How to use the Text Encryption Decryption (AES)
- 1. Choose encrypt or decryptPick the mode and enter a strong password.
- 2. Enter the textType the message, or paste text that starts with ucenc1$.
- 3. Copy the resultShare the encrypted text, and the password through a different channel.
How the encryption works
- Your password and a random 16-byte salt go through PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 with 600,000 iterations, the minimum OWASP's Password Storage Cheat Sheet currently recommends for PBKDF2-SHA256, to make a 256-bit key.
- The text is encrypted with AES-256-GCM using a random 12-byte IV.
- The output is ucenc1$, the iteration count, $, then Base64 of salt + IV + ciphertext.
GCM is authenticated encryption: it also adds a tag that detects any change. Alter one character of the output and decryption fails with an error rather than giving garbage. Encrypting the same sentence twice gives different results because the salt and IV are new each time.
Using it safely
- The password is the key. Use a long passphrase; a short password can still be guessed offline, slowly.
- Send the password separately, for example by phone, not in the same email as the encrypted text.
- No recovery. If you forget the password, the text cannot be recovered by anyone, including Uncodemy.
- Compatible format: any program using AES-256-GCM and PBKDF2-SHA256 with the same layout can decrypt it.
Everything runs in your browser with the Web Crypto API; nothing is sent to a server. This is good for notes, sharing a Wi-Fi password or class projects. For regulated data, use your organisation's approved tools. The iteration count is stored in the output, so it can be raised in future without breaking old messages. Hide the encrypted text inside a picture with the steganography tool, or compare with public-key encryption in the RSA key generator.
Frequently asked questions
Is AES-256 crackable?
Not by trying keys; the key space is far too large. The weak point is a guessable password, which is why a long passphrase matters.
Why does decryption take a moment?
600,000 PBKDF2 rounds are deliberately slow, which also slows down anyone guessing passwords.
Is the Text Encryption Decryption (AES) free?
Yes, the Text Encryption Decryption (AES) is free. The first time you encrypt or decrypt for the first time, you are asked for your name and WhatsApp number once. After that, this and every other Uncodemy tool opens straight away without the form.