Encrypting XCOM xcom.glb file parameters with xcomencr

Products

• XCOM Data Transport
• XCOM Data Transport - Windows
• XCOM Data Transport - Linux PC

Issue/Introduction

When encrypting passwords in the global parameter file xcom.glb using the XCOMENCR utility, errors were displayed:

• The phrase #!ENCRYPT was specified on the line before XCOMHIST_PASSWORD=xxxxxxx
  
  
• The command "xcomencr xcom.glb xcom_encr.glb" was run
  
  
• xcomencr displayed "ERROR: XCOMHIST_PASSWORD field is a global parm that cannot be overridden"
  
  
• The file xcom_encr.glb contains lines "# the following line may contain a syntax error" for each option in the file.

Environment

• XCOM™ Data Transport® for Windows
• XCOM™ Data Transport® for UNIX/Linux PC

Cause

XCOMENCR is a utility that will encrypt parameter values in a existing .cnf file and is not designed to encrypt global parameters in the xcom.glb file. 

Resolution

1. The standard way to encrypt the value of parameter XCOMHIST_PASSWORD= in the xcom.glb file, is to use the XCOM GUI.

1. Start the XCOM GUI as an administrator
   
   
2. Click on the Global Parameters tab.
   
   
3. Select the History section of the Global parameters and enter the password in the field. This will update the xcom.glb with an encrypted password.

2.  An alternative workaround is as follows.

1. Create a file named test.cnf file which uses the parameter name PASSWORD for any type of password needing to be encrypted e.g. if XCOMHIST_PASSWORD=abcdef, then the test.cnf should be:
   *****
   #!ENCRYPT
PASSWORD=abcdef
   *****
   
   
2. After running command "xcomencr test.cnf test2.cnf" the output file test2.cnf will contain:
   *****
   #!ENCRYPT
PASSWORD.ENCRYPTED=26 75 63 2f 8a d9 cc 87 7e d2 75 36 2b 98 85 55 3a 88 7a 41 2d 7a 86 51 4c 89 76 46 38 7c 68 52 48 9b 77 00
   *****
   
   
3. Take the encrypted value and insert it into the xcom.glb file section for XCOMHIST_PASSWORD using the .ENCRYPTED parameter suffix i.e.
   *****
   XCOMHIST_PASSWORD.ENCRYPTED=26 75 63 2f 8a d9 cc 87 7e d2 75 36 2b 98 85 55 3a 88 7a 41 2d 7a 86 51 4c 89 76 46 38 7c 68 52 48 9b 77 00
   *****

Additional Information

Using XCOM Data Transport for UNIX/Linux GUI

Encrypt Parmeter Values in Configuration Files - XCOM for Windows