crypto
Simple symmetric GPG file encryption and decryption
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need a simple GPG wrapper for basic file encryption on Unix/Linux and are comfortable with dormant maintenance. The low install friction, permissive MIT license, and zero runtime dependencies make it lightweight. However, verify Python and GPG compatibility first, since the package has not been actively maintained since 2015 and may have undiscovered issues with modern toolchains.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires GPG (Gnu Privacy Guard) installed and available on the system; Unix/Linux/macOS only.
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies.
- Dormant since 2015 but repository remains unarchived; last commit in February 2024 suggests minimal maintenance activity.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT license (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making it safe for most deployment contexts.
last release 2015-05-14 (4110 days) · last repo commit 2024-02-24 · 47 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 1,031,084 downloads/mo, #4,467 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
$ pip install crypto
$ crypto /path/to/file
$ decrypto /path/to/file.gpg- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python versions beyond those tested in 2014–2015.
- Current compatibility with recent GPG versions and whether AES256 benchmarks remain relevant.
- Whether dormant status and lack of recent updates pose security or compatibility risks for new deployments.
What it is and what it does
crypto is a lightweight command-line wrapper around GPG that simplifies symmetric file encryption and decryption on Unix, Linux, and macOS. It exposes two main commands—crypto for encryption and decrypto for decryption—and uses AES256 as its cipher algorithm. The package supports encrypting single files or entire directories, can automatically tar multiple files before encryption, and offers ASCII-armored output and SHA256 hash generation for encrypted files.
The package requires a GPG installation on your system and has no Python runtime dependencies, making installation straightforward. It was tested against Python 2.7, 3.4, and PyPy 2.6 at release time. The project has been dormant since 2015, with minimal recent maintenance, so users should verify compatibility with their specific Python and GPG versions before relying on it in production.
Use it for
- Encrypt sensitive files on Unix/Linux systems from shell scripts or cron jobs using a simple command-line interface.
- Batch-encrypt directories by automatically creating tar archives and encrypting them with a single command.
- Generate SHA256 hashes alongside encrypted files for integrity verification.
- Decrypt GPG-encrypted files without learning full GPG command syntax or options.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need a simple GPG wrapper for basic file encryption on Unix/Linux and are comfortable with dormant maintenance.
The low install friction, permissive MIT license, and zero runtime dependencies make it lightweight. However, verify Python and GPG compatibility first, since the package has not been actively maintained since 2015 and may have undiscovered issues with modern toolchains.
Install
crypto on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Dormant since 2015 but repository remains unarchived; last commit in February 2024 suggests minimal maintenance activity.
Requires GPG (Gnu Privacy Guard) installed and available on the system; Unix/Linux/macOS only.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making it safe for most deployment contexts.
Quickstart
$ pip install crypto
$ crypto /path/to/file
$ decrypto /path/to/file.gpgVerify before relying
- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python versions beyond those tested in 2014–2015.
- Current compatibility with recent GPG versions and whether AES256 benchmarks remain relevant.
- Whether dormant status and lack of recent updates pose security or compatibility risks for new deployments.
Package facts
| License | MIT license permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Dormant 4,110 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 1,031,084 / month, #4,467 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableIntended Audience :: End Users/DesktopLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseNatural Language :: EnglishOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: POSIXOperating System :: UnixProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: SecurityTopic :: Security :: Cryptography |
Evidence: crypto-1.4.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also miscreant · pyAesCrypt · sopsy · tink · sslcrypto · python-gnupg · aes-pkcs5 · aws-encryption-sdk-cli · eth-keyfile · msoffcrypto-tool