[ Thanks to Michael Larabel for this
link. ]
“Starting with Ubuntu 7.10 was install-time encryption
support. Through an option in Ubuntu’s alternate CD installer, the
user can opt to have their LVM fully encrypted (including the SWAP
partition but without the boot partition) where to boot Ubuntu the
user will need to supply their pass-phrase. If no password is
supplied, the system cannot boot nor can the encrypted partitions
even be read.”