Bitcoin Forum

Other => Beginners & Help => Topic started by: jors on July 01, 2011, 12:08:39 AM



Title: Easy/fast way to protect wallet.dat (by cyphering)
Post by: jors on July 01, 2011, 12:08:39 AM
I am focusing on GNU/Linux, but this can also be used on other Operating Systems where gpg/gnupg is available and it doesn't require you to generate a keypair because we will use symmetrycal encryption (quite secure still).

If you are on the command line, for encrypting you just have to run this and introduce the password of your choice:
Code:
gpg -c wallet.dat

This will create a new file called wallet.dat.gpg, so you still need to erase the original one (if you secure delete it with some tool as shred or wipe, much better for your security).

And the way back, for decrypting you just do:
Code:
gpg -d wallet.dat.gpg > wallet.dat

Introduce your password and you're done: you have again the original wallet.dat file and you can delete the encrypted one.

If you want a gpg/gnupg GUI for managing this, you can get a simple one like GPG GUI (easy compilation, just make && make install): http://www.garyshood.com/gpg_gui/ (http://www.garyshood.com/gpg_gui/). I won't explain it's usage because it's self explanatory :)

Hope it helps someone! Cheers!


Title: Re: Easy/fast way to protect wallet.dat (by cyphering)
Post by: swivel on July 08, 2011, 02:28:33 AM
I use this method but with TWOFISH cipher instead of the default CAST5.

Code:
gpg -c --cipher-algo twofish wallet.dat