Category Archives: Crypto

27 October, 2026

Blockchain Explained for Beginners: How It Works, Minus the Hype

Blockchain explained in plain English: hashes, blocks, consensus, and keys, plus the myths to ignore and a tiny chain you can build yourself.

8 October, 2026

How HTTPS Works: From ClientHello to Encrypted GET

Walk through TLS 1.3 handshake steps from ClientHello to encrypted GET. Use OpenSSL and Wireshark to verify keys, certificates, and FortiGate SSL inspection.

25 September, 2026

Hashing Files on macOS with Built-In Commands

Hash files on macOS using built-in md5 and shasum commands. Generate SHA-256 checksums and verify file integrity without installing third-party tools.

27 July, 2026

Cisco ASA and FTD Encryption Schemes. What is supported on what version : The Complete Reference

Compare Cisco ASA FTD encryption schemes across versions. See which IKEv1, IKEv2, and NGE ciphers are supported on each release to fix tunnel failures.

4 June, 2026

FIPS 140 Explained: Levels, Lifecycle, and Fortinet Support

Understand FIPS 140 Fortinet support, security levels, and the 2026 sunset deadline. Learn how to maintain compliance for government and defense contracts.

1 June, 2026

Quantum-Safe FortiGate: A Practical Guide to Post-Quantum Cryptography in FortiOS

Configure FortiGate post-quantum cryptography for IPsec and SSL VPN. Learn to deploy hybrid key exchange with ML-KEM to defend against harvest now, decrypt later...

8 March, 2026

No compatible key-exchange method – SecureCRT and FortiGate

Resolve the no compatible key-exchange method error between SecureCRT and FortiGate. Configure FortiOS 7.6 SSH settings and SecureCRT Ed25519 keys for successful login.

16 February, 2026

IPsec VPNs Deep Dive

Learn to configure IPsec VPN phases and choose the right Diffie-Hellman group. Understand ISAKMP, IKE, and cipher suites for secure tunnel setup.

30 August, 2022

Extracting Private Key from FortiGate Firewall

Export the FortiGate private key using the CLI show full command. Learn to generate a CSR and retrieve the key for wildcard certificate imports.

30 August, 2022

Extracting Your Private Key from a .pfx certificate

Extract private key from pfx files using OpenSSL commands. Learn how to export, decrypt, and validate keys for server or firewall deployment.

7 January, 2020

What Diffie-Hellman (DH) Group Should I Use

Learn Diffie-Hellman group selection for secure VPNs. Choose the right DH group for AES 128 or 256-bit keys and avoid weak groups like 24.

1 January, 2020

Encrypting a USB Thumb-Drive on macOS from CLI and GUI

Encrypt a USB thumb drive on macOS using diskutil CLI commands or Disk Utility GUI. Secure your data with full volume encryption in minutes.

12 November, 2019

Troubleshooting IPSec VPNs on Fortigate Firewalls

Master Fortigate IPSec VPN troubleshooting with diagnose commands. Fix Phase I mismatches, PFS errors, and selector issues using real debug output examples.

20 October, 2019

IPv6 VPNs in Fortigate Firewalls

Configure FortiGate IPv6 VPN tunnels with Phase I and II settings. Learn to set up address objects, policies, and static routes for secure IPv6...

18 September, 2019

Setting Up Tor On macOS

Install Tor Browser on macOS by downloading the package and launching the app. Verify your exit node IP address for anonymous browsing.

14 April, 2019

Disabling Weak Ciphers on Fortigate Firewalls

Learn how to disable weak ciphers on FortiGate SSL VPN using the banned-cipher command. Fix Qualys SSL test scores and enforce strong crypto settings.

3 January, 2019

Using OpenSSL to Provision Wildcard Certificate

Generate a wildcard certificate using OpenSSL and import it into FortiGate. Learn to create CSRs, handle private keys, and install certs for lab testing.