taSecurePaint is a simple Paint programm, but it allows to load, edit and save encrypted PNG images.

taSecurePaint

taSecurePaint v1.4

taSecurePaint is a simple Paint programm, but it allows to load, edit and save encrypted PNG images.

It runs on all platforms where there is a Ewe VM (Win32, WinCE, Linux) or a Java VM (almost any platform).

The program now reads BMP, GIF, 2BP, JPG, PNG and encrypted PNG images and writes PNG and encrypted PNG images.

The new features are:

• Support for large images also on Pocket PCs by implementing scrollbars
• Command line parameters
• Image encryption
• Idle timeout of ~1 min. for encrypted images
• Multi-language support: Currently english and german are built-in. Other languages on demand.

Why do you need it?

You can use it for example for

• your scanned-in e-banking strike-through list
• your confidential scanned-in documents
• your confidential images
• etc.

Why not use a standard file encryption tool?

Here are some good reasons why not to use a standard file encryption tool:

• Standard file encryption tools will take the encrypted file and store it unecrypted on the file system, when you want to work with it. Once there, it might be accessible for unauthorized persons, especially when you forget to wipe it afterwards.
• If you need to change the image regularly (like the strike-through list) , you will need to re-encrypt it after the usage. This is cumbersome and potentially dangerous (e.g. using unitentionally a different password that you don't remember afterwards).
• Normal programs are not security-aware and do not have a security-timeout-feature. They will leave your confidential file open if you leave your system and forget to secure it. The screen saver only appears after a certain time and then, it might not be password-protected.
• Finally, you might want to have your secured images always with you on your Pocket PC and your file encryption program does not run there.

Command line parameters

Usage: Ewe taSecurePaint.ewe [[-F <filename>] [-e]]

• -F: used to define the image to load
• -e: used to specify that the image is encrypted

The order of the parameters does not matter.

Image encryption

Encryption is activated by setting a password (Menu - Extras - Set password). As long as a password is set, images are saved encrypted. The menu items (Menu - File - Open) and (Menu - File - New) automatically clear the password.
To open an encrypted image, use the menu item (Menu - File - Open encrypted).
To save an encrypted image unencrypted, the password must be cleared (Menu - Extras - Clear password) before saving.

We recommend to use the extension .epng for encrypted images and to define following association for it:
"path1\Ewe.exe" "path2\taSecurePaint.ewe" -e -F "%1"
You can use the Ewe freeware taAssociate by www.t-arn.com to accomplish that.

For encrypted images there is a timeout of ~1 minute after which the user is prompted to click on OK. If this is not done within 10 seconds, the image is closed WITHOUT saving unsaved changes! This is meant to be this way because taSecurePaint is mainly intended to view images, not to modify them. Changes are therefore considered unintentional and dismissed by the timeout close.