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1. Select the Process to be done
First of all, the user needs to select what task is to be performed.
This is done as detailed in the Process Select
menu.
- 2. Select the Block Cipher algorithm A block cipher algorithm needs to be selected. This is done as detailed in the Cipher Select menu.
- 3. Select the Cipher encryption mode The user may choose between 2 encryption modes (CTR or CBC). A MAC (message authentication code) is implemented with both modes to insure data integrity. The selection is done as detailed in the Cipher mode Select menu.
- 4. Select the HASH function algorithm One of the HASH function algorithm needs also be selected. This is done as detailed in the HASH Select menu.
Note that when opening 96Crypt, it will auto-position on the last Process/Cipher/Mode/HASH
selections that were saved the last time 96Crypt was closed.
- 2. Select the Block Cipher algorithm A block cipher algorithm needs to be selected. This is done as detailed in the Cipher Select menu.
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5. Use a Strong Password
Type a password in the corresponding field
then re-confirm it for double verification. Make sure to remember it as IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to recover an EnCrypted file with a lost password.
Typed password are case sensitive. They should contain letters and numbers of at least 7 characters.
96Crypt provides an advanced feature that allows the user to select a file of his choice and use it as a password instead of typing the password. Here are some of the advantages:
- The number of variables is much higher in a file-password compared to a typed password, when the file-password is HASHed, this will return a HASH value (key) with an extremely low collision probability. - A file-password could contain any of the 256 ACSII characters, while a typed password is much more limited. - A file-password may be represented in Unicode. A typed password cannot. - A file-password has the highest level of resistance to all known dictionary attacks. - A file-password is totally safe against "possible" key loggers installed on the PC. - Make sure to keep a copy of the file-password in a safe place and NOT to EnCrypt, compress or modify its content in any other way. For the security of your process, 96Crypt will turn the attribute of the selected file-password to read only so it cannot be quickly erased.
You may store a personal file-password of your choice (larger than 7bytes, but smaller than 2.5Mb) on a separate USB key, then use this USB key every time you need to EnCrypt or DeCrypt any of your private Data. The selected file-password could be of any extension/type (jpg, bmp, mp3, exe, dll, txt, bin etc...) or any format (Binary, Hex, Unicode...).
96Crypt requires a file-password larger than 7bytes, but smaller than 2.5Mb.
Whether typed or file-selected, the password will be processed with multiple HASH/SALT rounds to be transformed to a "key". The HASH function returns a fixed length "key" from a variable size user-provided secret password. The "key" will then be fed to the cipher after being properly length-adjusted to meet the cipher's requirements.
- 6. Change or validate your Process selection If the "Always Prompt For A Process Selection Confirmation" option is selected in the Process menu, a prompt window requesting a final selection confirmation will open immediately before processing your files. If however, this option was not selected, this current step (6) will be skipped and the process will continue according to what was selected in the Process menu.
- 7. Select the files and FOLDERS you need to process Now that the Process , Block Cipher , Cipher mode , HASH function and password were properly defined, the last step consists of selecting which files/FOLDERs are to be processed. A large interface window will open to let you easily and quickly select any file or FOLDER from any Directory, Hard Disk, CDROM or DVD and add them to the job list.
Simply browse for files and FOLDERs to select them and ADD them to the job list using the green arrow. The user can type in the corresponding field the first letter of a file/FOLDER to search by name. Or type *. followed by any letter to search by file type/extension. The below figure shows an example for *.mp3 files serach.
The job list will show all the selected files and FOLDERs that are going to be processed. the user can ADD further files or FOLDERs using the green arrow, or REMOVE some selected items using the blue arrow.
Once your files/FOLDERs selection is complete, you need only to click on the "PROCEED NOW" button.
For the security of your data, when a file is being EnCrypted, 96Crypt shreds the plaintext
before writing to the disk the newly created ciphertext. - 6. Change or validate your Process selection If the "Always Prompt For A Process Selection Confirmation" option is selected in the Process menu, a prompt window requesting a final selection confirmation will open immediately before processing your files. If however, this option was not selected, this current step (6) will be skipped and the process will continue according to what was selected in the Process menu.
The Previous 4 (Process, Cipher, Mode and HASH selection) steps can be simply skipped if the user keeps the same cipher, Mode and HASH algorithms as the last time 96Crypt was closed.
