AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), an algorithm developed by two Belgian cryptographers, is the de facto standard for encrypting files. The longer answer is that the level of security offered is easily bypassed, because the zip command included with macOS doesn’t use very strong encryption. I’ll get this question out of the way: “Why don’t I just use a password-protected zip file?” The short answer is that when you password-protect your files with zip, it is not much better than not using a password at all. Let’s see how you can digitally encrypt and password-protect your files using some Automator help The Problem with Using Zip to Password-Protect Your Files This handheld cipher was just the beginning. It’s fun, too, and it’s probably the most secure method to password-protect your files. It’s a hacksaw approach to what some might say is a job for a scalpel, but it works and it provides a level of protection that I don’t think you’ll find in any off-the-shelf solutions. I’ve got an answer for that, using Automator and some magic in the form of bash shell scripting. Here at The Mac Observer, we’re frequently asked how someone can bundle a handful (or a bunch) of files, compress them, and then password protect them.

Mac compress with password