DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Encrypting files in Linux

13 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/encrypting-files-in-linux.54891/

cynosure
cynosure Original post #1
Apr 12, 2007 at 10:28 PM
Is there any software in Linux which can encrypt files and folders???
I tried searching for such softwares on google but they show how to encrypt a drive, home folder, swap folder but not any other file :confused:
M
Apr 12, 2007 at 10:41 PM
Why do you want to encrypt a file or a folder?
eddie
eddie #3
Apr 13, 2007 at 2:07 AM
Which desktop environment are you running? If you are running KDE, then all you need to do is to install kgpg and then follow its initiation wizard. It will help you in creating public/private gpg keys and a pass phrase. From then on, right click on a file and from "Actions" sub-menu choose "Encrypt File". An encrypted file with extension .asc will be created in the same folder which will be decrypted only if you enter the pass phrase and have your own private key in your key manager. I would also recommend reading kgpg handbook before starting with any kind of encryption. It is small but very helpful.

I hope that you know about the risks associated with encryption because if you lose your key pair or your pass phrase then you will lose your encrypted data as well.
mediator
Apr 13, 2007 at 3:26 AM
Thats right, u can do it with "gpg"!

1. To encrypt,
a. Open terminal in ur file containing directory
b. If the file is hello.txt then command "gpg -c hello.txt"! Fill the key.
c. Ur encrypted file is "hello.txt.gpg"!

2. To decrypt it
a. Command "gpg hello.txt.gpg".
b. U may enter a new O/P file name!
freebird
Apr 13, 2007 at 11:07 AM
GNOME also does

GNOME's got seahorse and many other apps like gnome-scan for gpg key mgmt and data encryption.also available are nautilus file encryption/decryption scripts which does the job.
cynosure
Apr 13, 2007 at 1:57 PM
I am running gnome. Actually I dont have real sensitive data but more knowledge is always great.
Will try seahorse and the gpg -c code and let you know.

thanks
Vivek788
Apr 24, 2007 at 4:40 PM
kgpg is quite gud...
~Phenom~
Apr 24, 2007 at 6:03 PM
Also , I wanna know if there is a way to hide folders in Linux just the way we do in Windows via folder options.
Pathik
Pathik #9
Apr 24, 2007 at 6:35 PM
rename foldername to ".foldername" thru konsole..
Possible
Possible #10
Apr 24, 2007 at 7:10 PM
^^
Wont that just simply hide it? :|
cynosure
cynosure #11
Apr 24, 2007 at 7:18 PM
^^ Yes, Phenom wanted to knew that only.
Possible
Possible #12
Apr 25, 2007 at 7:50 AM
Oh I overlooked Phenom's message, am sorry, I thought he was suggesting it to be a way of encryption here. These OSS threads need to be straight for one, there are too many problems randomly asked in a thread with some different issue. Confusing and unorganized, it is.
~Phenom~
~Phenom~ #13
Apr 25, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Thanx pathiks and sorry guys for messing up this thread.