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A while ago we saw how to use GPG en Ubuntu to encrypt files, emails, etc. In this opportunity, we will see how to use GPG from the terminal, procedure that works for any distro Linux. |
Encrypt
To encrypt a file:
gpg -c file.txt
It will ask for a password (phrase) to encrypt it (if you lose the phrase or password you will no longer be able to recover your information).
The above command will generate a binary gpg file. If you prefer that it be encrypted in text mode and not in binary:
gpg -ca file
This will generate a sac file that you will be able to open with any text editor, but it will only see a lot of characters without apparent meaning.
If you want the encrypted file to have another name:
gpg -o encrypted_file.gpg -c file_to_encrypt
If you want to protect a folder that contains many files and subfolders, the ideal is to compress everything into a .TAR.GZ and then protect that file with GPG.
Decrypt
To decrypt it, it would be enough with:
gpg -d file.gpg
It will ask for the specified password (phrase) when encrypting it.
Extras
For more information see:
You can also take a look at the manual:
man gpg
gpg -h
that not the word is encrypt?
Exactly, the correct word is encrypt, the word "encrypt" does not exist in the dictionary, "encrypt" is a wrong translation of the word "encrypt".
The same is true of the word "library" which is incorrectly translated as library, especially in the world of programming and whose correct translation is library.
Hi Ricardo!
I copy and paste from Wikipedia: «Frequently the encryption and decryption processes are called encryption and decryption, both Anglicisms of the English terms encrypt and decrypt, which the Royal Spanish Academy has not yet included in the Dictionary of the Spanish language . The Urgent Spanish Foundation, advised by the Royal Spanish Academy, indicates that encryption is a valid term and that there is no reason to censor its use. "
To this must be added that in many countries, for example in Argentina, the use of the word "encrypt" is very rare, although its meaning is well understood. Instead, we use "encrypt", "decrypt", "encryption", "encryption" and so on. Of course, as explained in the previous paragraph, it is rather an Anglicism, but very widespread. In any case, it should be noted that it is a "valid" word in Spanish, although it has not yet been included in the DRAE. In other words, it is not the mere use of the word in English, as we do when talking about the "mouse" (not the mouse, as in Spain), the "motherboard" (instead of the "motherboard"), and so on.
A hug! Paul.
Hey.
I quote verbatim: The educated norm, and also common sense, dictates that great caution must be exercised when incorporating new words from other languages into the lexicon, as it is highly recommended that languages maintain their features and characteristics, their identity; otherwise, it could lead to a large-scale, difficult-to-solve linguistic entanglement and even the disappearance of one or more languages.
Although it is true, like Ricardo, I am in favor of maintaining the cultural identity of peoples and / or countries, encompassing customs, language, faith, etc., but certainly the language is alive, evolving and reforming at every moment , in a kind of permanent beta state. How to express yourself is within everyone's freedom, but we must be willing to have a well-trained behavior prone to disambiguation, both having an open mind when reading or listening to something, as well as to provide extra information when we do not understand ourselves well with someone, making our contribution to the 'group' to understand each other well. Always help and be patient with the one who always asks questions that for some can be very basic, we have all been through that.
Greetings from Chile!
As the post says, it is advisable to compress that folder in .tar.gz format and then send it to encrypt with the commands given here
Hello, in the post you mentioned that it is useful to protect folders that contain many files and subfolders, could you tell how to do to encrypt a folder?
What type of encryption does it handle?
I have the entire hard drive encrypted with LUKS, so I don't need to encrypt files with a symmetric key (gpg can be used like this). However, I have the enigmail to send encrypted mail with gpg ...
This process system. ..
when compressing ... the original file will still generate you
I mean you have a double file
The truth is, I don't think that for a normal person this is useful.
I consider myself Linux and everything, but I have no need to be sending encrypted messages, with all the trouble of looking for public keys, to make sure they are signed and blah blah blah but I RECOGNIZE that it must be invaluable for those who need it.
With regard to file encryption ... there it seems to me a total nonsense. Many complications (the worst is that of being designed for a single pc ... and if formatting is a problem), and from what I read the comments above, there are bugs too.
A very strange thing happens to me. When I try to decrypt the file with a gpg extension, I type the command gpg -d plus the name of the encrypted file and the information inside that file appears directly in the terminal without asking me for the password. Is this normal?
I am doing it on a linux live cd.
Greetings.
is that you need to specify the output of the file, the same thing happened to me, you can use this command
gpg -o file.jpg -d file.jpg.gpg
fil. jpg is the file that will be created decrypted
so you will no longer see the screen full of characters and when you look for the file in the path you will see it without encrypting