Backup questions (data, passwords, device and 2fa)

predict9320:

What exactly does that mean? I’m new to this subject and don’t fully understand it yet.

How could this compromise my encryption?

That means if LE seized your device, in certain scenarios, they could retrieve the encryption key from system ram, and use that to decrypt your drive. I am not super technical so you better check out Veracrypt’s documentation for details.

predict9320:

But which would you use then?

See my previous reply.

TinFoilHat:

If you value the data and the safety of your allies over your personal safety, do not store things locally.

Since you clarified you are asking about data backups and data security for day to day life, I would say your proposed measure is way overkill.

I would also say it is too complicated for my taste, but if it works for you then it is totally fine.

Unless you are a HVT, e.g. well-known crypto traders, people who physically stole your device wont bother with tinkering with your device, mostly likely they would simply wipe and sell (or use) the device. Therefore a password protected FDE, be it Bitlocker or Veracrypt, would be perfectly fine.

For other malware or software vulns, again, if you are not a HVT, usual OPSEC would suffice.

Regarding your emergency sheet, I don’t have one. I rely on KeePassXC to store all credentials and keys, I keep backups across all my devices as well as on Proton Drive (with emergency access enabled). Since the Vault is protected by a easy-to-remember password with over 150 entropy, I don’t need a paper to help me.

I am glad to see you are not conducting high risk activities (yet).

When conducting high risk activities, the primary concern is not your data, is your personal safety. Adversaries hack your device, steal your data, threaten your closed ones, to GET YOU (in order to dismantle your future campaign or operation), YOU are the real target, again, ITS YOU (AND YOUR ALLIES), NOT YOUR DATA.

Please keep that in mind and build your future setup and protocols base on this.