Re: Standard encrypted file format?

www.EdmundKirwan.com wrote:
Hi, folks,

I'm given to understand that, when encrypting a file, it can be useful
to specify a format for the encrypted file which includes headers and
checksums, etc., as well as the encrypted data itself. This allows the
tool decrypting the file to verify, for example, that the password used
for decryption is the same as that used to encrypt the file.

I don't know about standards here. If your making a new app with a new file format, then you get to use whatever makes sense for you. If your want others to adopt your product then you should consider using an existing documented format (ZIP, OpenPGP). For a new implementation, I personally would look at using an XML file format since that seems to be the safest direction for application interoperability.

dMn
.

Relevant Pages

  • XTS mode using persisted random IV instead of tweak
    ... The format leverages the authenticity properties of XTS to eliminate a redundant second pass through the data to generate a secure hash. ... This is achieved by encrypting an extra 32 bytes of zeros at the end of each encrypted block of data, and at read time validating that the last 32 bytes are zero after decryption. ...
    (sci.crypt)
  • Re: Standard Message Format
    ... For encrypting files you can use PKCS#7 format. ... > When sending encrypted data, is the encrypted data, ...
    (microsoft.public.platformsdk.security)
  • Re: decryption of files and folders
    ... You should have created a 'password reset disk' before the format. ... HOW TO Back Up Your Encrypting File System Private Key: ... protect my data i had applied encrytion to all the folders and files in this ... removing the encryption by it displays a error message that "error in ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Standard encrypted file format?
    ... I'm given to understand that, when encrypting a file, it can be useful ... checksums, etc., as well as the encrypted data itself. ... tool decrypting the file to verify, for example, that the password used ... is there a standard format? ...
    (comp.security.misc)