Secure

Secure provides private single key encryption to user files.  It can be used either as a standalone or Services menu application.

Installation...

To use Secure as a Services application, install in ~/Apps (or somewhere in your ApplicationPaths) and either Logout/Login or select Workspace menu "View -> Update Viewers".  Consequently, applications which can provide Filenames to the pasteboard will dynamically have a "Services -> Secure" menu available.  Some of the applications which can provide pasteboard Filenames include Workspace, Librarian, and Edit.

Following are descriptions of Secure's main panels and selection items...

Main panel...

Users can simply encrypt or decrypt files into either plain files or cipher files, respectively, via one of four methods: dragging and dropping files over the application icon or the main panel's icon well, using the Services->Secure menu available to certain applications, or double-clicking (opening) files of type .secure in the Workspace (deck-of-cards multiple selections are permitted).

[future] Keys used in encrypting can be one of either Default, Public, or One-Shot.   Selecting Default key will require one's private key (or login password) to decrypt the file.  Selecting Public key will require destination's private key to decrypt the file.  Selecting One-Shot key will require an unregistered private key to decrypt the file (currently implemented).

The Secure button turns into a Stop button for the duration of the encryption.  Status of the encryption (% completion) is shown via compositing (0 to 100% opaqueness) the Lock&Key (.secure) icon on top of the file's Workspace icon.

Preferences panel...

[incompletely documented, see the Preferences panel for more features]

Options
	± Remove Original plain text Files... after encrypting a plain text file, delete the original file, making available only the encrypted (.secure) file.
	± Remove Original .secure Files... after decrypting a cipher (.secure) file, delete the cipher file, making available only the plain (decrypted) file.
	± Auto Open Unsecured File... after decrypting a file, automatically open the document via the Workspace.  i.e., double-clicking a "xx.wn.secure" file in the Workspace will ask for a key to decrypt and then automatically open the resulting xx.wn file into WriteNow.  A confirmation panel will be presented when decrypting executable files.

Advanced Notes...

± works on directories, file wrappers and app wrappers correctly
± checks for the existence of the destination file before blindly destroying

Charles_Oei@NeXT.com
11/91