Encrypt your Archived Sourcecode.

Encrypt your Archived Sourcecode.

[Austin Obyrne]

The reasons why you should do this are increasing day by day.  The latest one is malware called “CryptLocker”.  This gets into your computer after they have conned you into opening an email or PDF attachment – it then encrypts all your important data including your important sourcecode.  The next step is to hold you to ransom until you pay a ‘bitcoin’ fee to have them unlock it again for your use.

This malware is easily enough prevented by downloading free “CryptPrevent” but damaging beyond belief to the unwary if no precautions are taken. But there are others and there will always by threats to your security of information and worse still embedded systems.

Encrypting Sourcecode Practise Demo.

Open a large file of say 1500 lines of source code (any size of file will do but we are demonstrating scope here also).  Highlight all => Copy ‘ n paste everything into the AdaGIDE editor => save this as a file (.dat or .txt) into the common folder and call it ‘CodeFilePlaintext.dat’ say.

Open your “SureCrypt” encryption software and encrypt the saved file.

Encryption.

When prompted call,

     ‘CodeFilePlaintext.dat’

When prompted again,

Name the encrypted file,

     ‘CodeFileCipherText.dat’(say)

Save this file to your hard drive and store an off-line backup copy.

Decryption.

When prompted call,

       ‘CodeFileCipherText.dat’

Name the decrypted file,

       ‘CodeFileMessageText.dat

Returning to normal work,

Open  ‘CodeFileMessageText.dat in the AdaGide editor – Build, Run as usual.

*No need to labour the importance of program source code as a target for any and all malware.

If ‘CryptoLocker’ tries to hold you to ransom just tell ‘em to keep it, you have a back up and they cannot decrypt what they are holding as “superencrypted” data now that is worthless to them or to anybody else either.

The salient thing to note here for programmers is the ease of encryption and decryption of the source code which is always done by a few mouse clicks without leaving the development environment – programmers should adopt this practice as de rigeuer safe backup practice in my view.- only takes about 30 seconds extra in time and a few mouse clicks.

This is a well-meant intrusion on your comp.lang.ada site.

Bear with it please.

adacrypt

Re: Encrypt your Archived Sourcecode.

[darkestkhan]

On Sunday, December 8, 2013 11:53:31 AM UTC, Austin Obyrne wrote:
> The reasons why you should do this are increasing day by day.  The latest one is malware called “CryptLocker”.  This gets into your computer after they have conned you into opening an email or PDF attachment – it then encrypts all your important data including your important sourcecode.  The next step is to hold you to ransom until you pay a ‘bitcoin’ fee to have them unlock it again for your use.


For all problems with Windows (and especially with problem of malware on Windows) there is solution - it is called GNU/Linux. And if you don't like it you can always try one of the *BSDs.

What I don't get is why having encrypted backup is supposed to be better than simple backup. I would understand if we were talking about Error Correcting Codes (like BCH) but encryption is not ECC.

darkestkhan

Re: Encrypt your Archived Sourcecode.

[Austin Obyrne]

On Thursday, December 12, 2013 10:20:18 AM UTC, darkestkhan wrote:
> On Sunday, December 8, 2013 11:53:31 AM UTC, Austin Obyrne wrote: > The reasons why you should do this are increasing day by day. The latest one is malware called “CryptLocker”. This gets into your computer after they have conned you into opening an email or PDF attachment – it then encrypts all your important data including your important sourcecode. The next step is to hold you to ransom until you pay a ‘bitcoin’ fee to have them unlock it again for your use. For all problems with Windows (and especially with problem of malware on Windows) there is solution - it is called GNU/Linux. And if you don't like it you can always try one of the *BSDs. 

<What I don't get is why having encrypted backup is supposed to be better than <simple backup. I would understand if we were talking about Error Correcting <Codes (like BCH) but encryption is not ECC. darkestkhan

Yeah. I see what you mean.  In truth I can only postulate vague reasons my self but it is bound to happen that somebody in the future will want to use it.  I do know of one reader at present who has reasons for her work to be secured while she is out of office.

** While your'e here can you help me get started with programming Ada cipher programs in Linux.

I seem to run into trouble evry time I download anything to do with compilers.

Which version of Linux would you go for?

Austin

Re: Encrypt your Archived Sourcecode.

[Niklas Holsti]

On 13-12-12 13:17 , Austin Obyrne wrote:

> ** While your'e here can you help me get started with programming
> Ada cipher programs in Linux.
> 
> I seem to run into trouble evry time I download anything to do with compilers.
> 
> Which version of Linux would you go for?

Debian as first choice, Ubuntu as second choice. I have had no problems
installing either of those as an alternative boot on Windows Vista and
Windows 7 machines. I haven't tried your case: an already existing
Windows 7/8 alternative.

-- 
Niklas Holsti
Tidorum Ltd
niklas holsti tidorum fi
      .      @       .

Re: Encrypt your Archived Sourcecode.

[Austin Obyrne]

On Thursday, December 12, 2013 11:57:57 AM UTC, Niklas Holsti wrote:
> On 13-12-12 13:17 , Austin Obyrne wrote: > ** While your'e here can you help me get started with programming > Ada cipher programs in Linux. > > I seem to run into trouble evry time I download anything to do with compilers. > > Which version of Linux would you go for? Debian as first choice, Ubuntu as second choice. I have had no problems installing either of those as an alternative boot on Windows Vista and Windows 7 machines. I haven't tried your case: an already existing Windows 7/8 alternative. -- Niklas Holsti Tidorum Ltd niklas holsti tidorum fi . @ .

Many thanks for that - Austin