1.  To encode
  2.  To decode
  3.  ShyFile trough e-mail
  4.  Using a ShyFile as a web page
  5.  How to agree on a key phrase
  6.  Blocked by a firewall?
  7.  File shredder
  8.  Secure private chat
  9.  Executing ShyFile through a command line
 10.  Updating ShyFile
 11.  Licensing / disclaimer

1.  TO ENCODE

At first, enter the key into the key field you and your communication partners have agreed upon. Either load a key (any file can be used as a key), get a new random key generated by clicking the "random key" button, or just type in a key manually. Now there are two ways to encode:

(a)  Enter your plain text into the input box by either typing it manually, or by pasting it in from the clipboard by clicking the 'clipboard to key'-button. Click the Encode button to proceed.

(b)  Leave the input box blank, click the Encode button to proceed and you will be subsequently prompted to browse for a source file/folder you wish to encode. If you choose to get a simple txt-file or HTML-file encoded, ShyFile will create a secure self-decrypting file, i.e. a file your default Internet browser is able to open and decode (if a matching key was entered) - no installation of ShyFile necessary. If you choose to get a file encoded that contains binary information (e.g. a MS Word-document, MS Excel-file, a picture, a pdf-file etc.) ShyFile will create a secure file that can only be decoded on a system that has the ShyFile application itself installed on it. Bear in mind, however, a free demo of ShyFile will always decode, even after its evaluation period has expired.

ShyFile will also enable the user to encode a batch of files as well as a whole folder (with all its subfolders) in a single run. Enter your key into the key field and leave the input box blank, click the Encode button to be prompted to browse for a source folder.

Important: You must never lose your key - there's no key recovery possible!
 

2.  TO DECODE

At first, enter the key into the key field you and your communication partners have agreed upon. Either load your key from a drive or just type in the key manually. Now there are several ways to decode your data:

(a)  If you have received an e-mail that carries some secured cipher text within the body, mark and copy all the data starting with ((((( and ending with ))))) and paste it into ShyFile's input box. Always bear in mind that a single character missing from the cipher text will cause ShyFile to malfunction, though any characters extra before and after the parenthesis will not. Click the Decode button to decode your text.

(b)  Leave the input box blank, click Decode to proceed and you will be prompted to browse for a source file to be decoded. A source file can either be an hta-file (carrying plain text) or a shy-file (carrying single binary files, multiple binary files or a whole folder.)

(c)  Double click on a secured hta- or html-file click from within your Internet browser. Your browser will open your self-decrypting file that contains either secured text or a secured web page and will prompt you to enter a matching key before decoding it. Note: All files that contain encoded binary information (such as MS Word documents, mp3-files, pictures, movies etc.) will require an installation of the ShyFile-application itself to get decoded.

(d)  If you have received an e-mail that carries some secured cipher text within the body, mark and copy all the data starting with ((((( and ending with ))))), paste your cipher text into the input box of our Online Decoder at www.shyfile.net/d.htm and click the Decode button to be prompted to enter a matching key. Encoded binary files or encoded files containing text or HTML of large amounts cannot be decoded using the Online Decoder.
 

3.  SHYFILE THROUGH E-MAIL

Secure your text in the aforementioned way (1.)  and either …

(a) attach that extra file to an outgoing e-mail (to create an extra file keep the checkbox "save after encoding" checked.) The recipient of that e-mail can open the attachment right away within the e-mail account using a regular JavaScript enabled Internet browser (preferably Microsoft Internet Explorer) or download it to be decoded later on.

(b) paste and copy any cipher text from ShyFile's input box directly into the body of your outgoing e-mail. Make sure you copy all data starting with ((((( and ending with ))))), a single character missing might cause ShyFile to malfunction. The recipient of that e-mail will need to mark that text with the left mouse touch, copy and paste it into the online decoder at www.ShyFile.net/d.htm or into the input box of the ShyFile application.

Secure your binary file(s) in the aforementioned way (1. b) and attach the secured extra file to an outgoing e-mail. The recipient of that e-mail will need to download the attachment and make use of the ShyFile application to get it decoded.

ShyFile works independently from all your Web-based e-mail accounts and desktop e-mail applications.
 

4.  USING A SHYFILE AS A WEB PAGE

Do you want to have a web page only your associates can have access to? A web page that rejects access to everybody else? You can easily upload a secured ShyFile to your web site, no alterations to the account at the host of your web site necessary. Check the "save after encoding" box before you encode some text, and when it comes to browsing for a location where the secured file is to be saved in you are also asked to specify the extension of that secured file; Choose "save as web page (*.html)". Then upload that file to your online location. It's that easy.
 

5.  HOW TO AGREE ON A KEY?

Do not transmit your key to the person you wish to communicate with through phone, fax or e-mail unless it's either concealed by a large amount of junk data or it is not indicated as your key.

If you have to use e-mail, make sure not to call your key "the very important key we are going to use to encode ShyFiles with." Preferably, agree on a key when you meet the recipient in person. If you have to use electronic means of communication we suggest you either send a inconspicuous picture through email, or you hint on text you sent through e-mail in the past, like: "Remember that excerpt of that novel I sent to you through e-mail last week? Go to the 2nd verse and take the first 3 sentences with all its punctuation, spaces and case-sensitiveness."
 

6.  BLOCKED BY A FIREWALL?

If you happen to occur a problem when sending a self-decrypting ShyFile (with a hta-extension) to an e-mail account through a firewall, consider to copy and paste the encoded data (cipher text) from the input box of your ShyFile application directly into the body of your outgoing e-mail. This way only passive data is transmitted but no JavaScript source code. Ask the recipient of your e-mail to either use the online decoder at www.shyfile.net/d.htm or the ShyFile application itself to decode.

Alternatively, drag and drop your self-decrypting ShyFile into a MS Word-document and attach that Word-document to an outgoing e-mail of yours.
 

7.  FILE SHREDDER

ShyFile also features an integrated file shredder. Click the 'file shredder'-button and browse for a file which confidential contents you want to have completely erased. Normal file deletion only removes a file's directory entry, but leaves the data contained in the file on your drive. The file shredder completely overwrites the contents of a file 7 times. The purpose of the file shredder is to completely remove files and their contents from your drive. Once a file has been shredded it cannot be recovered using any sophisticated file restoration (un-delete) utility.
 

8.  SECURE PRIVATE CHAT

At first, enter the key into the key field you and your communication partners have agreed upon. Either load the key (consisting of minimum 64 characters for chatting purposes) from a drive or just type it in manually.

Click the "secure chat" button on the main interface of ShyFile to open a chat window, make up an alias that consists of 30 characters at the maximum and type in the text you wish to send into the field at the bottom. Click "send message" or press Enter on your keyboard to send the message. You will be eligible to read your partner's communication after having sent the first line of text yourself.

To attract some attention, you can press the "send buzzer@all" button to send a buzz tone to all of your chat buddies. Alternatively, you can write the following line of text to send a buzz tone to a single, specific user: buzzer@alias

No need to enroll or become a member to anything nor to pick a chat room. You can open multiple chat windows to communicate to several parties independently.
 

9.  EXECUTING SHYFILE THROUGH A COMMAND LINE

ShyFile can be executed by a command line to facilitate some periodic tasks. This way, a pre-determined working process of either encoding, decoding or shredding a file/folder can be done by a single click on a button. Besides, any other program capable of implementing a command line can automatically assign ShyFile with a task as well, provided all the required elements to form such a command line were previously set.

If you want to make use of command lines, but you do not want to feed another application with a ShyFile-command-line, we recommend you create a simple shortcut on your desktop to carry and initiate a command line with. In this case, what you need to do is, go to your ShyFile installation folder (probably in c:\program files\shyfile 6), right click the ShyFile executable file and choose 'create shortcut'. Cut that newly created shortcut out of the ShyFile application folder and paste it onto your desktop. Go to your desktop, right click your shortcut, open the 'Properties' tab, look for the path of the shortcut to the actual executable file in your ShyFile application folder and put a command line right next to it (keep one space in between the path and the command line.)

If you are looking to execute the File Shredder through a command line, scroll this page further down to read on.

First of all, start with the path to the executable file of the ShyFile application, it probably is "c:\program files\shyfile 6\shyfile.exe". Note that this path must be enclosed between parenthesis. The following elements are needed in this very order to form a command line: encode/decode, src, dest, key

encode/decode = choose either one of the terms.

src = This is the path of the source file you intend to either encode or decode.

dest = This is the path of the destination file the results of this task will be saved in. If you are encoding a txt or html-file, the destination file will need to have either an hta or html-extension. If you are encoding a binary source file, the destination file will need to have a shy-extension. However, if you are looking to decode a secured binary file, you must not specify a destination file at all, but only a destination folder. Important: When specifying a folder, you need to name the folder between two slashes, left-to-right. Example: c:\samplefolder\

key = This is the path of to the file on your computer containing your key.

Once all parameters are perfectly set, click OK and close your shortcut. Now, all you will need to do to initialize the process of either encoding, decoding is to click on your icon on the desktop.
 

EXAMPLES OF COMMAND LINES TO ENCODE:

Say you intend to encode an invoice written on MS Word and saved on your root drive called 'myinvoice' making use of a key-file called 'mykey' on your root drive, and you want to have the encoded file named 'securedinvoice' and have it placed on your root drive as well, then your command line could look like this:

"c:\program files\shyfile 6\shyfile.exe" encode src=c:\myinvoice.doc dest=c:\securedinvoice.shy key=c:\mykey.txt

If you intend to encode a folder in the root path (with all its subfolders) called "documents", your command line could look like this:

"c:\program files\shyfile 6\shyfile.exe" encode src=c:\documents\ dest=c:\documents.shy key=c:\mykey.txt
 

EXAMPLES OF COMMAND LINES TO DECODE:

If this time, you intend to decode this MS WOrd document, your command line could look like this:

"c:\program files\shyfile 6\shyfile.exe" decode src=c:\securedinvoice.shy dest=c:\myinvoice.doc key=c:\mykey.txt

If you intend to decode the folder, your command line could look like this:

"c:\program files\shyfile 6\shyfile.exe" src=c:\documents.shy encode dest=c:\documents\ key=c:\mykey.txt
 

EXAMPLE OF A COMMAND LINE TO EXECUTE THE FILE SHREDDER:

Let's say you intend to shred 'myinvoice' on your root drive, then use the following command line:

"c:\program files\shyfile 6\shyfile.exe" shred c:\myinvoice.doc
 

10.   UPDATING SHYFILE

To obtain the latest version of ShyFile, click on the logo of the main interface of ShyFile and follow the hyperlink at the very bottom of the window that opens up. Please note that you need to be online to verify your current version.
 

11.  LICENSING / DISCLAIMER

ShyFile and its algorithm were developed and are the property of Dr. Bootz GmbH. The purchase of one license will grant an installation of the full version on one PC. Multiple installations require extra licenses. This product cannot be rented. This software may not be altered. ShyFile may be subject to import and/or use regulations in your country. I certify that I am using the ShyFile service for a worthy and ethical purpose as well as that I am not on the U.S. Government list of export-precluded parties to receive cryptographic software.

This software is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty. You agree that any use of the ShyFile software is at your sole risk. Neither Dr. Bootz GmbH or its affiliates warrant that ShyFile will run error free. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Dr. Bootz GmbH from any and all third party claims. The downloading or viewing of any e-mails, files or attachments is done at your own discretion and risk and you are solely responsible for any damage to your computer or loss of data that results from the download of such e-mail, file or attachment or the use of this software.

© 2000-2006 Dr. Bootz GmbH, Germany.