- aescrypt - lists.packetizer.com

AES Crypt 4.7.0 Released
by Paul E. Jones 21 Sep '26

21 Sep '26

AES Crypt Users, Terrapane released AES Crypt version 4.7.0 for all supported platforms, including Window, Mac, Linux, BSD, and Android. The focus of this release was on Windows. When AES Crypt was released over 20 years ago, it was a very thin extension for Windows File Explorer that allowed one to securely encrypt and decrypt files. Over time, the size of the software grew. This growth was in part due to new features and capabilities, but more significantly were Windows platform changes that simply produced larger files. At the same time, we received email from users over the years expressing a desire to start AES Crypt via the “start” menu since finding the context menu on Windows 11 was sometimes challenging. This was understandable since Microsoft changed how one accesses the menu. Given the goal of AES Crypt to make strong security accessible to everyone, we decided a “start” menu application would be ideal. Given the growth in the size of the AES Crypt files, the changes Microsoft made to the file context menu, and the desire for users to make AES Crypt accessible from the “start” menu, we rearchitected AES Crypt on Windows to address these points. We moved the context menu extension logic into a new DLL that is as small as possible. This reduces the burden placed in Windows File Explorer. The context menu now invokes the AES Crypt application to perform encryption and decryption functions. And for the first time, we now have an AES Crypt application that appears in the “start” menu. The AES Crypt application will open a “File Explorer” window to allow one to select files to encrypt or decrypt. Of course, there are always changes, enhancements, and bug fixes made throughout the code that affects all platforms. Thus, we published new versions of AES Crypt on all platforms so that all platforms are consistent. There are no significant changes on other platforms, so updating on other platforms is less impactful. Paul

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AES Crypt for Android
by Paul E. Jones 27 Jul '26

27 Jul '26

Folks, We often get requests for an Android version of AES Crypt. At long last, we finally made one available and it was published today on Google Play as a modestly priced download. This is the initial release, so there may be some improvements to make. However, the encryption engine is the exact same software we use in the desktop products, so it's fully compatible, rock solid, fast, and well-tested. You might notice that, while this is the initial release, the version number is 4.6.0, which is to align with the currently released desktop products. AES Crypt for Android, like the desktop products, is designed with simplicity in mind. There is a minimalist initial screen from which you can select the files you want to encrypt or decrypt. After selecting the file(s) to encrypt, the names will be rendered in a scrollable window, where you are then prompted for a password (and verification if encrypting). Following that, the program will iteratively progress through each file, showing a progress meter on the screen for each file. For short files, that meter often hardly moves, since it's not updated somewhat infrequently for performance reasons. The current filename being processed appears below the progress meter. Once finished, a message indicating "Encryption Complete" or "Decryption Complete" will display as a "toast" on the screen and the screen moves back to the initial page. If there is an error, there will be a persistent notification message and a special error screen with an "OK" button. Just as with the desktop products, the output file will be placed in the same location as the original file, but with ".aes" appended (or removed, as appropriate), so you do not have to hunt around for the output file. If there is an error, the output file will be removed. Also, just as with the desktop products, the original file is never removed. Cheers! Paul

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AES Crypt 4.6 Released
by Paul E. Jones 02 Jun '26

02 Jun '26

Folks, AES Crypt 4.6 was just released. Most of the changes in this release are focused on improved code quality and testing, but there are a few user-facing enhancements. Perhaps most notably we have bumped up the default key derivation iterations from 300,000 to 600,000. This means little to most people, but in effect it makes it much harder for hackers to brute-force attack a file trying to guess the password. On Linux desktops, users will now see a progress bar while AES Crypt is running that has a cancel button. This is a feature that was previously only on Windows and Mac. We also introduced support for Alpine Linux, publishing both a tgz file and apk file. Have a great summer! Paul PS: Here is a bullet-point list of enhancements in this release. On Linux desktops, a progress meter is now shown while encrypting or decrypting with the ability to cancel -- something previously available on Windows and Mac Increased key derivation iterations for better security in all platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux/Unix) Made it possible to pass the password / key to the command-line version by using "-k -" when encrypting or decrypting (key generation still allows "-k -" to be used for output during key generation) Added additional unit test code for our nightly builds (not a user-facing feature, but just part of our continued improvement process) Internal changes in the command-line version to make code more readable and better structured Removed some code redundancy Internal code improvements to align with C++ core guidelines and reduce potential for bugs

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AES Crypt 4.5 Released
by Paul E. Jones 07 Feb '26

07 Feb '26

AES Crypt Users, Today, AES Crypt 4.5 was released. This is a relatively minor update with the only feature of note is the command-line version now has a -f flag that allows one to forcefully overwrite output files (if overwriting is desired). As usual, there are internal changes related to security, optimization, bug fixes, etc. Paul

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AES Crypt for iOS
by Paul E. Jones 11 Nov '25

11 Nov '25

Folks, A third-party developer who had previously created the iOS version of AES Crypt has updated their software product to be compatible with the current desktop versions of AES Crypt. These a link to that on the download page on the AES Crypt website. Cheers! Paul

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AES Crypt 4.4 Released
by Paul E. Jones 17 Sep '25

17 Sep '25

AES Crypt Users, We're pleased to announce the release of AES Crypt 4.4, now available for all supported platforms (Windows, Linux, macOS, and more), bringing new features and improvements to enhance your encryption experience. Windows: A new "reveal" button lets you view the entered password to ensure it's correct. Linux: You can now launch AES Crypt from the applications menu, opening your default file browser to choose files for encryption or decryption. All Platforms: The AES Crypt "paper" icon for encrypted files has been updated to be clearer and cleaner. It is now fully scalable on Linux. As always, we've included several internal improvements, but there are no changes to core functionality. You can download AES Crypt 4.4 from our website (https://www.aescrypt.com/download/) or use winget on Windows to perform an update. We hope these updates make your experience with AES Crypt even better. Thank you for using AES Crypt! Best regards, Paul

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AES Crypt 4.3.1 Released with OpenBSD Support
by Paul E. Jones 02 Jul '25

02 Jul '25

AES Crypt Users, AES Crypt 4.3.1 was just released. This is a very minor update, with changes primarily focused on adding support for OpenBSD. That's really all. It's just a small follow-on to the previously announced AES Crypt 4.3 release <https://forums.packetizer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1798>. Paul

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Easier Windows Installations
by Paul E. Jones 04 Jun '25

04 Jun '25

Folks, For people who prefer to install from the command line or for IT departments that wish to automate the installation process, AES Crypt is now available to install via WinGet on Windows. Just type: winget install Terrapane.AESCrypt WinGet will then download and install the latest version of AES Crypt. Paul

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AES Crypt 4.3 Released – Now Available on All Platforms
by Paul E. Jones 20 May '25

20 May '25

AES Crypt Users, Before everyone heads off for summer travel and some well-deserved downtime, we wanted to squeeze in one more update: the latest version of AES Crypt is here! We're excited to announce that version 4.3 has been officially released and is now available for all supported platforms—Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD. Here’s what’s new in AES Crypt 4.3: Performance improvements: Core encryption and decryption routines are now modestly faster, with noticeable benefits especially for macOS users. Better Windows integration: Error messages on Windows now appear in standard system dialog boxes for a cleaner, more consistent user experience. Security enhancements for Linux builds: Position Independent Executables (PIE) and Intel Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET) are now enabled. RELRO (Relocation Read-Only) is now in place to help prevent runtime tampering. Immediate binding on startup reduces the risk of certain overwrite attacks. Official Arch Linux support: AES Crypt is now available via official Arch Linux packages. Signed packages: All Linux and FreeBSD package files now have accompanying ".sig" signature files, available alongside the download for added verification and peace of mind. As always, we appreciate your continued support and feedback. If you run into any issues or have suggestions for future releases, don’t hesitate to reach out. Enjoy the update—and your summer! Paul

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AES Crypt for FreeBSD and More
by Paul E. Jones 17 Mar '25

17 Mar '25

AES Crypt Users, AES Crypt for FreeBSD is now available with the release of version 4.2.4. This update brings the tool’s strong file encryption capabilities to FreeBSD users, offering the same reliable security that has made AES Crypt a trusted choice for protecting sensitive information around the world. It’s a practical step forward for anyone on this platform looking to secure their data. Meanwhile, the Mac and Linux versions of AES Crypt, currently at 4.2.3, have seen their installation package sizes shrink considerably. This makes the software lighter and quicker to install, all while keeping its core encryption strength intact. Work continues on trimming the sizes even further, with more reductions expected in the next release, improving the experience for users on these systems. Paul

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