AES Crypt for Linux - Key File Support

[paulej]

No. AES Crypt is only for file encryption. I use it to send files to people or to copy files to my phone (or other less secure device). But if I want to have what looks like an encrypted file partition, I use truecrypt.

My latest use of AES Crypt is to back up files stored on my NAS to Amazon S3. See http://pug.packetizer.com. Each of these tools has its place and I don't want AES Crypt to stretch beyond what it was meant to do.

BTW, key file support was on the to-do list for a while, but Pug was the reason I implemented it over other features.

Paul

[johnmcloud]

Thanks Paul, you're always very helpful
I'm waiting for the key file feature for the Windows command line, when you have some time, there is no hurry

[liviudo]

Windows version ? At least "-k" option in console ?
Thank you,
Liviu

[paulej]

The -k switch is not in the Windows version, yet, but it will be added to the command-line version at some point. It might be a month or two.

[barefootNH]

I just downloaded and installed the most recent version of the Linux version from your website.

I cannot run aescrypt_keygen because it is not found. I also don't see it in the /usr/bin directory, only aescrypt and aescrypt-gui.

I ran aescrypt -version and it reports 3.06a (December 9, 2012).

Thank you for a very nice program.

[paulej]

It's entirely possible that the tool is not included in the GUI version. Those were built at different times.

You could download the console version and compile it and replace the "aescrypt" file with the new one and also put aescrypt_keygen in /usr/bin (if that's where it's installed).

[barefootNH]

It's entirely possible that the tool is not included in the GUI version. Those were built at different times.

You could download the console version and compile it and replace the "aescrypt" file with the new one and also put aescrypt_keygen in /usr/bin (if that's where it's installed).

Thank you, this worked! I'm now at version 3.0.9 (March 9, 2013).

I just assumed that the GUI version was the newest or that they were all equivalent, and we all know what happens when you assume! (I might suggest posting the version number or revision date instead of "new" or "new version" because that's relative.)

[paulej]

I could not recall whether the key file support was introduced in the GUI version or not, but that was really the only change of any significance. I do want to get that code updated, but I've not had time. I'm hoping I'll find that time over the next couple of months.

I also need to integrate that into the Windows command-line code. Before doing that, though, I actually want to get rid of the aescrypt_keygen program and integrate it directly within AES Crypt. This is part of some overall internal changes that will make the code cleaner and simpler, but I need time. I don't like rushing changes to AES Crypt. I depend on it too much to break it

[Octal]

Ok, I have been waisting my time, I was thinking that when a secret.key file is generated it could be something like:

aescrypt (-e) + file + secret.key = file.aes
aescrypt (-d) + password + file.aes = file

but (I thought) It would be useless to do, it wouldn't work because the secret.key file provides and unidirectional way:

aescrypt (-d) + file.aes + secret.ket = file

thanks.

[paulej]

IIn not sure what you're asking or saying. To see how the key file stuff works, see the Linux page: http://www.aescrypt.com/linux_aes_crypt.html

Specifically, look at the command line section. The example down there presently just puts a password in a key file. You can also generate random key values.