How to read & write standard password encrypted ZIP files?

[Josiah Carlson]

> Is it possible to write & read standard password encrypted ZIP files
> easily (using zipfile.ZipFile?)

It may be supported via some undocumented method.

One thing you should be aware of, is that ZIP files have a known 
cryptographic attack for >= 3 files encrypted with the same password in 
a zip file.  When there are more than 3 files in a zip file, all 
encrypted with the same password, only 15 bits of the password is 
required to decrypt the archive, then (I believe) recover the original 
password.

Generally, you would be better off using Python to create the original 
archive (without encryption), then use some encryption method to secure 
it.  I hear that mxCrypto is a very spiffy library for Python cryptography.

  - Josiah