Lara File Encrypter Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Setup

1. Installation

   composer require mrdebug/lara-file-encrypter
   

   Publish the config file (if needed):

   php artisan vendor:publish --provider="MrDebug\LaraFileEncrypter\LaraFileEncrypterServiceProvider"
   

2. Configuration Edit config/lara-file-encrypter.php to set:

   • default_password (fallback if none provided)
   • encryption_algorithm (default: AES-256-CBC)
   • file_extension (default: .enc)

3. First Use Case Encrypt a file in a controller:

   use MrDebug\LaraFileEncrypter\Facades\LaraFileEncrypter;
   
   $encryptedPath = LaraFileEncrypter::encrypt('path/to/original/file.txt', 'user-provided-password');
   

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflows

1. File Encryption/Decryption

   // Encrypt
   $encrypted = LaraFileEncrypter::encrypt('file.txt', 'password');
   
   // Decrypt
   $decrypted = LaraFileEncrypter::decrypt($encrypted, 'password');
   

2. Storage Integration Use with Laravel’s filesystem:

   $file = Storage::putFile('encrypted', new File($encryptedPath));
   

3. Password Management

   • Dynamic Passwords: Pass passwords via user input (e.g., form submissions).
   • Environment Variables: Store default passwords in .env:

     LARA_FILE_ENCRYPTER_DEFAULT_PASSWORD=secure123!
     

4. Batch Processing

   $files = Storage::files('unencrypted-folder');
   foreach ($files as $file) {
       $encrypted = LaraFileEncrypter::encrypt(storage_path("app/{$file}"), 'password');
       Storage::put("encrypted/{$file}.enc", file_get_contents($encrypted));
   }
   

5. Middleware for Protected Routes

   public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next) {
       if ($request->hasValidPassword()) {
           return $next($request);
       }
       return redirect()->route('login');
   }
   

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Password Strength

   • Weak passwords compromise security. Enforce complexity rules:

     if (!preg_match('/^(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])(?=.*\d).{8,}$/', $password)) {
         throw new \Exception('Password must meet complexity requirements.');
     }
     

2. Key Derivation

   • The package uses PHP’s hash_pbkdf2 for key derivation. Ensure hash_algos() includes sha256 or sha512.

3. File Corruption

   • Always validate file integrity post-decryption:

     $decrypted = LaraFileEncrypter::decrypt($path, $password);
     if (empty($decrypted)) {
         throw new \Exception('Decryption failed or file corrupted.');
     }
     

4. Environment-Specific Config

   • Avoid hardcoding passwords in config files. Use .env or Laravel’s config() with environment variables.

Debugging Tips

1. Enable Logging Add to config/lara-file-encrypter.php:

   'debug' => env('LARA_FILE_ENCRYPTER_DEBUG', false),
   

   Check logs for errors during encryption/decryption.

2. Test with Known Values Use a test file and password to verify functionality:

   $testFile = tempnam(sys_get_temp_dir(), 'test');
   file_put_contents($testFile, 'test content');
   $encrypted = LaraFileEncrypter::encrypt($testFile, 'password123');
   $decrypted = LaraFileEncrypter::decrypt($encrypted, 'password123');
   assert(file_get_contents($testFile) === $decrypted);
   

3. Check File Permissions Ensure Laravel has write permissions for the target directory:

   chmod -R 755 storage/app/encrypted
   

Extension Points

1. Custom Encryption Algorithms Extend the service provider to add algorithms:

   // app/Providers/LaraFileEncrypterServiceProvider.php
   public function register() {
       $this->app->bind('encryption.algorithm', function() {
           return new \MrDebug\LaraFileEncrypter\Algorithms\CustomAlgorithm();
       });
   }
   

2. Password Prompts Create a helper to securely prompt for passwords:

   function securePasswordPrompt(): string {
       $handle = fopen('php://stdin', 'r');
       echo "Enter password: ";
       $password = trim(fgets($handle));
       fclose($handle);
       return $password;
   }
   

3. Event Listeners Listen for encryption/decryption events:

   // app/Providers/EventServiceProvider.php
   protected $listen = [
       'MrDebug\LaraFileEncrypter\Events\FileEncrypted' => [
           'App\Listeners\LogEncryptionEvent',
       ],
   ];