Welcome to the privyCrypt Java Applet by Voon-Li Chung

About privyCrypt the Java Applet

The privyCrypt Java applet was a logical extension to the privyCrypt series of free encryption utilities, which are currently available for Win32, UNIX command-line and PalmOS. The privyCrypt series was written by Voon-Li Chung (vlchung@earthling.net) mainly as a small programming skills demonstration.

Note that the applet is downloaded from the site you visited, but it runs completely locally - no connection to the internet is made to decrypt / encrypt your message. It has been designed so that it will operate properly on screens as low res as 640x480.

The code for the Blowfish encryption algorithm is a port of Eric Young's sample C implementation to Java. You are more than welcome to link to this copy of the privyCrypt applet; however, if you have a website of your own somewhere, I'd prefer it if you put a local copy of it somewhere in case something happens to my web area (one of the most annoying things I have come across is every link in existance to a piece of software I was looking for points to the same site, which is down).

Using privyCrypt the Java Applet

Encrypting the message is simple - enter your message in the big text area provided (either by typing or cut and pasting). Enter the encryption code into the text field directly adjacent to the buttons at the bottom, then press "Encrypt". The message will be encrypted, which can then be cut and pasted as-is into your favourite program.

Decrypting is just as simple - cut and paste the entire message (you don't have to search through and pick out the encrypted bit - privyCrypt automatically screens out the bit it is interested in), enter the encryption code into the same text field as for encryption, and press "Decrypt".

To clear the text window, press "Clear". Also note this doesn't clear the encryption code, so make sure you clear it if privyCrypt is running on a public access terminal.

About the error messages

No STARTTAG

Normally a privyCrypt encrypted message starts with:
"Hi, this is privycrypt. BINSIZE ALIGNSIZE"

Where BINSIZE and ALIGNSIZE are numbers. This allows you to lazily cut and paste the entire message into privyCrypt's window without having to work out where the encrypted area starts and finishes. In this case, privyCrypt couldn't find the string
"Hi, this is privycrypt."

No ENDTAG

Normally a privyCrypt encrypted message ends with:
"Goodbye! SeeYouLater"

As with the STARTTAG, this allows you to lazily cut and paste the entire message into privyCrypt's window without having to work out where the encrypted area starts and finishes. In this case, privyCrypt couldn't find the string
"Goodbye! SeeYouLater"

Code too short / long

The Blowfish encryption algorithm requires at least 16-bits of encryption code (that's 4 characters) and a maximum of 448 (that's 56 characters). As such, privyCrypt's encryption codes (the secret word) must also fall within this range. Remember, for every extra character in your encryption code, you decrease the odds of someone guessing your code by 128.

Error: binsize / alignsize

One of the two numbers mentioned in "No STARTTAG" is missing or in the wrong area.

Error: Corrupted Data

This means something really bad happened while trying to decrypt the message. This usually means that part of the message is missing or one of the 2 numbers on the first line is wrong.