Encipher.it is a free web service to encrypt data that allows you to protect important text or information from being hacked. Basically, it is a service to encrypt data and password-protect text messages using symmetric encryption.
Encipher.it provides two ways to encrypt data and decrypt data. In the first method, you can install a bookmark in your browser, and whenever you need to encrypt or decrypt text, just click on that bookmark. You’ll need to supply password at the time of encryption, and same password at the time of decryption.
In the second method, you can directly go to the website of Encipher.it, and encode and decode the text that you want to send, or have received.
In either of the methods, Encryption and Decryption is performed in your browser using JavaScript, no data leaves your browser in plain text. So, you don’t need to worry about packet sniffing software from intercepting your data while in transmission.
Encipher.It uses AES to encrypt data. This standard for encryption has been accepted by U.S. Government.
Once you have the encrypted text, you can send that via email, or even post it on Facebook. People will need your original password to decrypt the text.
Here is a detailed description of how to Encrypt and Decrypt text using both the methods mentioned above:
First Method: Encrypt Data and Decrypt Data using Bookmarks:
- In the first method, you need to install bookmark in your browser from Encipher.it website. You can add that in any browser. Once you have added that, you are ready to both encrypt as well as Decrypt text.
- To encrypt text, just write text in your browser, as you normally do (like, compose email in Gmail or Yahoo mail).
- Then click on the bookmark for Encipher.it, and provide some strong password.
- Encipher.it will then encrypt the text, and your recipient will get encrypted text, that he or she will not be able to make anything out of.
- To Decrypt the text, same bookmark can be used. Just click on the bookmark, and provide the original password that was used to encrypt the text. This will show you the Decrypted text. Here is a screen for Decrypted text.
So, if you send someone an email with the encrypted text, you can separately provide him/her the password, that can be used to decrypt the text.
Second Method: Encrypt Data and Decrypt Data directly on Website:
- Go onto the website
- there you will find a box where to enter text. You can take a look at the image below in order to understand it clearly:
- You need to write your text here in the box. There after click on “Encipher it” to put it into codes. You will see the following page as soon as you click on “Encipher it”:
- Submit a password in the box that came up and click on “Encrypt”
You will soon see your text which has been converted into codes. Now, in case you want your friend or colleague to crack these code words, he needs to know the password that protects these code words.
Also check out our post on Software to Encrypt Email Messages.
To Decrypt the text using second method, just follow these steps:
- Simply click on “Encipher it”
- You will find a box wherein, you need to write the password set by the owner of the coded words.
- After writing the password, as soon as you click on “Decrypt”, the original text will be displayed directly.
To Encrypt and Decrypt text, you need to use the same box. A one-line phrase is sent to the the recipient along with a coded message, that tells him/her exactly where should the text be Decrypted, only if they are aware of the password too. You should transmit the password to the recipient through a secure medium.
The best part is that you can use any method for encrypting text, and any method for decrypting. For example, if the text was encrypted using bookmark, it can be decrypted by going to the website, and vice versa.
In short, Encipher.it is quite an advantageous web tool for protecting your important information and other messages. What I really like is that the encryption and decryption is performer in my browser itself, so that lends added security.
