EncryptPad is a free and open source text editor for sensitive information, which protects files with passwords, key files, or both, available for Linux, Windows and Mac. The app can also be used to encrypt binary files, such as images, videos, and so on.
EncryptPad uses symmetric encryption algorithm, and it uses the "most widely chosen quality file format OpenPGP RFC 4880".
Features:
- graphical user interface as well as command line interface to encrypt and decrypt files;
- portable (on Mac and Linux it can also be built with dynamic linking to libraries);
- password and key file protection, which can be used separately or combined for double protection;
- random key file and password generator;
- encryption of binary files (images, videos, archives etc.);
- read only mode to prevent accidental file modification;
- can use cURL to automatically download keys from a remote storage;
- UTF8 text encoding;
- Windows/Unix configurable line endings;
- supports GPG and EPD (EncryptPad specific format) file formats;
- cipher algorithms: CAST5, TripleDES, AES128, AES256;
- hash algorithms: SHA-1, SHA256;
- integrity protection: SHA-1;
- compression: ZLIB, ZIP.
The application is useful for storing passwords, credit card information, and so on, either for personal use or for sharing a private file with someone.
Since files can be protected with both a key and a password in the same time, it means EncryptPad is a good solution for cases in which you need to store sensitive information on uprotected media, such as a laptop, a memory stick, or unencrypted cloud storage.
It's important to mention that EncryptPad stores unencrypted text in memory. For this reason, the application developer recommends to close EncryptPad when not in use.
The EncryptPad website provides pretty much any information you may need about the app, including when you should and shouldn't use the application, how to use the command line interface, how to check the EncryptPad integrity, and much more, so check it out HERE.
You may also want to read the EncryptPad tutorials.
Download EncryptPad
Download EncryptPad (binaries available for Mac and Windows, along with source code)
Install EcryptPad in Ubuntu or Linux Mint via PPA
Security is important for an encryption app, so you may want to verify the PPA source integrity. The EncryptPad GitHub page contains step-by-step instructions for this - see HERE.
The GitHub downloads can also be verified and the developer provides exact instructions HERE.
To add the PPA and install EncryptPad in Ubuntu 16.10, 16.04, 15.10 or 14.04 / Linux Mint 18 or 17.x (and derivatives), use the following commands:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt update
sudo apt install encryptpad encryptcliBuild EncryptPad from source in Debian, Ubuntu or Linux Mint (portable)
To build EncryptPad (portable) from source in Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint and derivatives, follow the steps below.
1. Download the EncryptPad source (the src.tar.gz archive) and extract it in your home folder.
2. Install the packages required to build EncryptPad without dynamic linking to libraries (portable):
sudo apt install build-essential qt5-default python3. Build EncryptPad
cd ~/encryptpad*
./configure.sh --allNote that the first command above assumes you've extracted the EncryptPad source in your home folder and that there are no other folders names that start with "encryptpad".
That's it. You should find the EncryptPad binaries in the EncryptPad folder ("encryptpad0_3_2_2_src" for the latest version at the time I'm writing this article), under bin/release.
