Latest Version is 1.03, 3/21/98
PhraseCrypt is a simple text encryption program, based on a very simple algorithm. Your message is rendered virtually unreadable to anyone who doesn't know the proper phrase to unlock it.
PhraseCrypt is not as sophisticated as some other encryption stuff out there, but anyone who manages to break PhraseCrypt encryption to get your data is a more serious threat to you for any number of reasons too numerous to mention here.
PhraseCrypt XORs the ASCII value of all of the characters in its window with the phrase of your choice. Control characters are preserved, and the length of your key phrase is limited only to about 64,000 characters.
The high bit is ignored, so if characters with the high bit set (ASCII 128+) appear in your encryption candidate, it'll be messed up. In other words, no Unicode... and in fact, you're most likely going to be limited to the King's English. That also means no sending of binary files, unless they are UUEncoded.
UUEncoding is not currently built into PhraseCrypt. The algorithm I had was too painfully slow to share with the public. Programs like WinZip can generate UUEncoded files that may be imported into PhraseCrypt as text.
PhraseCrypt has been successfully tested on UUEncoded files and messages up to 8 Meg, and is designed to work on messages up to 2 Gig.
PhraseCrypt will import any text file - just open the file first (even add your comments!). Cut and paste the results (the buttons automatically select everything) into your mail client - voila! Be sure to get everything, because being off by just one character makes the pass phrase useless.
The main window can be used to type the text in directly. The text entry window won't wrap, so you are responsible for your own word wrapping.
Rich text is not supported, but PhraseCrypt does a fair job on raw HTML, if you can get it to paste right. There's a whole grey area there... sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Often an intermediary program, like Notepad, is necessary to take rich text as plain text, then re-paste the plain text to the clipboard so that PhraseCrypt can read it. It's a pain, and I plan to fix it.
I hate downloading software without seeing a screen shot. By default, PhraseCrypt opens full screen, but is completely resizable/minimizable/etc. Window size is saved at the end of each session.
PhraseCrypt has a tool bar too, with some standard Windows-looking icons and some really incomprehensible icons representing the encryption/decryption functions. (Hint: The key means encryption)
Pass phrases are saved in the combo box on a per-session basis.
Download PhraseCrypt here. PhraseCrypt is freeware... let me repeat that... freeware. You owe me nothing to use this program. There are no nag screens. Pass it on if you like it. Delete it if you don't... it's that simple.
To set PhraseCrypt up, copy the contents of the zip file to a temporary directory. Run SETUP.EXE and follow the instructions. A PhraseCrypt icon will appear in you Programs menu under the Start button.
The original setup the VB setup wizard offered me was over 6 Meg, and, face it, a program that does what this one does shouldn't be 6 Meg. I have it pared down to just under 200k, which is more reasonable, but could cause problems for you if this is the first VB5 application ever installed on your PC. FTP Search is the best way to deal with these missing files. You could be asked for one or more of the following files:
In trial installs, the first three on the list are the most likely to be missing. I linked to the ones that seem to be readily available in an FTP Search, but I can't honestly see you needing more that the first three. They also won't be registered by Windows as in use by PhraseCrypt, so it's possible uninstalling a different application and its shared files could effect PhraseCrypt's ability to function.
Feel free to e-mail me about problems with the install or the program itself. So far the install program has proven to be a bit hit-and-miss, with many errors that I can't repeat. If setup says you are missing a file, try using another temporary directory or another drive. You can also expand the executable (PhraseCrypt.ex_) and place it in the directory of your choice and create the shortcut yourself, but that just kills all the convenience that Windows Install/Uninstall was supposed to give you. If you are a WinZip user, running setup from within WinZip works great!
Remember, I am not responsible for any harm this program does to your system. Microsoft is. Sue them. I don't have enough money to make it worth your while.
Finally, a thousand pardons for no help file. You probably don't need one, but it'd still be nice to have one.
| 1.0.0 |
12/28/98
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| 1.0.3 |
3/21/98
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Last updated 3/15/98.
