Enter Picocrypt, a lightweight, user-friendly, and secure file encryption tool that i have personally enjoyed using extensively.

Small Size, Big Possibilities

Picocrypt is a very small (3MB), very simple, and very secure encryption tool. It was built with security and simplicity in mind, to allow anyone to securely encrypt their files without the hassle of creating VeraCrypt volumes or risking their data security by using insecure tools like 7-Zip.

The tiny size of Picocrypt opens up a world of possibilities for how you can use it:

  1. USB Drive Encryption: Carry Picocrypt on a USB drive or SD card and use it to encrypt and Decrypt sensitive files on the go.

  2. Cloud Storage Protection: Before uploading sensitive files to cloud storage services,encrypt them with Picocrypt. Even if your cloud account is compromised, your files will remain safe.

  3. Email Attachments: Encrypt sensitive documents before sending them as email attachments. The recipient can use Picocrypt to decrypt the file, ensuring your communication stays private.

  4. Secure Backups: Use Picocrypt to encrypt your backup files before storing them on an external hard drive or in the cloud. This adds an extra layer of protection to your data.

Picocrypt

Serious Security Made Simple

Despite its small size, Picocrypt packs a serious punch. It uses the secure XChaCha20 cipher for encryption and the respected Argon2id key derivation function to generate encryption keys from your password. Authentication is done using HMAC-SHA3 and the core encryption leverages Go’s standard golang.org/x/crypto/chacha20 package.

But you don’t need to understand the cryptographic jargon to use Picocrypt effectively. The clean, intuitive graphical user interface makes encrypting and decrypting files a breeze. Simply drag and drop your files, enter a password, and hit Encrypt. Picocrypt handles all the complex procedures internally.

The same is true the other way around for Decryption.

Advanced Features for the Security Conscious

Picocrypt isn’t just about basic encryption. It offers advanced features for those who want to take their security to the next level:

  1. Paranoid Mode: This mode encrypts your data with both XChaCha20 and Serpent in a cascade fashion, and uses HMAC-SHA3 for authentication instead of BLAKE2b. Argon2 parameters are also increased significantly. It’s recommended for protecting important files.

  2. File Splitting: Picocrypt can split your encrypted files into smaller chunks, which can then be distributed across different locations. This adds an extra layer of security and makes it harder for an attacker to piece together your data.

  3. Reed-Solomon Error Correction: Picocrypt can use Reed-Solomon error correction to ensure the integrity of your encrypted files. Even if parts of the file are corrupted, you can still recover your data.

  4. Secure Password Generator: Picocrypt includes a built-in password generator that creates strong, random passwords for your encrypted files. You can also use your own passwords if you prefer.

  5. Keyfile Support: In addition to passwords, Picocrypt supports using keyfiles for authentication. You can use any file as a keyfile, and Picocrypt even includes a keyfile generator for creating secure keyfiles.

And many more features!

Cross Platform Protection

Picocrypt isn’t just for Linux users. It’s available for Windows and macOS too, with native executables for easy installation on all platforms. And if you need to encrypt files on a computer where you can’t install software, the official web interface at picocrypt.pages.dev has you covered. (Works on Mobile to)

Community Driven Future

Picocrypt is an open-source project that’s actively developed and improved by a dedicated community. The developers are also seeking donations for a professional security audit from Cure53 to further validate Picocrypt’s security. This audit is expected to happen soon, which will provide an extra layer of trust and assurance in Picocrypt’s security.

Picocrypt offers a simple, effective way to protect your sensitive files.

Detailed installation instructions for Picocrypt on various platforms can be found in the Installation Guide on the GitHub repository

Disclaimer: While Picocrypt aims to provide top-notch security, always exercise caution when using relatively new encryption software that hasn’t undergone extensive audits yet. The developer is actively working towards getting Picocrypt professionally audited.