[H-GEN] Encrypting a tar backup

[Robert Brockway]

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On Thu, 24 Oct 2002, Harry Phillips wrote:

> > Have you tried zip -e?
>
> Excellent suggestion, except for 1 tiny thing:
>
> >From 'man zip'
>    Encrypt the contents of the  zip  archive  using  a
>    password  which  is  entered  on  the  terminal  in
>    response to a prompt (this will not be  echoed;  if
>    standard  error is not a tty, zip will exit with an
>    error).  The password prompt is  repeated  to  save
>    the user from typing errors.
>
> It is running from a script so how do I enter the password?

Well, Jason's comments on zip -e notwithstanding, the canonical answer to
the question is to use "expect", a scripting language specifically
designed to work with interactive programs.  This would mean having the
password contained somewhere on the system in plaintext though.  This
would negate any advantage of using encryption at all.  Avoid zip -e :)

Cheers,
	-Rob

-- Robert Brockway B.Sc. email: robert at timetraveller.org  ICQ: 104781119
   Linux counter project ID #16440 (http://counter.li.org)
   "The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens" -Baha'u'llah


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