Symmetric encryption with org-crypt.el?

Symmetric encryption with org-crypt.el?

[Rick Moynihan]

Is it possible to use a symmetric cipher with org-crypt.el?  I'd really 
like to encrypt certain outlines and encode/decode them on several 
machines without worrying about managing public/private keys.

I can see how using public key crypto might be benefecial when sharing 
files between several parties, but for the case where a single user 
simply wants to synchronise org files between various machines (and 
never store/transmit sensitive data unencrypted) then a symmetric cipher 
seems preferable due to its lower overhead.

Has anyone done this?

R.

Re: Symmetric encryption with org-crypt.el?

[Carsten Dominik]

On Oct 6, 2008, at 11:43 AM, Rick Moynihan wrote:

> Is it possible to use a symmetric cipher with org-crypt.el?  I'd  
> really like to encrypt certain outlines and encode/decode them on  
> several machines without worrying about managing public/private keys.
>
> I can see how using public key crypto might be benefecial when  
> sharing files between several parties, but for the case where a  
> single user simply wants to synchronise org files between various  
> machines (and never store/transmit sensitive data unencrypted) then  
> a symmetric cipher seems preferable due to its lower overhead.
>
> Has anyone done this?

Not that I know o, but I think, starting with org-crypt this should be  
relatively straight forward.

There must be someone else around here who can take on this task, right?

- Carsten

Re: Symmetric encryption with org-crypt.el?

[Carsten Dominik]

Hi Rick,

I don't think anyone has done this, but I would certainly welcome
someone taking up org-crypt.el, adding different options like you
suggest.  I'd be happy to work out the UI, but I do not know anything
about encryption or Emacs packages supporting it.

- Carsten

On Oct 6, 2008, at 11:43 AM, Rick Moynihan wrote:

> Is it possible to use a symmetric cipher with org-crypt.el?  I'd  
> really like to encrypt certain outlines and encode/decode them on  
> several machines without worrying about managing public/private keys.
>
> I can see how using public key crypto might be benefecial when  
> sharing files between several parties, but for the case where a  
> single user simply wants to synchronise org files between various  
> machines (and never store/transmit sensitive data unencrypted) then  
> a symmetric cipher seems preferable due to its lower overhead.
>
> Has anyone done this?
>
> R.
>
>
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Re: Symmetric encryption with org-crypt.el?

[Rick Moynihan]

Carsten Dominik wrote:
> Hi Rick,
> 
> I don't think anyone has done this, but I would certainly welcome
> someone taking up org-crypt.el, adding different options like you
> suggest.  I'd be happy to work out the UI, but I do not know anything
> about encryption or Emacs packages supporting it.
> 
> - Carsten

Thanks Carsten, I know a tiny bit about encryption, but I'm no guru.  I 
took a quick look at easypg which org-crypt appears to use, and being a 
frontend to GnuPG it seems to support the use of symetric keys.

I'm convinced that it should be a trivial job, but I'm not familiar 
enough with any of the packages to know precisely what needs done.

If I find some more time, in the next few weeks, I might take another look.

R.

> On Oct 6, 2008, at 11:43 AM, Rick Moynihan wrote:
> 
>> Is it possible to use a symmetric cipher with org-crypt.el?  I'd  
>> really like to encrypt certain outlines and encode/decode them on  
>> several machines without worrying about managing public/private keys.
>>
>> I can see how using public key crypto might be benefecial when  
>> sharing files between several parties, but for the case where a  
>> single user simply wants to synchronise org files between various  
>> machines (and never store/transmit sensitive data unencrypted) then  
>> a symmetric cipher seems preferable due to its lower overhead.
>>
>> Has anyone done this?
>>
>> R.
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Emacs-orgmode mailing list
>> Remember: use `Reply All' to send replies to the list.
>> Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
>> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode