# encrypt

{% hint style="info" %}
This article assumes knowledge of [variables](https://olddocs.exivity.io/data-pipelines/extract/language/var).
{% endhint %}

The `encrypt` statement is used to conceal the value of a variable, such that it does not appear in plain text in a USE script.

## Syntax

**`encrypt var`***`name = value_to_be_encrypted`*

## Details

{% hint style="warning" %}
The `encrypt` statement differs from other statements in that it takes effect before the execution of a USE script begins. In this regard, it is effectively a directive to the internal script pre-processor which prepares a script for execution.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Comments, quotes and escapes in the value to be encrypted are treated as literal text up until the end of the line.**

White-space following the value to be encrypted will therefore be included in the encrypted result.

White-space preceding the value to be encrypted will be ignored and will **not** be included in the encrypted result.
{% endhint %}

### Encrypting one or more variables

Any variable prefixed with the word *encrypt* will be encrypted by the pre-processor and the script file itself will be modified as follows:

* All text (including trailing white-space) from the word following the `=` character up to the end of the line is encrypted
* The encrypted value is base64 encoded
* The original variable value in the USE script is substituted with the result
* The `encrypt` keyword for that variable is changed to `encrypted`
* The USE script is overwritten on disk in this new form

This process is repeated for all variables preceded by the `encrypt` keyword.

{% hint style="info" %}
As a side effect of the encryption process, it is not currently possible to encrypt a value that begins with a space or a tab. This functionality will be implemented in due course.
{% endhint %}

### Using encrypted variables

Once encrypted a variable can be used just as any other, the only requirement being that the `encrypted` keyword preceding its declaration is not removed or modified.

To change the value of an encrypted variable simply replace the declaration altogether and precede the new declaration with `encrypt`. Upon first execution, the USE script will be updated with an encrypted version of the variable as described above.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Encrypted values can only be used on the system that they were created on. If an encrypted value is moved or copied to a different installation of Exivity then any attempt to reference or decrypt it will result in something other than the original value.**
{% endhint %}

## Example

Firstly, create the script as usual, with `encrypt` preceding any variables that are to be encrypted:

```
# ---- Start Config ----
encrypt var username = admin
encrypt var password = topsecret
var server = "http://localhost"
var port = 8080
var api_method = getdetails
# ---- End Config ----

set http_authtype basic
set http_username ${username}
set http_password ${password}

buffer {response} = http GET ${server}:${port}/rest/v2/${api_method}
```

Secondly, run the script. Prior to execution, the script will be automatically modified as shown below:

```
# ---- Start Config ----
encrypted var username = AGF5dU0KJaB+NyHWu2lkhw==
encrypted var password = b0Sa29tyL+M8wix/+JokjMCdeMwiY9n5
var server = "http://localhost"
var port = 8080
var api_method = getdetails
# ---- End Config ----

set http_authtype basic
set http_username ${username}
set http_password ${password}

buffer {response} = http GET ${server}:${port}/rest/v2/${api_method}
```