Key bundle management

Keys are required for encryption and decryption. To generate and manage these keys, Encrypter-X provides the necessary functions. These are accessible via the main menu item Tools.

Create key ...

Select key ...

Save key ...

Show keys

Create key

To create new key bundles select the menu item Create key ... A dialog window opens and offers various options for the creation of new key bundles.

The new key bundle needs a name and it has to be defined by which which procedure is to be used to generate the keys. The name is also used for the file name of the key bundle file, so it is subject to the conventions for valid file names. For the absolutely secure OTP method, the True Random option should be selected and should be aware that such keys are not reproducible and should therefore be stored with special care (duplicates on external media in different locations) in order to be able to decrypt encrypted data again.

If you are particularly cautious and prefer to be on the safe side, you can also select the Pseudo random option. The pseudo-random byte sequences generated by this can be reproduced by using the same seed and one only has to remember this seed to reproduce such key bundles. However, using such a key bundle is also extremely secure because there are 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 seeds that all lead to different, pseudo-random byte sequences, and research has shown that byte sequences where the seeds differ by only one are completely different.

In addition, key bundles can still be generated from arbitrary file contents via the From file option. These are reproducible, but only as long as the source files are maintained and available. This option is actually more academic in nature and should not be considered for serious and necessary, important encryption.

The Balancer option ensures, especially for smaller key bundles, that byte values which appear much less in the byte sequence are replaced by a part of the more frequently appearing byte values, which increases the equal distribution of the random byte values. Since the uniform distribution is used as one of the quality characteristics of the key bundles, this naturally increases their quality. However, whether this really makes the keys more random is an open question. After all, they are already absolutely random anyway.

And last but not least, the destination, key location, for the newly created key bundle has to be specified. Here the currently available drives are available for selection. On the selected one, the keychain will be stored in a folder called Bundle.

Select key

A key must be selected for encryption to be possible at all. If no key bundles are available, they must first be created or external media (USB stick, SD card, etc.) must be connected that contain key bundles. In any case, it is advisable not to store or keep key bundles on the computer itself.

As soon as Encrypter-X is started, a background process runs that performs a search for existing key bundles approximately every 10 seconds. During the search, the green LED in the lower left corner lights up. All key bundles found during this process can then be selected for encryption. For decryption, key bundles do not have to be selected separately. It is sufficient if they were found during the search.

To select a key bundle, select the menu item Select key .... A dialog window opens and offers all available key bundles for selection in a combo box.

The key bundle names are composed of the name of the file, the drive letter in whose bundle folder it was found and its size in round brackets, and the set of keys of this key bundle that are still available for encryption in square brackets.

Once a key bundle has been selected, its name with the location and quantity information and a visualization of the current key capacity appear at the bottom, left edge of the application window.

The progress bar is light green and fully filled when all keys are still available. With decreasing capacity it shortens to the left and changes its color from green to yellow to red.

Save key

The currently selected key bundle can be saved to any location. To do this, select the menu item Save key ... and in the following file selection dialog a folder where the key bundle should be written.

The key bundle will then be written under its name to the selected folder and the successful action is displayed afterwards.

If there is a file with the same name in the selected folder, the program asks how to proceed.

If the Yes option is selected, the existing file will be overwritten by the current keychain. If the No option is selected, the action will not continue. Key bundles stored in locations other than the bundle folders in the root directories of each media will not be considered and found by the automatic key bundle search.

Exceptions are key bundles hidden in images of PNG format or audio files of WAV type. These are searched for on specially marked drives in all folders.

Show keys

Each key bundle has a unique identification number (ID). If there are copies of a key bundle on different media, they will all be found during the key bundle search, but a key bundle will only be displayed once with the key bundle selection. However, the Show keys function shows in a list all key bundles found on the connected media.

For example, in the image above, the GoldenDoor key bundle is located both in the bundle folders of the E: and G: drives and hidden in two images and in a QR code. However, it is only displayed once in the keychain selection. Also the keychain 10MB is in the bundle folder of both drive E: and drive G:.

The list shows the unique IDs of the key bundles, their names and where they are stored everywhere.

	Keys are required for encryption and decryption. To generate and manage these keys, Encrypter-X provides the necessary functions. These are accessible via the main menu item *Tools*.

	Create key ... Select key ... Save key ... Show keys
	Create key To create new key bundles select the menu item *Create key ...* A dialog window opens and offers various options for the creation of new key bundles.

	The new key bundle needs a name and it has to be defined by which which procedure is to be used to generate the keys. The name is also used for the file name of the key bundle file, so it is subject to the conventions for valid file names. For the absolutely secure OTP method, the *True Random* option should be selected and should be aware that such keys are not reproducible and should therefore be stored with special care (duplicates on external media in different locations) in order to be able to decrypt encrypted data again. If you are particularly cautious and prefer to be on the safe side, you can also select the *Pseudo random* option. The pseudo-random byte sequences generated by this can be reproduced by using the same seed and one only has to remember this seed to reproduce such key bundles. However, using such a key bundle is also extremely secure because there are 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 seeds that all lead to different, pseudo-random byte sequences, and research has shown that byte sequences where the seeds differ by only one are completely different. In addition, key bundles can still be generated from arbitrary file contents via the *From file* option. These are reproducible, but only as long as the source files are maintained and available. This option is actually more academic in nature and should not be considered for serious and necessary, important encryption. The *Balancer* option ensures, especially for smaller key bundles, that byte values which appear much less in the byte sequence are replaced by a part of the more frequently appearing byte values, which increases the equal distribution of the random byte values. Since the uniform distribution is used as one of the quality characteristics of the key bundles, this naturally increases their quality. However, whether this really makes the keys more random is an open question. After all, they are already absolutely random anyway. And last but not least, the destination, key location, for the newly created key bundle has to be specified. Here the currently available drives are available for selection. On the selected one, the keychain will be stored in a folder called Bundle.
	Select key A key must be selected for encryption to be possible at all. If no key bundles are available, they must first be created or external media (USB stick, SD card, etc.) must be connected that contain key bundles. In any case, it is advisable not to store or keep key bundles on the computer itself. As soon as Encrypter-X is started, a background process runs that performs a search for existing key bundles approximately every 10 seconds. During the search, the green LED in the lower left corner lights up. All key bundles found during this process can then be selected for encryption. For decryption, key bundles do not have to be selected separately. It is sufficient if they were found during the search. To select a key bundle, select the menu item Select key .... A dialog window opens and offers all available key bundles for selection in a combo box.

	The key bundle names are composed of the name of the file, the drive letter in whose bundle folder it was found and its size in round brackets, and the set of keys of this key bundle that are still available for encryption in square brackets. Once a key bundle has been selected, its name with the location and quantity information and a visualization of the current key capacity appear at the bottom, left edge of the application window.

	The progress bar is light green and fully filled when all keys are still available. With decreasing capacity it shortens to the left and changes its color from green to yellow to red.
	Save key The currently selected key bundle can be saved to any location. To do this, select the menu item Save key ... and in the following file selection dialog a folder where the key bundle should be written.

	The key bundle will then be written under its name to the selected folder and the successful action is displayed afterwards.

	If there is a file with the same name in the selected folder, the program asks how to proceed.

	If the Yes option is selected, the existing file will be overwritten by the current keychain. If the No option is selected, the action will not continue. Key bundles stored in locations other than the bundle folders in the root directories of each media will not be considered and found by the automatic key bundle search. Exceptions are key bundles hidden in images of PNG format or audio files of WAV type. These are searched for on specially marked drives in all folders.
	Show keys Each key bundle has a unique identification number (ID). If there are copies of a key bundle on different media, they will all be found during the key bundle search, but a key bundle will only be displayed once with the key bundle selection. However, the Show keys function shows in a list all key bundles found on the connected media.

	For example, in the image above, the GoldenDoor key bundle is located both in the bundle folders of the E: and G: drives and hidden in two images and in a QR code. However, it is only displayed once in the keychain selection. Also the keychain 10MB is in the bundle folder of both drive E: and drive G:. The list shows the unique IDs of the key bundles, their names and where they are stored everywhere.