If you are a vimer, you definitely want to try encrypting files in Vim. Let's see how.
<h2 id="heading-encryption">Encryption</h2>
Open a text file normally.
<pre><code>$ echo "hello" &gt; 1.txt

$ file 1.txt
1.txt: ASCII text

$ vim 1.txt
</code></pre>Enter Vim command.
<pre><code>:X
</code></pre>Then Vim will prompt for a password.
<pre><code>Enter encryption key:
Enter same key again:
</code></pre>After input encryption key, we can save and quit file. 
Next time we open this file, a prompt for encryption key will show.
<pre><code>Need encryption key for "1.txt"
Enter encryption key:
</code></pre>We can see the file type again.
<pre><code>$ file 1.txt
1.txt: Vim encrypted file data
</code></pre><h2 id="heading-change-password">Change password</h2>
Open encrypted file in Vim, and use <code>:X</code> command again. And we change password just like setting a new one. If we don't want encryption anymore, type nothing, just hit <code>Enter</code> to return.
<h2 id="heading-change-encrpytion-method">Change encrpytion method</h2>
Vim use a cryptmethod called <code>zip</code> in default, which is weak. It is recommended to use a more strong cryptmethod.
We can use the cryptmethod option to select the type of encryption, use one of these:
<pre><code class="lang-txt">:setlocal cm=zip " weak method, backwards compatible
:setlocal cm=blowfish " method with flaws
:setlocal cm=blowfish2 " medium strong method
</code></pre>
To set the default method, used for new files, use this in your <code>vimrc</code> file:
<pre><code>set cm=blowfish2
</code></pre>

If you are a vimer, you definitely want to try encrypting files in Vim. Let's see how.

## Encryption

Open a text file normally.

```
$ echo "hello" > 1.txt

$ file 1.txt
1.txt: ASCII text

$ vim 1.txt
```

Enter Vim command.

```
:X
```

Then Vim will prompt for a password.

```
Enter encryption key:
Enter same key again:
```

After input encryption key, we can save and quit file. 

Next time we open this file, a prompt for encryption key will show.

```
Need encryption key for "1.txt"
Enter encryption key: 
```

We can see the file type again.

```
$ file 1.txt
1.txt: Vim encrypted file data
```

## Change password

Open encrypted file in Vim, and use `:X` command again. And we change password just like setting a new one. If we don't want encryption anymore, type nothing, just hit `Enter` to return.

## Change encrpytion method

Vim use a cryptmethod called `zip` in default, which is weak. It is recommended to use a more strong cryptmethod.

We can use the cryptmethod option to select the type of encryption, use one of these:

```txt
:setlocal cm=zip        " weak method, backwards compatible
:setlocal cm=blowfish   " method with flaws
:setlocal cm=blowfish2  " medium strong method
```

To set the default method, used for new files, use this in your `vimrc` file:

```
set cm=blowfish2
```


yaox023's blog

yaox023's blog

Encryption in Vim

Encryption

Change password

Change encrpytion method