Create encrypted (password protected) zip file

Question

How do I create an encrypted (password protected) zip file?

Solution 1

This will prompt for a password:

zip --encrypt file.zip files

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This is more insecure, as the password is entered/shown as plain text:

zip --password (password) file.zip files

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Warning, the standard zip encryption is very weak and is easily cracked.
Note, Use -r to zip directory and subdirectory recursively.

Solution 2

Starting from Ubuntu 17.10, right-clicking and selecting "Compress" no longer has "Other Options" listed.

To resolve this, open "Archive Manager" and then drag & drop the files/folders from your File Manager into it and it will appear.

Solution 3

You can also right-click on a folder or file(s) in Nautilus and select "Compress...". In the resulting window, you can expand the "Other Options" section to enter a password.

If the password field or any of the other options are not enabled, then the selected compression option does not support it. Select a different one from the list after the filename. According to the documentation:

Currently, only 7-Zip, ZIP, RAR and ARJ archives support encryption

Solution 4

Comments and answers have mentioned the default zip encryption is weak, but since there is no code example, here is on with .7zip:

sudo apt-get install p7zip-full  # install 7zip
7za a -tzip -p -mem=AES256 foo_file.zip foo_folder  # encrypt folder

Commands explained:

• 7za: Use 7zip
• a: Append? / Adding files? (e for extraction)
• -tzip: Use .zip format instead of default .7z
• -mem=AES256: Use AES256 encryption
• foo_file.zip: Name of .zip file
• foo_folder: Name of folder to encrypt

Answer based on: https://www.tecmint.com/7zip-command-examples-in-linux/

Solution 5

sudo apt-get install zip
zip -r --encrypt result.zip folder

1. Install zip
2. Use -r to zip directory and subdirectory

3. Use --encrypt to secure your files

   with a simple password-based symmetric encryption system, which is documented in the ZIP specification

   Wikipedia

View more solutions

Comments

[Byte Commander]

Related: Compressing folders with password via command line

[rubo77]

Note, that Zip Passwords is no protection! those can be easily broken! use 7-Zip with a long password instead, or better GNUPG encryption!

[domih]

gnupg is the answer

[vishal]

Is there a better option from the standard encryption?

[Jesse Purdy]

Using gnupg on the final zip with a key for yourself or your destination.

[Xeoncross]

It's worth noting that you need to install .rar before you can use it in the compressor.

[Black]

Does not work file.zip is empty

[Jonathan]

I don't see "Other Options" anymore in Ubuntu 17.10 (I remember seeing it in earlier version though)

[H G Sur]

@Black If you're trying to compress a folder, then you need to use -r switch. So it'll be zip --encrypt file.zip -r your_folder

[Ciprian Tomoiagă]

can this be extracted by any unzipping software ?

[NumesSanguis]

I think the resulting .zip is the same as using software on Windows to create a .zip with a password. I haven't experienced anyone telling me they couldn't unzip this, but I haven't used it often.

[Budi Mulyo]

is it compatible with windows, if recipient is wondows user ?

[Arsinclair]

If Archive Manager is not installed (as in my lightweight debian for example), it can be installed with $ su root -c 'apt-get install file-roller'.

[syockit]

Windows zip folder does not support AES256. 7-zip or WinZip (maybe WinRAR too?) should be able to extract it.

[X. Liu]

@BudiMulyo Yes. It's compatible with Windows.

[caw]

Unfortunately, this is the only option right now. But it’s not that many clicks more. Related: askubuntu.com/questions/868493/…

[caw]

@Jonathan No solution, but related: askubuntu.com/questions/868493/…

[Gabriel Staples]

Best answer since it has good encryption. Double-clicking a file zipped in this manner in the nemo file manager at least (but probably on Ubuntu's default nautilus file manager too) on Ubuntu allows you to open and decrypt via a GUI, making it very easy and intuitive for a recipient to decrypt on Linux Ubuntu.