ecb_crypt - Linux

Overview

ecb_crypt is a command-line tool that uses an Electronic Code Book (ECB) mode to encrypt and decrypt data using a supplied key. It’s primarily used for secure data handling, protecting sensitive information at rest or in transit.

Syntax

ecb_crypt -[e|d] [-i <input-file>] [-o <output-file>] [-k <key-file>] [-s <key-size>] [-l <log-level>]

Options/Flags

• -e: Encrypt the input data
• -d: Decrypt the input data
• -i: Specify the input file. Default is standard input
• -o: Specify the output file. Default is standard output
• -k: Specify the file containing the encryption key
• -s: Specify the key size in bits (128, 192, or 256). Default is 128
• -l: Set the logging level (0-3) for debugging purposes

Examples

Encrypt a file:

ecb_crypt -e -i input.txt -o encrypted.bin -k key.txt

Decrypt a file:

ecb_crypt -d -i encrypted.bin -o output.txt -k key.txt

Common Issues

• Invalid key: Ensure that the key file is accessible and contains a valid key of the specified size.
• File I/O errors: Check if the input and output files are accessible and have the appropriate permissions.

Integration

ecb_crypt can be integrated with other Linux commands for advanced tasks:

• Pipe input data from a command: cat file.txt | ecb_crypt -e -k key.txt
• Send encrypted output to another command: ecb_crypt -e -i input.txt -k key.txt | other_command

Related Commands

• openssl: A general-purpose cryptography library and command-line interface
• gpg: OpenPGP implementation for encrypting and signing data
• base64: Encode/decode data into and out of Base64 representation