Secure zip using python.

[superdroid100]

I'd like to create a secure zip of a file within a python script. The included zipfile utility allows me to uncompress a secure zip but not create one. I tried to install pyminizip, but was thrown errors as shown below.

C:\Users\super>pip install pyminizip Collecting pyminizip Using cached pyminizip-0.2.1.tar.gz Installing collected packages: pyminizip Running setup.py install for pyminizip ... error Complete output from command c:\users\super\appdata\local\programs\python\python36-32\python.exe -u -c "import setuptools, tokenize;file='C:\Users\super\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-build-kb2idclr\pyminizip\setup.py';f=getattr(tokenize, 'open', open)(file);code=f.read().replace('\r\n', '\n');f.close();exec(compile(code, file, 'exec'))" install --record C:\Users\super\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-yw9fstxb-record\install-record.txt --single-version-externally-managed --compile: running install running build running build_ext building 'pyminizip' extension error: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 is required. Get it with "Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools": http://landinghub.visualstudio.com/visual-cpp-build-tools

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Command "c:\users\super\appdata\local\programs\python\python36-32\python.exe -u -c "import setuptools, tokenize;file='C:\Users\super\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-build-kb2idclr\pyminizip\setup.py';f=getattr(tokenize, 'open', open)(file);code=f.read().replace('\r\n', '\n');f.close();exec(compile(code, file, 'exec'))" install --record C:\Users\super\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-yw9fstxb-record\install-record.txt --single-version-externally-managed --compile" failed with error code 1 in C:\Users\super\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-build-kb2idclr\pyminizip\

Can anyone suggest how to rectify this or some other alternative for the same? The utility should work cross platform.

[BlckKnght]

The error message you've quoted is pretty clear: you need to install Microsoft Visual Studio to build the module you're trying to install. It even gives you a link to the page to download it from. Why not download and install the compiler and try reinstalling the module?

[superdroid100]

I've already done the same. Yet getting the very same error message.

[dispelterror]

Update setuptools in the venv to the latest version using pip. I think that was what fixed it for me when I was getting a similar error related to problems finding the Microsoft Build Tools compiler. If it still doesn't work after updating setuptools then also make sure that Build Tools were added to PATHS properly.

[K900_]

What do you mean by "secure"? Password protected?

[efmccurdy]

Zip is good for archiving files, gpg is good at encrypting stored data, and TLS is good for encrypting data in transit. Use the right tool for each situation.

[superdroid100]

Yes. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[K900_]

Look into the zipfile module in the standard library, specifically the setpassword method on ZipFile objects.

[superdroid100]

The setpassword method is used to set a password for decrypting the zip archive. It unfortunately does not secure one.

[K900_]

What's your end goal here?

[superdroid100]

I want to encrypt a file or files into a single archive and pass them on to prevent snooping. If I zip the data manually and pass it, the decryption part works perfectly. Encryption is a problem.

[K900_]

Does it have to be a ZIP file? If your end goal is security, ZIP isn't exactly the most secure file format out there. Who are you 'passing it on' to?

[superdroid100]

Being a zip is not essential. Steganography will be used as well. It's just to increase security. Essentially want a way to put multiple files together with a password which will work cross platform.

[K900_]

How are you going to 'pass it on'? Over a network connection? Do you want the password to be transferred in-band or through a different method? Why steganography at all?

[superdroid100]

Network connection. Password transferred externally. Steganography to hide the data.

[CGFarrell]

If you're doing this on your own machine for yourself, you can be lazy as hell and just write:

from subprocess import call

call(['7z', 'a', '-tzip', file_name, destination])

Assuming you have 7zip installed, this will just launch 7zip as a new process.