pantsucrypt.py

Overview

pantsucrypt.py is a robust command-line utility designed for secure file encryption and decryption using the AES-256-GCM algorithm. This tool provides a straightforward approach to protecting sensitive data by transforming files into encrypted formats and subsequently restoring them when required.

Features

• File Encryption: Safeguard your files by converting them into a secure encrypted format, which protects against unauthorized access.
• File Decryption: Retrieve the original file from its encrypted state, provided the correct password is used.

Usage

1. Encrypt a File:

   • To encrypt a file, use the command:

     python pantsucrypt.py.py -f <file_path> -p <password> -e

   • Example:

     python pantsucrypt.py.py -f example.txt -p securepassword -e

2. Decrypt a File:

   • To decrypt an encrypted file, use the command:

     python pantsucrypt.py.py -f <encrypted_file_path> -p <password> -d

   • Example:

     python pantsucrypt.py.py -f example.txt.enc -p securepassword -d

Requirements

• Python 3.6 or higher
• cryptography library

To install the necessary libraries, run:

pip install cryptography

Technical Details

PantsuCrypt employs AES-256-GCM encryption to ensure high levels of data security. The encryption and decryption processes are as follows:

1. Key Derivation:

   • A key is derived from the provided password and a randomly generated salt using PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256. This method ensures that each key is unique and secure.

2. Encryption Process:

   • A random salt and nonce (IV) are generated.
   • The derived key is used to initialize a Cipher object in AES-GCM mode.
   • The contents of the file are encrypted. The encrypted file contains the following components:
     • Salt: 16 bytes of random data used for key derivation.
     • Nonce (IV): 12 bytes of random data used for encryption.
     • Authentication Tag: 16 bytes used to verify the integrity of the encrypted data.
     • Ciphertext: The actual encrypted data.

3. Decryption Process:

   • The encrypted file is read to extract the salt, nonce, authentication tag, and ciphertext.
   • The key is regenerated from the password and salt using the same derivation method as in encryption.
   • A Cipher object is initialized with AES-GCM mode using the extracted nonce and tag.
   • The ciphertext is decrypted, and the resulting plaintext is saved as a new file.

The following Python libraries are used:

• cryptography: Provides the cryptographic primitives necessary for AES-256-GCM encryption and decryption.