A new open-source project turns file encryption into a single HTML file that decrypts itself in any browser.
The tool, posted as a Show HN under the name ts-cms-ep-sfx, packs an encrypted payload into one HTML document with no external dependencies and no network calls. Its creator says the inspiration was self-extracting archives, but built around a web browser instead of an executable. The trick is structuring the HTML so it decrypts in-browser while the same file still validates as a properly PGP-signed document, and it also decrypts using bare openssl if you'd rather skip the browser entirely. The source is on GitHub, so the whole format can be audited rather than trusted blindly.
The real pitch here is portability without exposure. Sending someone an encrypted file usually assumes they already have your tooling installed, which breaks down for air-gapped machines or one-off recipients. A file that is simultaneously a valid PGP signature and a functioning webpage sidesteps that, without introducing the executable-code risk that comes with a typical self-extracting archive.
It is still a Show HN with 9 points and 6 comments, and the creator admits getting the exact byte structure right took multiple rounds of bug reports, so treat cross-browser and cross-openssl-version reliability as unproven until more people kick the tires.