AVGVSTO - Advanced Security Suite with USB Binding

AVGVSTO is a robust encryption tool developed in Python, designed specifically to safeguard sensitive data by binding it to a physical USB drive. This innovative approach ensures that decryption can only take place when the authorized USB device is connected, providing an unprecedented level of security. The application utilizes AES-256 encryption combined with USB hardware authentication and features protection against brute-force attacks to enhance data security.

Key Features

• Hardware-Bound Encryption: Only allows decryption when the original USB drive used during encryption is connected, embedding the USB's unique identifier in the encrypted file.
• AES-256 with PBKDF2: Implements secure key derivation with SHA-256 for password-to-key conversion with one million iterations.
• Brute-Force Protection: Automatically deletes encrypted files or folders after three failed decryption attempts, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.
• Recursive Folder Encryption: Facilitates the encryption of entire directories and their nested files seamlessly.
• Modern GUI: Features an intuitive graphic user interface with drag-and-drop support and real-time feedback, ensuring a user-friendly experience.

System Requirements

• Python Version: 3.9 or higher
• Dependencies: Install required libraries using

  pip install pycryptodome psutil
  

• OS Support: Compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS, with optimized USB detection for Windows and Unix-like systems.
• GUI Framework: Built using tkinter, included with Python.

Project Structure

AVGVSTO/
├── AVGVSTO.py              # Main application (GUI + logic)
├── usb_secure.key          # Stores the authorized USB drive's unique ID
├── attempts.txt            # Tracks failed decryption attempts
├── requirements.txt        # Dependency list
└── README.md               # Documentation

Security Architecture

• USB Binding Mechanism: The application hashes the USB drive's unique identifier and stores it in usb_secure.key. During decryption, it verifies that the USB matches this ID, ensuring that data remains irretrievable if the USB is lost.
• Password Management: Passwords are not stored; instead, a SHA-256 hash of the password is embedded in the encrypted file to secure the encryption process.
• Brute-Force Protection: Records failed decryption attempts, automatically resetting the counter and deleting the data after three failures.

Technical Details

• The encryption process leverages random salts and IVs alongside PBKDF2 to derive the AES key, ensuring secure data handling.
• During decryption, the application checks the connected USB ID and validates the password before allowing access to the encrypted data.

Contributors and Contact

Contributions to AVGVSTO are welcome. Interested developers can fork the repository, create a feature branch, commit changes, and open a pull request. For inquiries or suggestions, users can open an issue on GitHub or reach out to the authors:

• Roy Merlo (RM) - GitHub @RoyMerlo
• RPX - GitHub @RPX

AVGVSTO provides a secure solution for users needing to protect confidential information, making it ideal for creating secure backups, sharing sensitive files, and preventing unauthorized data recovery. Always ensure the USB drive is disconnected when not in use for added security.