Unable to view directories in Files.app that are mounted with VeraCrypt

[pindab0ter]

Checklist

• Using latest version on the App Store
• Read the docs
• Searched for existing GitHub issues

Configuration

• App Version: Blink v17.3.0.916 (App Store)
• iOS Version: iOS 17.5.1
• Remote Machine: Debian 12 with VeraCrypt CLI 1.26.7

Describe the bug

When attempting to access directories associated with VeraCrypt mount points or directories within these mount points via the Files app, Blink returns a 'Content not available' error ("Inhoud niet beschikbaar", as translated from Dutch).

This issue shows up in three scenarios:

1. The directory is a VeraCrypt mount point.
2. The directory resides within a VeraCrypt-mounted volume.
3. The directory is a symlink pointing to a mount point or a directory within a mounted volume.

Steps to reproduce

1. Install VeraCrypt:
   • Install VeraCrypt Console on a Debian (or similar) machine.
2. Create and Mount a Volume:
   • Create a volume: veracrypt --text --create (e.g., test-volume.hc)
   • Create a directory for the volume: mkdir /media/test-volume
   • Mount the volume: veracrypt ./test-volume.hc /media/test-volume
3. Configure Blink and Files.app:
   • Add a Files.app entry in Blink for the connection with a parent directory of the folder containing the mount point (e.g., /, as it is the parent of /media).
   • Open the configured directory in Files.app—this should work.
   • Navigate to /media, where the mount point resides, and observe that the contents are not displayed.

Test directories within the mounted volume

4. Create a test directory:
   • mkdir /media/test-volume/test && touch /media/test-volume/test/test.txt
5. Create a new Files.app configuration:
   • Add a configuration to Blink that uses /media/test-volume/test as the root.
   • Attempt to access this new configuration from Files.app and observe the same issue.

Test symlinks to mount points and directories

6. Create symlinks:
   • ln -s /media/test-volume /tmp/test-volume-symlink
   • ln -s /media/test-volume/test /tmp/test-directory-symlink
7. Attempt to access symlinks:
   • Navigate to /tmp in Files.app—this directory loads.
   • Attempt to access test-volume-symlink or test-directory-symlink—they won’t load.

Other observations

• .blink/fileprovider.log shows no abnormalities during these operations. The log was cleared before connecting to a directory that won't load
  Click to view log output

      Aug 26 2024, 16:23:22 enumerator [info] NSFileProviderRootContainerItemIdentifier
      Aug 26 2024, 16:23:22 enumeratorFor  [debug] Initialized
      Aug 26 2024, 16:23:22 itemFor [info] NSFileProviderItemIdentifier(_rawValue: NSFileProviderRootContainerItemIdentifier)
      Aug 26 2024, 16:23:22 enumerator [info] NSFileProviderRootContainerItemIdentifier
      Aug 26 2024, 16:23:22 enumeratorFor  [debug] Initialized
      Aug 26 2024, 16:23:22 itemFor [info] NSFileProviderItemIdentifier(_rawValue: NSFileProviderRootContainerItemIdentifier)
      Aug 26 2024, 16:23:22 enumeratorFor  [info] Enumeration requested
    

• Other mounted volumes like those from my NAS work without issues.

[pindab0ter]

Maybe related to #1717?

[carloscabanero]

Thanks for the report! I don't think this one is related to 1717. I don't know about VeraCrypt so I'm going to need a little bit extra help from you here. Do you know if VeraCrypt needs to do anything with sftp or needs anything enabled on the sftp side for it to access it? Would you mind a quick test from your computer sftp to that location and see if that is going through without any additional configurations?

I have another idea of it could be as well, so already testing it from my side.

[pindab0ter]

VeraCrypt is software that enables you to mount encrypted volumes. It does not interact with SFTP itself for as far as I know.

When sftping into my machine it has no problem showing the contents of the mounted VeraCrypt volume.

[pindab0ter]

With the latest iOS update (iOS 18.0 (22A3354)) it now shows a loading spinner and "Loading" indefinitely instead of "Content unavailable".

[carloscabanero]

So I thought this had to do something with either requiring a specific sftp extension, or maybe even a problem with the way they se it up with the linked folders. It looks like we have discarded all those.

To continue moving forward, I need to have a VeraCrypt instance. Is there any script to set things up quickly in a remote machine? Or do you have a remote machine you could give me temporary access to? Or if I give you a remote machine, could you do a quick setup there so we can try things there?

Thanks!

[pindab0ter]

I could definitely set it up for you if you give me a remote machine.

I do have to say that the Files.app isn't working properly for me even without this issue since the last major point iOS update. To be more specific; I can see files but don't seem to be able to open them. So I'm still able to help troubleshooting this issue. Feel free to contact me using the email address on my profile page.

[carloscabanero]

Hi again @pindab0ter! I've been working on a new implementation for the Files.app due to the issues we have seen with the new iOS update. I would be nice to also get this Veracrypt stuff fixed so I appreciate the help.

So first things first, are you on TestFlight so you can access the new FileProvider and test there?

[pindab0ter]

I am, so that would work for me. Feel free to contact me by email using the address in my profile, or on Telegram or Discord using this same username.