scrypt
A simple command-line tool for password-based file encryption built on the scrypt key derivation function.
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1 more ways to get scrypt
Package managers
- Homebrew
brew install scrypt
About scrypt
scrypt is a password-based encryption utility from the developers of the Tarsnap backup service. It is built on the scrypt key derivation function, which was designed to make hardware brute-force attacks against a password far more costly than with PBKDF2 or bcrypt. The function is specified in RFC 7914.
The utility suits people who want to protect a file with a passphrase from the command line without managing keys. The same page documents the key derivation function itself and points to implementations in several programming languages.
Strengths
- Passphrase-based encryption with no key files to manage
- Key derivation is designed to resist hardware brute-force attacks
- Underlying function is specified in RFC 7914
Limitations
- Symmetric passphrase encryption only, with no public-key support
- Command-line only
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree to download, with source published on GitHub.
- License
- Proprietary
- Developer
- Tarsnap
- Platforms
- Command line
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Encrypting individual files with a passphrase from the terminal
- Categories
- Encryption tools
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to scrypt
Compare allSoftware that can replace scrypt for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
ccrypt
A command-line utility for encrypting and decrypting files and streams with the Rijndael cipher.
ccrypt is an open-source passphrase file encryptor using Rijndael, adding the ccat command to view decrypted files and an Emacs mode for encrypted text.
age
File encryption with one small key, no options to get wrong, and a command you can remember.
age supports both passphrases and short public keys or SSH keys, is open source under BSD-3-Clause, and composes with pipes for streams.
rage
A Rust implementation of the age file encryption format, with a command-line tool and library.
rage implements the age format in Rust, adding public-key recipients and plugins to command-line file encryption under an MIT or Apache-2.0 license.
Kryptor
Command-line file encryption and signing using modern cryptography.
Kryptor adds public-key encryption and signing with modern primitives under GPL-3.0, though its file format is its own and interoperability is limited.
GnuPG
Complete free implementation of the OpenPGP standard.
GnuPG supports passphrase encryption plus full OpenPGP public keys, signing and smartcards, but its key management and command line are much harder to learn.
EncryptPad
A text editor and file encryptor that uses OpenPGP-compatible symmetric encryption.
EncryptPad combines passphrase or key file encryption with a text editor and an OpenPGP-compatible format readable by GPG, plus a command-line tool.
AES Crypt
A file encryption program that protects individual files with a password using AES.
AES Crypt offers password-based AES file encryption with graphical apps, Android support and a command-line version, but it is paid after a 30-day trial.
Picocrypt
A tiny, single-purpose file encryption tool using XChaCha20 and Argon2id. Archived by its author, but still working.
Picocrypt provides a graphical passphrase-based encryptor using Argon2id and XChaCha20 with error correction, but it is archived and will receive no more releases.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
