- User Interface
- Additional Information
Platform-Specific Information
The SecretAgent user interface for Mac OS X (pictured below) offers functionality similar to that of SecretAgent for Windows' Explorer View:
SecretAgent for Macintosh OS X
An intelligent startup wizard leads you through program setup and initialization, including the generation of key pair(s) and the creation of self-signed credentials. (Alternately, you can choose to generate a PKCS#10 certificate request to be submitted to your CA or import credentials that have already been issued to you.)
Files may be encrypted, or encrypted and signed, decrypted, or validated by simply selecting them and clicking the appropriate toolbar button or by using the File menu:
SecretAgent's File Menu
The intuitive Encryption dialog lets you select processing options (such as compression and cipher algorithm settings) and provides access to all local and remote stores for recipient certificate selection:
SecretAgent's Encryption Dialog
Recipient certificates are validated according to the local security policy as soon as they are selected. (Security policies can be relaxed or in strict compliance with DoD requirements.) Certificate management is provided by a port of Certificate Explorer 3 (CertEx) to the Macintosh:
Certificate Explorer's User Interface
CertEx allows you to import and export certificates in a number of different formats. Manage local certificate stores, create custom LDAP queries, or use pre-configured queries supplied by your system administrator. All CertEx stores and LDAP queries are available from the drop-down list box in SecretAgent's Encryption dialog. (Notice how the LDAP query named "ISC-USGovt" defined in CertEx appears in the SecretAgent Encryption dialog screenshot above.) This makes recipient certificate selection a snap!
A FIPS-181 compliant pronounceable password generator is integrated into the SecretAgent user interface:
SecretAgent's Integrated Password Generator
Administrators can use PolicyAgent to customize most aspects of the SecretAgent user interface (and optionally lock them against change by the user). Once a security policy is installed, SecretAgent will enforce its use. (Security policies can include the specification of a limited set of trusted root certificates, whether or not to require the use of CRLs and where to get them, the set of allowable ciphers and processing options, an initial set of LDAP queries, etc.)
Default program settings (not under control of an imposed security policy) can be easily modified by the user using the following Preferences dialog:
SecretAgent's Preferences Dialog
Command line executable (and linkable library) versions of SecretAgent are also available on all supported platforms. Additional information is available here.
Additional Information
Requires Mac OS X v10.0 or later and JDK 1.3 or later
SecretAgent 5's Standards Compliance
Feature Comparison Chart for Various Platforms (updated 3/31/08)
SecretAgent 6 Reader (Free Download!)
Diagram of the SecretAgent 6.0 encryption process (PDF)
