is available since the Linux kernel version 6.11.
    
           **--integrity-key-file** _file_
               The file with the integrity key.
    
           **--integrity-key-size** _bytes_
               The size of the data integrity key. Maximum is 4096 bytes.
    
           **--integrity-no-journal** , **-D**
               Disable the journal for the integrity device.
    
           **--integrity-recalculate**
               Automatically recalculate integrity tags in the kernel on
               activation. The device can be used during automatic integrity
               recalculation, but becomes fully integrity protected only
               after the background operation is finished.
    
               The primary intended use case is to skip initialization
               (wiping) of the data device after the initial format (see
               --no-wipe option). This parameter can be used for activation,
               then the kernel will recalculate integrity tags in the
               background. The integrity superblock contains a device offset
               that indicates the boundary to which the integrity tags are
               already updated. You can check this offset with the dump
               command.
    
           **--integrity-recalculate-reset**
               Restart recalculation from the beginning of the device. It can
               be used to change the integrity checksum function. Note, it
               does not change the tag length. This option is available since
               the Linux kernel version 5.13.
    
           **--integrity-recovery-mode** , **-R**
               Recovery mode (no journal, no tag checking).
    
           **--interleave-sectors** _sectors_
               The number of interleaved sectors.
    
           **--journal-commit-time** _ms_
               Commit time in milliseconds. The journal is written when this
               time passes (and no explicit flush operation was issued).
    
           **--journal-crypt** _algorithm_
               Encryption algorithm for the journal data area. You can use a
               block cipher here, such as cbc-aes or a stream cipher, for
               example, chacha20 or ctr-aes.
    
               The journal encryption options are only intended for testing.
               Using journal encryption does not make sense without
               encryption of the data.
    
           **--journal-crypt-key-file** _file_
               The file with the journal encryption key.
    
           **--journal-crypt-key-size** _bytes_
               The size of the journal encryption key. Maximum is 4096 bytes.
    
           **--journal-integrity** _algorithm_
               Integrity algorithm for the journal area. See --integrity
               option for detailed specification.
    
           **--journal-integrity-key-file** _file_
               The file with the integrity key.
    
           **--journal-integrity-key-size** _bytes_
               The size of the journal integrity key. Maximum is 4096 bytes.
    
           **--journal-size** , **-j** _butes_
               Size of the journal.
    
           **--journal-watermark** _percent_
               Journal watermark in percent. When the journal size exceeds
               this watermark, the journal flush will be started.
    
           **--no-wipe**
               Do not wipe the device after formatting. A device that is not
               initially wiped will contain invalid checksums.
    
           **--progress-frequency** _seconds_
               Print a separate line every <seconds> with wipe progress.
    
           **--progress-json**
               Prints wipe progress data in JSON format, which is suitable
               mostly for machine processing. It prints a separate line every
               half second (or based on --progress-frequency value). The JSON
               output looks as follows during wipe progress (except it’s a
               compact single line):
    
                   {
                     "device":"/dev/sda",      // backing device or file
                     "device_bytes":"8192",    // bytes wiped so far
                     "device_size":"44040192", // total bytes to wipe
                     "speed":"126877696",      // calculated speed in bytes per second (based on progress so far)
                     "eta_ms":"2520012",       // estimated time to finish wipe in milliseconds
                     "time_ms":"5561235"       // total time spent wiping device in milliseconds
                   }
    
               Note on numbers in JSON output: Due to JSON parsers'
               limitations, all numbers are represented in a string format
               due to the need for full 64-bit unsigned integers.
    
           **--sector-size** , **-s** _bytes_
               Sector size (power of two: 512, 1024, 2048, 4096).
    
           **--tag-size** , **-t** _bytes_
               Size of the integrity tag per-sector (here, the integrity
               function will store the authentication tag).
    
               The size can be smaller than the output size of the hash
               function; in that case, only part of the hash will be stored.
    
           **--usage**
               Show short option help.
    
           **--verbose** , **-v**
               Print more information on command execution.
    
           **--version** , **-V**
               Show the program version.
    
           **--wipe**
               Wipe the newly allocated area after resizing to a bigger size.
               If this flag is not set, checksums will be calculated for
               previously stored data in the newly allocated area.
    


## LEGACY COMPATIBILITY OPTIONS



           Do not use these options until you need compatibility with a
           specific old kernel.
    
           **--integrity-legacy-padding**
               Use inefficient legacy padding.
    
           **--integrity-legacy-hmac**
               Use old flawed HMAC calculation (also does not protect
               superblock).
    
           **--integrity-legacy-recalculate**
               Allow insecure recalculating of volumes with HMAC keys
               (recalculation offset in superblock is not protected).
    


## RETURN CODES



           Integritysetup returns **0** on success and a non-zero value on error.
    
           Error codes are: **1** wrong parameters, **2** no permission, **3** out of
           memory, **4** wrong device specified, **5** device already exists or
           device is busy.
    


## NOTES



           Format and activation of an integrity device always require
           superuser privilege because the superblock is calculated and
           handled in the dm-integrity kernel target.
    


## EXAMPLES



           Format the device with default standalone mode (CRC32C):
    
           **integritysetup format <device>**
    
           Open the device with default parameters:
    
           **integritysetup open <device> test**
    
           Format the device in standalone mode for use with HMAC(SHA256):
    
           **integritysetup format <device> --tag-size 32 --integrity**
           **hmac-sha256 --integrity-key-file <keyfile> --integrity-key-size**
           **< key_bytes>**
    
           Open (activate) the device with HMAC(SHA256) and HMAC key in file:
    
           **integritysetup open <device> test --integrity hmac-sha256**
           **--integrity-key-file <keyfile> --integrity-key-size <key_bytes>**
    
           Dump dm-integrity superblock information:
    
           **integritysetup dump <device>**
    


## DM-INTEGRITY ON-DISK FORMAT



           The on-disk format specification is available on the DMIntegrity
           <https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/wikis/DMIntegrity> page.
    


## 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
    
    integritysetup 2.8.1-git        2025-08-09              _INTEGRITYSETUP_(8)
    


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