Encrypt on iSeries

Question

What tools are available to encrypt or password-protect a file stored on the IFS?

*integrated file-system, accessible from Windows

Answer 1

1. You could setup object security so only certain users can view the file.
2. There are encryption tools available for purchase. There is also some built-in APIs for encrypting.

Here are some resources to look into:

1. Scenario: Key Management and File Encryption Using the Cryptographic Services APIs
2. The Next Step in Security
3. A Simple Encryption/Decryption Algorithm for Numbers
4. Cryptographic Services APIs

Most of these articles deal with encrypting data in a table, but the concepts should help you encrypt a file on the IFS.

Answer 2

There is PkZIP for the iSeries which can provide encryption.

You could also 'roll your own' encryption using Java Cryptography.

Answer 3

Or you could simply encrypt the file from a Windows box with ccrypt or TrueCrypt (perhaps not what you are looking for). Both are free. As is GnuPG which has a windows port and is probably the best of the bunch.

Don't forget that iSeries with PASE can run many AIX programs as is.

ccrypt for AIX could almost definitely be made to run on the iSeries and be called from QSH. And similarly for GnuPG for AIX; it could be run on the iSeries itself.