[ale] win32-linux compatible encrpytion of files

[Jay Loden]

Well, for posterity: 
I've decided to go with a friend's help and create our own encryption library 
to use for the project, since this isn't the type of situation that requires 
NSA-level encryption, and that way we have complete control over how it's 
implemented.  As for the second part (packaging) I'm using "Zip to Secure 
Exe" which is a windows utility (command line and gui) that happens to work 
perfectly under wine.  

-Jay

On Friday 04 March 2005 01:50 pm, Jay Loden wrote:
> Ok, this is somewhat complicated to explain:
>
> My *only* Windows project (legacy from before moving to Linux) is a virus
> removal tool that I keep updated often (daily/weekly).  It is the only
> thing that keeps me from ditching Windows entirely, since I still need to
> update the definitions every so often, which at the moment requires using
> Visual Studio to recompile.
>
> I want to move the defs into an external file, but I want to make sure the
> external file isn't able to be just edited by anybody and therefore use my
> tool to harm computers or screw up the removal.  What I want to do is be
> able to update the definition file on a Linux box, encrypt it on Linux,
> then have the Win32 application read in the encrypted file and decrypt it
> to use for definitions.  This way, I stay on Linux and I can still make
> updates safely. So basically, I need any solution you guys can suggest that
> lets me effectively trade an encrypted file back and forth between Linux
> and Windows (hopefully with a "key" or "pin" needed to decrypt it). 
> Obviously, it has to be a library or something similar that I can call from
>  a C++ program.
>
> I also would need a good way to package this so that Windows users of,
> shall we say, "less than great" computer knowledge can download and run the
> file. (A windows installer would also require Windows, which defeats the
> purpose). A zip file works for *most* people but I've run into a pretty
> amazing number of people that don't have zip support even in this day and
> age.
>
> Thanks so much for any replies!
> -Jay
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