# Password Encryption

> [HTML Version](passwordencryption.htm)

_Written October 2019_

Beginning with A-Shell 6.5.1670, password data is encrypted within the edit control, preventing it from being snooped on by external system utilities. To help manage the feature, two new _type_ codes have been defined:

| **Value** | **Meaning** |
|------|------|
| ||\* | enable password encryption |
| |\* | disable password encryption |




Eventually the feature will become enabled by default, but initially during beta testing, it has to be explicitly enabled. The recommended way to do this is by adding SBR=INFDEF:||\* to miame.ini, or use the SET INFDEF command from the dot prompt for ad hoc testing.)

The feature only applies when the following _type_ codes are also set:

| **Value** | **Meaning** |
|------|------|
| S | security field |
| |G | GUI |
| |E | field remains displayed as a edit control when inactive |




When all of the conditions have been met, password edit controls will exhibit the following behavior:

•	The contents are encrypted as they are loaded into the control and decrypted as read back out again.

•	You can TAB through the field without changing it, but any data entry into the field will first clear it. So you can't just change or add a single character to an existing password field.

•	An "eye" icon will be displayed at the end of the field. Clicking down on the icon reveals the password, clicking back up re-masks it. Note that due to some display-related mysteries within the implementation of the Windows edit control, the eye may not always be visible; in such a case, moving the mouse over the end of the field should redisplay it.

**History**

2019 October, A-Shell 6.5.1670:  Add INFLD password encryption to A-Shell.