LockBox CLI documentation

Quick start

Put LockBox.Cli.exe in a folder included in PATH, or call it by full path. The --cli marker is accepted for compatibility but is not required in the CLI-only build.

.\LockBox.Cli.exe --help
.\LockBox.Cli.exe device-id
.\LockBox.Cli.exe algorithms
.\LockBox.Cli.exe keygen --count 3

Minimal create and open workflow:

$env:LBX_MASTER = "use-a-long-master-password"
$env:LBX_L1 = "layer-1-key"

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  --source "D:\Data" `
  --output "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-128-GCM=LBX_L1

.\LockBox.Cli.exe open `
  --container "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  --output "D:\Restore" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --key-env LBX_L1

Linux uses the same commands with slash paths and a binary without the .exe suffix:

chmod +x ./LockBox.Cli
./LockBox.Cli --help
./LockBox.Cli device-id
./LockBox.Cli create \
  --source "/srv/data" \
  --output "/backup/data.lbx" \
  --master-env LBX_MASTER \
  --layer-env AES-128-GCM=LBX_L1

Activation and license status

The license key is bound to the device ID printed by the same CLI build. If a license is copied to another PC, LockBox rejects it and falls back to Free.

Windows checks the existing LockBox application data locations. Linux stores activation in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/lockbox/.lockbox.license, then ~/.config/lockbox/.lockbox.license, with ~/.lockbox/.lockbox.license as a fallback.

.\LockBox.Cli.exe device-id

.\LockBox.Cli.exe license

Activate from a license file

.\LockBox.Cli.exe activate --license-file "C:\Licenses\lockbox-license.txt"

Activate from an environment variable

$env:LBX_LICENSE = "LBX-LIC-..."
.\LockBox.Cli.exe activate --license-env LBX_LICENSE

Activate inline

Inline activation works, but it can leak through shell history or process logs.

.\LockBox.Cli.exe activate --license "LBX-LIC-..."

Linux activation

export LBX_LICENSE="LBX-LIC-..."
./LockBox.Cli activate --license-env LBX_LICENSE
./LockBox.Cli license

Secret handling

Prefer environment variables or files. Inline secrets are useful for testing only. Master passwords and layer keys must be preserved: without them the container cannot be opened.

File-based secrets

Set-Content -Path ".\master.txt" -Value "master-password" -Encoding UTF8
Set-Content -Path ".\layer1.txt" -Value "layer-key-1" -Encoding UTF8

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s "D:\Data" `
  -o "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  --master-file ".\master.txt" `
  --layer-file AES-128-GCM=.\layer1.txt

Algorithms and key generation

Use algorithms to see all supported profiles and minimum editions. Use keygen for layer keys.

.\LockBox.Cli.exe algorithms
.\LockBox.Cli.exe keygen
.\LockBox.Cli.exe keygen --count 9
.\LockBox.Cli.exe generate-keys -n 20

Supported command aliases:

algorithms
list-algorithms
profiles

keygen
generate-key
generate-keys

Create containers

create packs a source folder, applies optional compression and padding, encrypts the payload through one or more layers, and writes a .lbx container.

Required options

• --source or -s: source folder.
• --output or -o: output .lbx path.
• --master, --master-env, or --master-file.
• At least one layer: --layer, --layer-env, or --layer-file.

Minimal AES container

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s "D:\Data" `
  -o "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-128-GCM=LBX_L1

Compressed container

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  --source "D:\Exports" `
  --output "E:\Backups\exports.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --compress

Crypto padding

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s "D:\Contracts" `
  -o "E:\Backups\contracts.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --padding 2GB

Split container into parts

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s "D:\Media" `
  -o "E:\Backups\media.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --split 700MB

The first part keeps .lbx. Additional parts use .lbx1, .lbx2, and so on. Keep all parts in the same folder.

Nine-layer Max example

$env:LBX_MASTER = "use-a-long-master-password"
$env:LBX_L1 = "layer-1-key"
$env:LBX_L2 = "layer-2-key"
$env:LBX_L3 = "layer-3-key"
$env:LBX_L4 = "layer-4-key"
$env:LBX_L5 = "layer-5-key"
$env:LBX_L6 = "layer-6-key"
$env:LBX_L7 = "layer-7-key"
$env:LBX_L8 = "layer-8-key"
$env:LBX_L9 = "layer-9-key"

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  --source "D:\Data" `
  --output "E:\Backups\data-max.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --compress `
  --padding 2GB `
  --split 700MB `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --layer-env CHACHA20-POLY1305=LBX_L2 `
  --layer-env AES-256-CCM=LBX_L3 `
  --layer-env SERPENT-256-CTR-HMACSHA512=LBX_L4 `
  --layer-env TWOFISH-256-CTR-HMACSHA512=LBX_L5 `
  --layer-env CAMELLIA-256-CTR-HMACSHA512=LBX_L6 `
  --layer-env ARIA-256-CTR-HMACSHA512=LBX_L7 `
  --layer-env AES-256-CBC-HMACSHA512=LBX_L8 `
  --layer-env AES-192-OFB-HMACSHA384=LBX_L9

Alternative algorithm/key syntax

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s "D:\Data" `
  -o "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --algorithm AES-128-GCM --key-env LBX_L1 `
  --algorithm AES-128-CTR-HMACSHA256 --key-env LBX_L2

Delete source after successful manual creation

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s "D:\TempToEncrypt" `
  -o "E:\Backups\temp.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --delete-source

--delete-source deletes the source folder only after the container is created successfully. Scheduler has a different option: --delete-source-contents.

Container destruction password

Max edition can add a separate destruction password to a container. If that password is entered later as the master password, LockBox immediately overwrites the container without confirmation. This is intended for coercion-pressure scenarios. Keep it separate from the real master password.

The command verifies free disk space, encrypts the original container data with a fresh random secret and AES-256-GCM into a temporary file, normalizes the result to the exact original size, replaces the original file, and forgets the random secret. For split containers, every .lbx, .lbx1, .lbx2 part in the same folder is replaced while preserving the original part sizes.

Create with a destruction password

$env:LBX_MASTER = "real-master-password"
$env:LBX_L1 = "layer-key-1"
$env:LBX_DESTROY = "pressure-password"

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  --source "D:\Data" `
  --output "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --destruction-password-env LBX_DESTROY

Trigger destruction without layer keys

.\LockBox.Cli.exe open `
  --container "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  --output "D:\Restore" `
  --master-env LBX_DESTROY

Linux trigger

export LBX_DESTROY="pressure-password"
./LockBox.Cli open \
  --container "/backup/data.lbx" \
  --output "/restore" \
  --master-env LBX_DESTROY

After successful destruction the container is no longer a valid LockBox file. The CLI returns exit code 0 because the requested destruction action completed successfully.

Open containers

open extracts a container to the output folder. For normal extraction, layer keys must be passed in the same order used during creation. For a destruction-password workflow, only the container path, output path, and destruction password as the master password are required.

Open a one-layer container

.\LockBox.Cli.exe open `
  --container "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  --output "D:\Restore" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --key-env LBX_L1

Open a split container

.\LockBox.Cli.exe open `
  -c "E:\Backups\data.lbx" `
  -o "D:\Restore" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --key-env LBX_L1

Open a multi-layer container

.\LockBox.Cli.exe open `
  -c "E:\Backups\data-max.lbx" `
  -o "D:\Restore" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --key-env LBX_L1 `
  --key-env LBX_L2 `
  --key-env LBX_L3 `
  --key-env LBX_L4 `
  --key-env LBX_L5 `
  --key-env LBX_L6 `
  --key-env LBX_L7 `
  --key-env LBX_L8 `
  --key-env LBX_L9

Aliases

open
decrypt
extract

Scheduler

Scheduler commands are available in Max edition. They store full task metadata in an encrypted .lbxjobs file, including source path, output path, passwords, destruction password, layer keys, compression, padding, splitting, and delete-source-contents setting.

Scheduled jobs run only while LockBox.Cli.exe schedule run is running. Use Windows Task Scheduler, Linux systemd, cron, a service wrapper, or a long-running console session if you need the worker to start automatically after reboot.

Frequency values

once
30m
hourly
2h
3h
6h
9h
12h
18h
daily
2d
3d
5d
weekly
2w
monthly
2mo
3mo
6mo
9mo
yearly

Add a daily encrypted backup task

$env:LBX_JOBS_PASSWORD = "jobs-file-password"
$env:LBX_MASTER = "master-password"
$env:LBX_L1 = "layer-key-1"
$env:LBX_DESTROY = "pressure-password"

.\LockBox.Cli.exe schedule add `
  --tasks "E:\Backups\jobs.lbxjobs" `
  --password-env LBX_JOBS_PASSWORD `
  --name "Nightly data backup" `
  --frequency daily `
  --start 2026-06-25T23:30:00 `
  --source "D:\Data" `
  --output "E:\Backups\nightly-data.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --destruction-password-env LBX_DESTROY `
  --compress

Add a task that deletes source folder contents after success

.\LockBox.Cli.exe schedule add `
  --tasks "E:\Backups\jobs.lbxjobs" `
  --password-env LBX_JOBS_PASSWORD `
  --name "Encrypt outgoing folder" `
  --frequency 30m `
  --start 2026-06-25T09:00:00 `
  --source "D:\Outgoing" `
  --output "E:\Backups\outgoing.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --delete-source-contents

Add a monthly archive with padding and split parts

.\LockBox.Cli.exe schedule add `
  --tasks "E:\Backups\jobs.lbxjobs" `
  --password-env LBX_JOBS_PASSWORD `
  --name "Monthly legal archive" `
  --frequency monthly `
  --start 2026-07-01T03:00:00 `
  --source "D:\Legal" `
  --output "E:\Archives\legal-monthly.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --compress `
  --padding 4GB `
  --split 2GB

List saved tasks

.\LockBox.Cli.exe schedule list `
  --tasks "E:\Backups\jobs.lbxjobs" `
  --password-env LBX_JOBS_PASSWORD

Run the scheduler worker

.\LockBox.Cli.exe schedule run `
  --tasks "E:\Backups\jobs.lbxjobs" `
  --password-env LBX_JOBS_PASSWORD `
  --state "E:\Backups\jobs.status.json" `
  --poll-seconds 30

Run due tasks once and exit

.\LockBox.Cli.exe schedule run-once `
  --tasks "E:\Backups\jobs.lbxjobs" `
  --password-env LBX_JOBS_PASSWORD `
  --state "E:\Backups\jobs.status.json"

Show latest runtime status

.\LockBox.Cli.exe schedule status --state "E:\Backups\jobs.status.json"

Status markers are [OK], [RUNNING], and [FAILED]. A failed task includes the reason and tells the user to contact support if the problem repeats.

JSON scripts

Use --script when a workflow has several steps. The script runner supports create, open, keygen, algorithms, device-id, license, and activate.

Create and open in one script

{
  "stopOnError": true,
  "commands": [
    {
      "command": "create",
      "source": "D:\\Data",
      "output": "E:\\Backups\\data.lbx",
      "masterPasswordEnv": "LBX_MASTER",
      "destructionPasswordEnv": "LBX_DESTROY",
      "compression": true,
      "padding": "512MB",
      "split": "700MB",
      "layers": [
        { "algorithm": "AES-256-GCM", "keyEnv": "LBX_L1" },
        { "algorithm": "CHACHA20-POLY1305", "keyEnv": "LBX_L2" }
      ]
    },
    {
      "command": "open",
      "container": "E:\\Backups\\data.lbx",
      "output": "D:\\Restore",
      "masterPasswordEnv": "LBX_MASTER",
      "keyEnvs": [ "LBX_L1", "LBX_L2" ]
    }
  ]
}

.\LockBox.Cli.exe --script ".\backup.lockbox.json"

Continue after a failed step

{
  "stopOnError": false,
  "commands": [
    { "command": "license" },
    { "command": "algorithms" },
    {
      "command": "create",
      "source": "D:\\BuildOutput",
      "output": "E:\\Artifacts\\build.lbx",
      "masterPasswordEnv": "LBX_MASTER",
      "layers": [
        { "algorithm": "AES-128-GCM", "keyEnv": "LBX_L1" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Activate from script

{
  "commands": [
    {
      "command": "activate",
      "licenseKeyFile": "C:\\Licenses\\lockbox-license.txt"
    },
    { "command": "license" }
  ]
}

Automation recipes

Encrypted database dump backup

$stamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd-HHmmss"
$dump = "D:\DbDumps\$stamp"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $dump | Out-Null

Copy-Item "D:\DatabaseExports\*" $dump -Recurse

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s $dump `
  -o "E:\Backups\db-$stamp.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --compress `
  --padding 512MB

CI artifact protection

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  --source "$env:BUILD_ARTIFACTSTAGINGDIRECTORY" `
  --output "$env:BUILD_ARTIFACTSTAGINGDIRECTORY\protected-artifacts.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-128-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --compress

Secure partner transfer

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s "D:\PartnerPackage" `
  -o "E:\Transfer\partner-package.lbx" `
  --master-env LBX_MASTER `
  --layer-env AES-256-GCM=LBX_L1 `
  --layer-env CHACHA20-POLY1305=LBX_L2 `
  --compress `
  --split 1GB

Long-term archive

.\LockBox.Cli.exe create `
  -s "D:\Records\2026" `
  -o "E:\ColdStorage\records-2026.lbx" `
  --master-file "C:\Secrets\records-master.txt" `
  --layer-file AES-256-GCM=C:\Secrets\records-layer1.txt `
  --layer-file SERPENT-256-CTR-HMACSHA512=C:\Secrets\records-layer2.txt `
  --compress `
  --padding 8GB `
  --split 4GB

Batch file example

@@echo off
set LBX_MASTER=master-password
set LBX_L1=layer-key-1

LockBox.Cli.exe create ^
  --source "D:\Data" ^
  --output "E:\Backups\data.lbx" ^
  --master-env LBX_MASTER ^
  --layer-env AES-128-GCM=LBX_L1

if errorlevel 1 exit /b %errorlevel%
echo OK

Command reference

Create options

Open options

Scheduler options

Troubleshooting