Packetizer Forums: Data Security

AESCRYPT usage in browser javascript

2026-02-26T20:14:25Z

Has anyone tried to use AESCRYPT in the javascript browser, I was thinking to use the node-aescrypt module and browserfy it but I want to know if there is a better way of doing it.

Basically what I want to do is load in a JSON file that is in AES format, and decrypt it in the browser, turn it back to JSON then a javascript object.

then be able to take a javscript object turn it into JSON and then encrypt that and send that back to the server as a blob or be able to save it as a file to the local filesystem.

AES Crypt 4.5 Released

2026-02-07T21:22:43Z

Today, AES Crypt 4.5 was released.

This is a relatively minor update with the only feature of note is the command-line version now has a -f flag that allows one to forcefully overwrite output files (if overwriting is desired).

As usual, there are internal changes related to security, optimization, bug fixes, etc.

Paul

AES Crypt for iOS

2025-10-19T04:28:45Z

Folks,

A third-party developer who had previously created the iOS version of AES Crypt has updated their software product to be compatible with the current desktop versions of AES Crypt.

These a link to that on the download page on the AES Crypt website.

Cheers!
Paul

AES Crypt 4.4 Released

2025-09-18T02:26:46Z

AES Crypt Users,

We're pleased to announce the release of AES Crypt 4.4, now available for all supported platforms (Windows, Linux, macOS, and more), bringing new features and improvements to enhance your encryption experience.

Windows: A new "reveal" button lets you view the entered password to ensure it's correct.
Linux: You can now launch AES Crypt from the applications menu, opening your default file browser to choose files for encryption or decryption.
All Platforms: The AES Crypt "paper" icon for encrypted files has been updated to be clearer and cleaner. It is now fully scalable on Linux.
As always, we've included several internal improvements, but there are no changes to core functionality.

You can download AES Crypt 4.4 from our website (https://www.aescrypt.com/download/) or use winget on Windows to perform an update. We hope these updates make your experience with AES Crypt even better.

Thank you for using AES Crypt!

Best regards,
Paul

Re: AESCrypt CLI Limits?

2025-09-15T04:51:09Z

The README file explains a lot.

https://github.com/terrapane/aescrypt_cli/blob/master/README.md

If installed on Linux/Unix or Mac, there is also a man page.

Finally, you can type "aescrypt -h" to see all options.

Re: AESCrypt CLI Limits?

2025-09-14T15:30:49Z

Is there a GitHub wiki where all of the CLI switches are listed and explained for quick reference?~~[size=1]~~coc mod apk[/size]

Re: AESCrypt CLI Limits?

2025-07-19T16:10:24Z

I fully understand your concern, but the legacy AES Crypt was aging. Some of the security procedures were becoming weak given advancements in brute-force attacks. I also had a very extensive list of backlog items, many of which "under the hood" kinds of things.

So, we set about rewriting AES Crypt mostly from scratch, especially the lower-layer libraries. Some of the Windows GUI code remained, but that was about it. We created AES Crypt v4 to be fully backward-compatible (as always), but it's also a commercial endeavor. We could not expend the time and resources otherwise.

For example of "under the hood" features, when you enter a password, the key derivation function is employed, a random key is generated, etc., it is all done in such a way as to maximize security. Every bit of memory allocated by AES Crypt that stores file data or keying material is securely erased. Every bit of the code was rewritten top-to-bottom and it's still being developed. We've had a few iterations since 4.0 was released about a year ago, and we're still making improvements, adding platform support, etc.

As for the CLI support, that is actually the first version created with v4. It got top priority, because it is used by me an enterprise customers for background processes (e.g., backing up data for secure cloud storage).

I'm really not sure what to say about the move to a commercial model, but most users have been OK with it. Most people appreciate the product from before and the fact I'm afforded an opportunity to continue doing this in my new role.

Re: AESCrypt CLI Limits?

2025-07-19T15:10:16Z

Well your incorrect about I not interested in paying for your tool if things was handled a little different.

Reason on, your tool offered a really good cli tool and lets say we have our own tool that uses it, we get the user to download
it or the tool downloads it for them but it's on there permision.

Me the open source dev that's making no money from his project wants to lets say donate to your project and I know like I said people doing
this part from the donate part as I never seen a donate button but I keep on going they are using v2 or v3 I think at the time it was v2.

But your new version is v4 the end user then tries to use it and it say's NOPE 30 days are up jimmy. The dev is unable to include some kind of
donaiton key, we can't promote your work because the one tool that should be able to is now locked now like a GUI app

I also just tired complining it myself, I didn't want to strip out your lic because I do think you need to get your thinks but the way you going about
it you cut out EVERYONE part from a end user or enterpize any middle man that would or could of got you that eyes on are gone.

I myself looked at your project back in the V2 days and you did have posts and things about it been iincluded in other projects but been fair and everything and how they got the files included.

But with V4 it's all gone, truth it feels like you feel the cli is a dirty part of the project what you find useful for your needs and big devs but not useful to anyone else I don't get this.

I am not upset with you I am confused as this tool as a place and a need and it's NOT end users and it's not some stuff enter dev it's us middle men the ones that would love to have your logo/url back to your site in our abouts or links to your site you know.

And back in the V2 days you had something that would support this option but now it's a nar pay or leave, I know there is other tools but your was good and is good, V4 tests have been pretty good the reg calls are small and only to your trail check what is nice and clean.

I would say, add a 3rd option for open source users to donate to you and complie the tool themsleves maybe that's the extra leg work you make them do, you already have this option anyway with the flag what does not include aescrypt_lm if set.

Maybe adding this flat as a switch also would another cool way of doing it so that open source peeps can well show you off man.

Your work isn't fully open source I get this but open source projects do need closed tools at times with the right lic's included.

I am not sure if I am getting what I wanting to say across very well, I know for one me and a few others did contact you back in the day for this kinds of things was possible but the newer builds just don't let us do this anymore and I don't see any downloads for the older versions.

I might be mistaken or you have fully changed your path you wanted to have your software what is all your right to do.

Personally if it was just my own use I don't see the problem for a key but AES tooling isn't a single person use, as the end user you sending that file needs it to decrypt it and basic storage I can see a local user this day and age this isn't a thing we use it in everything and been able to make sure our encrypt and decrypt options are the same is important.

Please consider this maybe donation version or a flag to disable the trial option form cli mod only.

Please also don't think I don't love your work there is a reason I came back to your tool many years later

Re: AESCrypt CLI Limits?

2025-07-19T14:40:41Z

Not every switch is documented on the CLI help page, but the basic functionality is:
https://www.aescrypt.com/command_line.html

While every option could be discussed at length, most people are looking for a brief overview, and that's why it's written as it is.

In terms of usage, what I do for automated environments (e.g., system backup and such) is place the key in /etc. It's not required to specify the location of key. On start, it will look in a few places and then continue. Is that what you meant by starting with a key?

I understand if you're not interested to buy a license, but programmers need to eat like everyone else.

Re: AESCrypt CLI Limits?

2025-07-19T13:05:17Z

Thanks for your reply Paul but problem is that means I have to download and agree to whatever terms you have of use before knowing if the tool is what I want without he switchs.

Since you already have it on your github pages you could just copy the switch information over to your main website.

Right now this and a few other things means I wont by buying a lic.

Reason of this is the point of a cli version is to intergreat it in to work flow, and if I wanted to do this I have to stare it with the key, something I paid for it's not something I would be happy about.

I do like your project as the source and you offer some good options but I used to sing your software back in the 3x days for the cli but now I can't I have to tell them sorry you need your lic I know many programs that use your AES in the background what will never be able to support the 4x software.

Maybe consider changing the CLI version to donation but that's up to you.

I have learnt what I need and sadly means I have to look else where but keep it up for now I might be walking else where but same time the project is pretty cool

Re: AESCrypt CLI Limits?

2025-07-19T12:57:28Z

Yes, the CLI version requires a license. The license is a file that can be placed in your home directory in one of several places. For the CLI version, it's also possible to place it in the same directory as the CLI program. That's useful for when storing it on external media.

Documentation is available via "man" on Linux/Unix systems. On all platforms, the "-?" option will show detailed usage information.

Paul

AESCrypt CLI Limits?

2025-07-19T10:34:32Z

I know from 4X you updated the lic system but your changes are not clear, is this the case for the CLI version as well?
does the cli version also have the same limiations and if so how do we include any future lic with the cli version.

if not then that's cool but do you have any plans in the future to change the lic opitons of the cli version.

I only asking as the site isn't clear, also all your cli switch's are missing from the website I had to view your git, please update
the page to include the switch's and what they mean

EG:
-e = encrypt
-d = decrypt
-p = password

No where on this page does it make clear and does not state what flags/switch's it supports.

Re: Easier Windows Installations

2025-07-08T08:50:54Z

That's really nice.~~[size=1]~~BSD Brawl[/size] :)

Re: AES Crypt licence file save location

2025-07-03T13:03:30Z

Yes, certainly. That's a good idea. The link is included in the email that contains the license file, but it's good to make the information more easily accessible.

Re: AES Crypt licence file save location

2025-07-03T11:29:26Z

Thank you, Paul... that works perfectly.

Is there any chance you could add a link to that page from either Information > License, or somewhere in the FAQ? I did look but didn't find anything that linked to that (very useful) page. Thank you.

Re: AES Crypt licence file save location

2025-07-03T00:22:58Z

You need to place the license file in your home directory or one of the other valid places mentioned on this page:

https://www.aescrypt.com/license_file/

If you're still having trouble, send email to support.

Paul

AES Crypt licence file save location

2025-07-02T15:39:57Z

Having purchased a licence for AES Crypt and saved the JSON portion into the same directory as the file aescrypt.exe, it's still asking for a licence file when attempting to encrypt a file (by right-clicking on it in File Explorer and selecting AES Encrypt).

Both the executable and JSON licence file are in single directory on the Window PATH, a reboot has been done and the message shown is below.

Have Googled around for the answer, but found none so far. Thanks for any assistance!

---------------------------
AES Crypt
---------------------------
A valid license is required to use AES Crypt. You may obtain a license by visiting https://www.aescrypt.com/.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

AES Crypt 4.3.1 Released with OpenBSD Support

2025-07-02T15:26:38Z

AES Crypt Users,

AES Crypt 4.3.1 was just released. This is a very minor update, with changes primarily focused on adding support for OpenBSD.

That's really all. It's just a small follow-on to the previously announced AES Crypt 4.3 release.

Paul

Easier Windows Installations

2025-06-04T16:05:10Z

Folks,

For people who prefer to install from the command line or for IT departments that wish to automate the installation process, AES Crypt is now available to install via WinGet on Windows. Just type:

winget install Terrapane.AESCrypt

WinGet will then download and install the latest version of AES Crypt.

Paul

AES Crypt 4.3 Released – Now Available on All Platforms

2025-05-20T14:55:18Z

AES Crypt Users,

Before everyone heads off for summer travel and some well-deserved downtime, we wanted to squeeze in one more update: the latest version of AES Crypt is here! We're excited to announce that version 4.3 has been officially released and is now available for all supported platforms—Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD.

Here’s what’s new in AES Crypt 4.3:

Performance improvements: Core encryption and decryption routines are now modestly faster, with noticeable benefits especially for macOS users.
Better Windows integration: Error messages on Windows now appear in standard system dialog boxes for a cleaner, more consistent user experience.
Security enhancements for Linux builds:
- Position Independent Executables (PIE) and Intel Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET) are now enabled.
- RELRO (Relocation Read-Only) is now in place to help prevent runtime tampering.
- Immediate binding on startup reduces the risk of certain overwrite attacks.
Official Arch Linux support: AES Crypt is now available via official Arch Linux packages.
Signed packages: All Linux and FreeBSD package files now have accompanying ".sig" signature files, available alongside the download for added verification and peace of mind.

As always, we appreciate your continued support and feedback. If you run into any issues or have suggestions for future releases, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Enjoy the update—and your summer!

Re: [SOLVED] License now required to decrypt files?

2025-05-06T19:21:09Z

Business-wise, it'd be easier to let users decrypt their files even past the thiry-day trial period, and only check for a license when they decide to encrypt new files.

Re: [SOLVED] License now required to decrypt files?

2025-05-06T18:21:53Z

Presently, a license is required to use AES Crypt beyond the 30-day trial period, regardless of whether one is encrypting or decrypting files.

However, if anyone ever encounters a situation where they've encrypted some data but just aren't interested in continuing use of the software and want to decrypt, Terrapane Support can issue a temporary license so you can decrypt files.

Paul

[SOLVED] License now required to decrypt files?

2025-05-05T19:35:59Z

Hello,

I wanted to decrypt a file encrypted with AES (on Windows11)… and it says: "A valid license is required to use AES Crypt. You may obtain a license by visiting https://www.aescrypt.com/."

Does it mean a license is now needed even to decrypt files, or the files are off-limit?

Thank you.

--
Edit: A solution is to simply boot Linux off a USB thumbdrive, install the package, and decrypt the files.

apt install aescrypt_cli-4.2.6-Linux-x86_64.deb
aescrypt -d myfile.txt.aes

Pug 1.6 Released

2025-04-10T17:24:23Z

Pug was recently updated, though the changes were very modest. There have actually been two releases since the 2022 release, but here is a summary of the changes:

* Updated the documentation
* Added an S3 IAM policy example
* Fixed SQL schema error related to the auto increment value
* Updated the Dockerfile
* Updated to the latest AES Crypt version 4.x
* Updated the pug_requires script
* Changed code to use last_insert_id() rather than directly referencing mysql_insertid
* Makes a copy of the previous database dump before performing a new one (ensures current and previous dump locally available)

AES Crypt for FreeBSD and More

2025-03-17T14:26:52Z

AES Crypt for FreeBSD is now available with the release of version 4.2.4. This update brings the tool’s strong file encryption capabilities to FreeBSD users, offering the same reliable security that has made AES Crypt a trusted choice for protecting sensitive information around the world. It’s a practical step forward for anyone on this platform looking to secure their data.

Meanwhile, the Mac and Linux versions of AES Crypt, currently at 4.2.3, have seen their installation package sizes shrink considerably. This makes the software lighter and quicker to install, all while keeping its core encryption strength intact. Work continues on trimming the sizes even further, with more reductions expected in the next release, improving the experience for users on these systems.

Paul

AES Crypt 4.2.2 Released

2025-02-26T23:26:33Z

AES Crypt Users,

Today and yesterday, AES Crypt 4.2.2 was rolled out to the website. This is a minor point release with two significant changes:

1) There was a big in the command-line version that affected all platforms wherein if one tried to encrypt a directory, it would either produce an inconsistent error (Windows and Linux) or silently “succeed” when it actually failed (Mac). Now, all platforms will produce the same error message when attempting to encrypt a directory.

2) On Intel-based Mac platforms, you will see a performance improvement of about 25% when encrypting larger files.

Best regards,
Paul

Re: AES ENCRYPTION MY NOTES

2025-02-14T23:14:46Z

AES has undergone wide public review. People all over the world have studied it and tried to find a weakness.

There's nothing political about it. It was created out of academic research and studied for years. As a part of the review process (which was open to the world), people submitting several competing proposals. Researchers voted for AES.

I'm sure the military in any country has other cryptography just for the sake of keeping it secret.

Anyway, I don't personally put a lot of faith in any government, either. Fortunately, AES and other cryptography algorithms are almost always products of private or academic researchers.

Re: AES ENCRYPTION MY NOTES - Not for publication on the forum, but for the administrator's information

2025-02-14T21:42:20Z

If I were the government, I would care more about what the citizen encrypts than what he gives me in the form officially in the office. I know from history that no government can be trusted, whether right-wing or left-wing, and I do not believe that a citizen who has a smartphone or a computer does not have some extras from the services, paper will accept everything, both truth and lies. If cryptography was reviewed by Russian mathematicians, I wouldn't be worried. In my opinion, they are better than the American ones. Yes, reviewing encryption programs, only VeraCrypt offers Russian cryptography, Belgium is probably a NATO ally, it approved it so as not to get hit by sanctions from the USA. If AES is so good, why do the Russians have their own cryptography and don't touch AES, they must have detected something, just like Kaspersky used to do with US government codes in software. I'm wondering why I don't see Serpent and Twofish, why with such a power of processors you can't choose your own encryption method only AES. Disk Chaging in Serpent,Twofish, Kuznyechik and AES offers Russian diskcryptor and veracrypt. Do you know who tests best? -Enemy. I'm wondering why a citizen who has an illusory influence on the government of a given country, e.g. the Linux Foundation, gets the government of a given country – Russian citizens who really have nothing to say in their country were expelled. If Linus Torwalds knew the specification of a given country, he would act differently, but it is better to kick ordinary people. And anyway, the USA is going in this direction, when I see the history of my country in the wrong direction, I will say in short: May Almighty God in the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit take care of you, USA. You are in cryptography, so take care of yourselves and your families, people like you have VIP status in the pentagon services, in case of suspicion you may have problems, suddenly disappear, or an accident.

Re: AES ENCRYPTION MY NOTES

2025-02-13T15:05:20Z

AES is an algorithm adopted by the US government through public review and study by people worldwide. Further, the algorithm was defined by Belgian cryptographers.

Enabling a password preview might be useful, though it might also create an opportunity for eavesdroppers to see what you're typing. Nonetheless, we can add that to the "wish list".

https://www.aescrypt.com/wishlist.html

AES ENCRYPTION MY NOTES

2025-02-12T22:16:24Z

Is it possible to have AES for civilians with the decryption keys that the government and the military version of AES have? Because I don't believe that the government would give ordinary citizens military cryptography.And why can't I find Russian cryptography on Western routers? AES only. I don't trust the USA even though I live in Central Europe (Poland).I wonder if my encrypted information is being read by armaments, pharmaceutical and food companies.The Aes program's GUI lacks the ability to preview the password (crossed out eye), it would be useful