How to encrypt text file in Linux (VIM)
It is very easy to encrypt a text file in Linux, VIM text editor can be used to achieve it.. vim -x [file name]
[kartook@Nilas ~]$ vim -x kartook.txt
This will prompt us to enter encryption key (password)
Enter encryption key : ******
Enter same key again: ******
After that, key in the text data and save it. Now the “kartook.txt” text file is encrypted with my password.
Ok, let try to view the text file content
[kartook@Nilas ~]$ cat kartook.txt
VimCrypt~01!??PR?
??0?????$%^&*( ?W#?Q?W?
(L??Y??
[kartook@Nilas ~]$
The text file content is encrypted with some alien code 🙂 ,
Done, no body can view the content unless they know my encryption key.
How to change the encrypted password?
We can issue the following command (vim +X [file name]) to change the encrypted password.
[kartook@Nilas ~]$ vim +X kartook.txt
“mkyong.txt” [crypted] 1L, 37C
Enter encryption key: ***
Enter same key again: ***
Done
Now we have an encrypted text file. So, how do we decrypt it to view and edit it?
@Scott, you simply use vim to open the encrypted file $ vim encrypted.txt
it will then say:
Need encryption key for “encrypted.txt”
Enter encryption key:
Then enter the key and it will open.
Thanks for the tip dude
–K~