Hey!
First off, mad props for the work you’ve done with AESCRYPT – seriously, it’s one of the best tools out there for keeping files safe, and I’ve been using it for ages. But hey, there’s something I gotta mention. There was this awesome feature in version 3.16 that seems to have been accidentally removed in the newer versions, and I think it should make a comeback.
In 3.16, there was this kinda hidden gem – the ability to encrypt any file and still keep the original extension. So, you could encrypt a [.mp4], [.jpg], [.docx] – whatever, and still make it look like a regular file. No forcing it to be [.aes], which is super obvious. It was like a ninja move for keeping your files encrypted but not raising suspicion.
Honestly, I think a lot of people didn’t even realize it was possible – it was kinda like a fluke, a cool little quirk of the old version that worked because of some unfinished code or something. But it was huge for privacy. You could just rename the encrypted file to anything you wanted and it would look completely normal. It felt like a cheat code for privacy, like hiding in plain sight.
Now, in the newer version, it’s all [.aes] again, and it pretty much kills that stealth factor. If you change the extension now, you can’t decrypt the file anymore. It’s a pain in the ass because you’re stuck with that [.aes] label, which is way too obvious. I really think this little feature should be brought back. Here’s why:
- Total Flexibility: You could encrypt any file and give it any extension you wanted. It wasn’t just [.aes]. I could make a file look like a [.png], [.mp4], [.jpg], or whatever I wanted, while it was still encrypted. That extra flexibility made AESCRYPT way more versatile.
- Stealth Mode: Activated – The best part was that nobody could tell it was encrypted. A [.jpg] or [.mp4] would look completely normal, and that was huge if you wanted to keep things private.
- Privacy 101: When you’re dealing with important or sensitive files, you don’t want them to scream “hey, I’m encrypted!” With the original extension, your files just blended in with everything else. No one would know, and it made it a lot harder for someone to even try to flag your encrypted files. This feature was literally like a privacy weapon.
- User-Friendliness: For non-tech users, this feature made AESCRYPT super easy to use. You didn’t need to be a pro to keep your files safe – just encrypt them and let them blend in with the rest of your files.
- Unique Feature: This wasn’t just another regular feature – it was unique. It was the kind of thing that made AESCRYPT stand out from the pack. It was like having a secret weapon in your pocket for privacy. If there’s any chance this could come back, it would add that extra level of privacy and flexibility that made AESCRYPT so great.
Code: Select all
#!/bin/bash
# Check if input file was provided
if [ -z "$1" ]; then
echo "Error: No input file or directory specified."
exit 1
fi
# Set new filename with a timestamp (using Screenshot or My_File)
new_filename="Screenshot_$(date +'%Y-%m-%d_%H_%M')"
# Create a zip archive of the input
zip -r "$new_filename.zip" "$1"
sleep 3
echo "\nSTARTING ENCRYPTION... ========================================="
# Ask for password
while true; do
echo -n "Enter Pass:\n"
stty -echo
read password1
stty echo
echo -n "Confirm Pass:\n"
stty -echo
read password2
stty echo
# If passwords match, proceed
if [ "$password1" = "$password2" ]; then
epassword="$password1"
break
else
echo "\nPasswords do not match. Please try again."
fi
done
# Encrypt and output as a PNG file
aescrypt -e -p "$epassword" -o "./$new_filename.png" "./$new_filename.zip"
rm "./$new_filename.zip"
Right now, though, with the latest version, I can’t do that anymore – I’m locked into using [.aes], and it’s pretty obvious when a file has that extension.
So, just a friendly ask: any chance this feature could be reconsidered and brought back? It was such a unique and helpful option that added a lot to the encryption process, and I’m sure it’d be a game-changer for a lot of users who need that extra layer of privacy.
Maybe you could implement it as a separate option, along with removing the requirement for the *.aes extension to decrypt those 'hidden' files? Or perhaps making the same option ignore input extensions altogether?
Thanks again for all the hard work – AESCRYPT has been incredible.
Cheers!
