man 8 CRYPTSETUP-ERASE

CRYPTSETUP-ERASE(8)          Maintenance Commands          CRYPTSETUP-ERASE(8)

NAME
       cryptsetup-erase, cryptsetup-luksErase - erase all keyslots

SYNOPSIS
       cryptsetup  erase [<options>] <device> 
       cryptsetup luksErase [<options>] <device> 

DESCRIPTION
       Erase all keyslots and make the LUKS container permanently
       inaccessible. Unless the device is configured with HW OPAL support you
       do not need to provide any password for this operation.

       WARNING: This operation is irreversible.

       WARNING: with --hw-opal-factory-reset ALL data is lost on the device,
       regardless of the partition it is ran on, if any, and regardless of any
       LUKS2 header backup, and does not require a valid LUKS2 header to be
       present on the device to run.

       <options> can be [--header, --disable-locks, --hw-opal-factory-reset,
       --key-file].

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 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 to specify detached LUKS2 header when erasing HW OPAL enabled
           data device.

       --help, -?
           Show help text and default parameters.

       --hw-opal-factory-reset
           Erase ALL data on the OPAL self-encrypted device, regardless of the
           partition it is ran on, if any, and does not require a valid LUKS2
           header to be present on the device to run. After providing correct
           PSID via interactive prompt or via --key-file parameter the device
           is erased.

       --key-file, -d name (LUKS2 with HW OPAL only)
           Read the Admin PIN or PSID (with --hw-opal-factory-reset) from file
           depending on options used.

           If the name given is "-", then the secret will be read from stdin.
           In this case, reading will not stop at newline characters.

       --usage
           Show short option help.

       --version, -V
           Show the program version.

REPORTING BUGS
       Report bugs at cryptsetup mailing list <cryptsetup@lists.linux.dev> or
       in Issues project section
       <https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/-/issues/new>.

       Please attach output of the failed command with --debug option added.

SEE ALSO
       Cryptsetup FAQ
       <https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/wikis/FrequentlyAskedQuestions> 

       cryptsetup(8), integritysetup(8) and veritysetup(8)

CRYPTSETUP
       Part of cryptsetup project <https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/>.

cryptsetup 2.7.2                  2025-06-13               CRYPTSETUP-ERASE(8)