Using encryption/decryption tool on geeksww.com

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Tutorials > Tools > Security > Tools

Geeks Worldwide has built very interesting and unique tools for developers and common users. I am writing this tutorial to help understand the encryption/decryption tool on geeksww.com.

In my 8 years IT experience so far, wherever I worked I found a very common mistake that most IT professionals usually make i.e. they send confidential information e.g. passwords, keys etc. unencrypted through emails. Most people do not realize that they can send that confidential information to someone other than the intended recipient by mistake. So, I had developed a tool that I used in the companies that I have worked for.

Here is how it works:

The tool encrypts/decrypts the text entered and it requires a secret key to encrypt/decrypt the text. So, you have to share the secret key with the recipient through some other medium like phone OR you can choose a key that the recipient already knows about e.g. her father's name, car's plate number, or some company-wide shared secret.

So, for example, you are sending database username and password to someone in your company, you can choose to encrypt the whole email or you can just encrypt the password or username & password both. In our example, the username is root and password is 1Sauce@! and shared key is www.geeksww.com. So, the email without encryption will look something like the following:


Hi,

Here is your database username and password. 

username: root
password: 1Sauce@!

Thanks.
DBA

Now, instead of sending the email above you'll first go to the tool, enter the password in the field labeled String/Password, enter the secret key www.geeksww.com in the field labeled Secret Key, check Encrypt, and press submit button. You'll see your encrypted password in the output box. Now, the email will look something like below:


Hi,

Here is your database username and password. Password is encrypted using your favorite technology website's domain name as key. 
Please visit http://www.geeksww.com/toolbox/display/7/encrypting_decrypting_strings_and_passwords.php to decrypt the password.

username: root
password: X6C/3J0vwZI=

Thanks.
DBA

Please note that the secret key is not mentioned anywhere in the email. On receiving the email above, recipient will go to the tool, enter the encrypted password in field labeled String/Password, use www.geeksww.com as secret key, check Decrypt, and click on submit button. The actual password will be displayed in the Output box almost immediately. Now, even if you send the email (with encrypted password) to someone outside the company or someone just hacks into your local machine, she will never be able to figure out the password using the information provided in the email. The security of your emails hugely depends upon the secret key, so make sure you choose secret keys that are extremely hard to predict.

That's it! send emails securely using the tool. Make sure you share this tool with other colleagues and friends.

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Please feel free to use the comments form below if you have any questions or need more explanation on anything. I do not guarantee a response.

IMPORTANT: You must thoroughy test any instructions on a production-like test environment first before trying anything on production systems. And, make sure it is tested for security, privacy, and safety. See our terms here.

Comments (write a comment):

is the code for this tool available so i can add it to my site? Posted by: brakw on Feb 21, 2011

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