If you’re a Linux user who works with sensitive information, file management and data security are likely at the top of your list of concerns. Fortunately, gpgtar can help make these tasks easier and more efficient .This article provides step-by-step instructions for installing and using gpgtar for encryption and decryption, along with an example that demonstrates how to encrypt and decrypt a folder of cat pictures.

About gpgtar

gpgtar is a tool that combines the functionalities of two well-known Linux tools, GnuPG and tar. GnuPG is a powerful encryption tool that is used to secure files and messages, while tar is a utility used to create compressed archive files. With gpgtar, users can encrypt and decrypt files or directories while also creating compressed archives, all in a single command. This combination of two powerful tools in one can make file management and data security much easier and more efficient for Linux users. In this way, gpgtar is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to securely archive and transfer files, particularly when working with sensitive information.

Below are the steps to install and use gpgtar for encryption and decryption:

Installation

Open a terminal on your Linux system.
Run the following command to install gpgtar using apt-get:
```
apt-get install -y gnupg-utils
```

Encryption

Open a terminal on your Linux system.
Navigate to the directory that contains the files or directory you want to encrypt.
Run the following command to encrypt the files or directory:
```
gpgtar --encrypt --recipient recipient_email --output encrypted_file_or_directory.tar.gpg file_or_directory
```
In this command, replace recipient_email with the email address of the recipient who will be able to decrypt the file or directory. Replace encrypted_file_or_directory.tar.gpg with the name you want to give to the encrypted file or directory. Replace file_or_directory with the name of the file or directory you want to encrypt.

Decryption

Open a terminal on your Linux system.
Navigate to the directory that contains the encrypted file or directory.
Run the following command to decrypt the encrypted file or directory:
```
gpgtar --decrypt --directory destination_directory encrypted_file_or_directory.tar.gpg
```
In this command, replace destination_directory with the name of the directory where you want to save the decrypted file or directory. Replace encrypted_file_or_directory.tar.gpg with the name of the encrypted file or directory you want to decrypt.

That’s it! You’ve successfully installed and used gpgtar to encrypt and decrypt files or directories using GnuPG encryption.

🐱 Example

Example of using gpgtar to encrypt and decrypt a folder with cat pictures:

Encryption

Suppose you have a folder named “cat_pics” located in your home directory that you want to encrypt and send to your friend. To encrypt the folder with gpgtar, you would navigate to the folder using the terminal and run the following command:

gpgtar --encrypt --recipient [email protected] --output cat_pics_encrypted.tar.gpg cat_pics

In this example, we’re encrypting the “cat_pics” folder using GnuPG encryption and specifying our friend’s email address as the recipient. The output of the command will be a new file named “cat_pics_encrypted.tar.gpg” which contains the encrypted contents of the “cat_pics” folder.

Decryption

Suppose your friend has sent you the encrypted “cat_pics_encrypted.tar.gpg” file, and you want to decrypt it to view the pictures. To decrypt the file with gpgtar, you would navigate to the directory where the encrypted file is located and run the following command:

gpgtar --decrypt --directory ~/Downloads cat_pics_encrypted.tar.gpg

In this example, we’re decrypting the “cat_pics_encrypted.tar.gpg” file using GnuPG encryption and specifying the destination directory where the decrypted files will be saved (in this case, the Downloads folder in the home directory). The output of the command will be a new folder named “cat_pics” in the Downloads folder, which contains the decrypted contents of the original “cat_pics” folder.