The authors describe using kexec to enable passphrase-less reboots on NixOS servers with encrypted hard drives, avoiding manual decryption steps during reboot. The running kernel passes the disk encryption passphrase to the new kernel via RAM, eliminating the need for another computer to automate the process.
Background
kexec is a Linux kernel feature that allows booting a new kernel from the running kernel without going through BIOS/UEFI boot hardware initialization. Disk encryption passphrases are typically required at each reboot, which is inconvenient for frequently rebooted servers.
- Source
- Lobsters
- Published
- Aug 17, 2026 at 05:53 PM
- Score
- 5.0 / 10