secure-encrypt

A tool that encrypts a file (with gpg symmetric encryption) and securely deletes the source file, or decrypts a file encrypted with gpg semmytric encryption.

Supported OS:

This shell script is designed to run on Arch and Debian based linux distros. It should be able to run on other linux distros, however I have not tested it.

Dependencies:

This shell script requires the following packages: gpg and wipe. If these packages are not installed the shell script will attempt to install them. Otherwise please install them youself.

Warning:

Due to the way SSDs are designed, a proper secure wipe on an SSD is not possible. For more information about the topic of SSDs and secure deletion here is an informative paper. https://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/secure_del.html. Under the Even Further Epilogue is an explanation to why a secure wipe is not possible* on an SSD.

Usage:

1. download the secure-encrypt.sh file
2. Run it with ./secure-encrypt.sh [filename < optional >]
3. If you did not enter a file name you will then be asked to enter the filename. If the file is in the same directory you can just enter its name, however if it is in a different directory, please provide the full directory.
4. You will then be prompted to enter a password either to encrypt or decrypt. If the file ends with .gpg it will decrypt, otherwise it will encrypt
5. And your done.

Create Alias:

1. Move the file to a desired location. I placed mine inside my home directory.
2. run the following command alias secenc="~/secure-encrypt.sh"
3. Now you can following the steps under usgae, except instead of needing to be in the same directory and typing ./secure-encrypt.sh you can istead type secenc