Self decrypting executables the 7-Zip way
Everybody needs to transmit a file to a friend, colleague, etc. in the most possible secure manner once in a while. A cool feature I got to know with the PGP Desktop product line is a self decrypting executable (PGP calls them Self Decrypting Archives (SDA)). You simply use a symmetric encryption algortihm with a password and the tool generates an executable that will decrypt itself once the correct password is given. This password usually is transmitted by phone or another communication link different to the one the file is using.
With one of the latest versions of 7-Zip (my Windows compression tool of choice btw) came a new feature that one may use to copy this behaviour: encryption of archives. Today 7-Zip uses AES-256 as algorithm to encrypt packed archives. But this is not sufficient, yet. You still need 7-Zip to decrypt the file. Not if you use 7-Zip as compression algorithm and select “Cretae SFX archive”
Another reason to love this cool compression tool.
About
Originally this site was intended as a project site. The goal was to define standards for the perimeterless network using
open-source software. To be honest I simply do not have the time for such a thing. So what is left is a blog with sporadic
posts that are either helpful for myself or I think are helpful for others, too since I had a hard time finding information
on the Internet. Think of it as a knowledge base.
Ehm yes, somtimes I write down my two cents on any topic that may go through my mind at that point in time ;-)