hash-transfer-cli

A secure command-line tool for copying and moving files securely between locations. This tool supports a variety of hash algorithms to ensure data integrity during the transfer process. Additionally, it includes safeguarding measures to enhance the reliability of file transfers. It is compatible with both Linux and Windows.

What is hashing?

Hashing in simple words takes an input such as a file, then tries to return a unique output represented by a fixed string of characters. Let's say I create a my_file.txt file with its content being hello world . If I feed it to a hash algorithm which is essentialy a mathematical formula like md5, it will output something like: 6f5902ac237024bdd0c176cb93063dc4 . However, the moment I modify the content of that file to hello world. , that very small change leads to a significantly different output: 34521560c992eec462c9080dcf5b89e0 . Now, you might begin to see how big of a role hashing takes when it comes to data integrity.

Why do file hashing during transfer operations?

• To primarly avoid corruption in general. The probability of a corruption happening during a day-to-day file transfer is very unlikely. However, it is always not zero.
  • Handling of critical data. When it is absolutely necessary that a file must be identical to another, because one single flip of a bit could render a file unreadable or broken. (Especially for compressed or encrpyted data).
  • Handling of massive amounts of data. If you're copying Terabytes of data to another location, it is very time-consuming to check each and every one of your ____ collection to see if it is not corrupted.
  • Assurance. It is reassuring to see for yourself that data integrity measures are being actively done. (Especially for "paranoids" like me).

Installation (Windows and Linux)

GUI installation

In the Release section, download the correct package according to your operating system.

CLI installation

Open the terminal or cmd and enter:

// for linux
wget https://github.com/Zyd8/hash-transfer-cli/releases/download/v0.10-beta/hash-transfer-cli_linux-x64.tar.gz

// for windows
curl -o https://github.com/Zyd8/hash-transfer-cli/releases/download/v0.10-beta/hash-transfer-cli_win-x64.zip

Usage

< Required > [ Optional ]

<hash-transfer-cli> <source> <destination> [-m/--mode] [-h/--hash]

• hash-transfer-cli - the entry point of the application.
• source - the file or directory you want to transfer.
• destination - the directory you want the source to be inside of.
• mode - the transfer modes.
  • copy (default) - copies the file or directory from source to destination.
  • cut - does the same thing as copy but the source file or source directory is deleted after hash matching is a success.
• hash - the hash algorithms (sorted starting from the least secure to the most secure; starting from the fastest to lowest).
  • crc32
  • crc64
  • md5 (default)
  • sha1
  • sha256
  • sha512

For Windows

Launch cmd and cd your way into the repository folder where hash-transfer-cli.exe is located.

Run the program via:

hash-transfer-cli absolute:\path\to\source absolute:\path\to\destination

e.g. hash-transfer-cli C:\Users\windows10\Downloads\my_file_or_directory C:\Users\windows10\Documents -h crc32 -m copy

Or add the repo directory to PATH so that you can call the executable without being in the repository directory.

hash-transfer-cli absolute:\path\to\source absolute:\path\to\destination

For Linux

Launch the terminal and cd your way into the repository folder where hash-transfer-cli is located.

Run the program via:

./hash-transfer-cli /absolute/path/to/source /absolute/path/to/destination

e.g. ./hash-transfer-cli /home/user/Downloads/my_file_or_directory /home/user/Documents --hash sha512

Or, again, add the repo directory to PATH so that you can call the executable without being in the repository directory.

If the terminal outputs Permission Denied, then you must enable "Executable as Program" in the properties of hash-transfer-cli.

Safeguards

• When a certain file fails to match hashes, it will attempt to recopy from source until it matches.

• When selecting "cut" mode, it will not delete the source directory/file if one or more file fails hash matching.

• If the file/directory already exists in the destination, it will prompt the user for overwrite.

• When invoking SIGINT aka "Ctrl + C" during transfer, depending on the transfer status it will abruptly stop and stay at it is.

Important in the event of accidentally overwriting the destination.