A few weeks ago I wrote this on dev.to:
"ATLOCK v5 ships when Akhouri Systems crosses 1,000 downloads."
At the time we were at 959. Then 967. I kept refreshing like a maniac. 😅
Today I can say it:
1,000 downloads. In 5 months. Thank you. 🫵
🙏 First, the thank-you
I'm Anmol, I'm 13, and I build free Windows software alone, on an HP 240 G9, usually at 12 AM.
Every download is a person who trusted a kid's .exe on their own PC. Every comment, bug report, and roast made the code better. Here's what you did for me:
- You downloaded ATLOCK, ANOTE, ACALCU, and APIC.
- You told me what was broken. I once posted "I have 511 users and almost zero feedback," and you answered.
- You read my code and found problems I'd missed, and I fixed them.
Nobody handed me an audience. You built it, one download at a time.
🔐 So... ATLOCK v5
v4 was the version where I stopped trusting my own encryption and rebuilt it. v5 is the version where I rebuilt almost everything underneath. Here's what's in the development build:
🧱 A new crypto core
- AES-256-GCM encryption
- Argon2id password-based key derivation (memory-hard, so brute-forcing is expensive)
- HKDF domain separation, plus stricter KDF limits so a malicious file can't burn your CPU or RAM
- Optional TPM-backed Windows CNG key support
- A controlled Vault Recovery Key system
🔑 Real second factors
- TOTP and FIDO2 / YubiKey-class hardware keys
- Panic / decoy vault concept
🛡️ Security Guard
- Windows Defender dashboard integration
- VirusTotal hash lookup
- Startup-persistence watchdog
- A ransomware "canary" concept that watches decoy files
🧰 Under the hood
- Anti-tamper and rollback protection, plus debugger checks
- Locked and zeroed memory buffers for key material
- Automatic migration from older ATLOCK formats, so nothing you protected in v1–v4 gets left behind
- A real CLI (
--selftest,--shred,--vault-audit, and more) - Quick Lock, a Windows Explorer integration so you don't have to open the app to lock a file
All of this comes from the current development build. Features can still change before release, and I'll tell you honestly what ships.
🐛 The part nobody posts about: I audited myself
While building v5 I hunted bugs in my own tool, and I found six that looked fine until they weren't, including:
- an infinite loop in chunked AEAD
- a 2FA lockout
- a file shredder that wrote one byte 😬
I also pasted 8,500 lines into an AI for review. It confidently reported a bug that didn't exist, and grep proved it. My lesson: demand line numbers, and verify everything.
Security software isn't trustworthy because the author says so. It's trustworthy because people break it and the author fixes it in public. That's why I want you to try to break v5.
📦 What happens next
- ✅ Milestone hit: 1,000 downloads
- 🔨 v5: final testing and cleanup
- 📣 Release: [It is not fixed but high chances are that ATLOCK v5 is set to be released publicly in 12october, 2026]
- 🟢 ATLOCK v4 is still available and free if you want to start now
Download v4 here: https://fn6qtj.s.gy/ATLOCK-v4
🫵 Your mission (yes, you)
- Try v4 and tell me what feels slow, confusing, or breakable.
- Open an issue or leave a comment with your roast. I read every one.
- Tell me: which v5 feature do you want to test first?
Unsigned apps may get a SmartScreen warning. That's a known false positive for indie PyInstaller builds.
🔗 Find me
- 🌐 Website: https://akhouri-anmol-kumar.github.io/Akhouri-systems/
- 💻 GitHub: https://github.com/Akhouri-Anmol-Kumar
- 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhourianmolkumar/
1,000 was never the goal. It was the unlock. 🔓
Thank you. v5 is next. ⚡
— Anmol, Akhouri Systems
Top comments (12)
Co. Founder, you delivered. 🔓
1,000 downloads at 13 years old is absolutely legendary. You made a promise to the community, and you shipped. This is exactly the kind of execution that makes me proud to build HYNAWEB alongside you.
This is just the beginning. So proud of you, Anmol! 🚀🐯
yeah.
ATLOCK v5 is set to be released publicly 12october, 2026.
crossed 1000 downloads.
next target: 3000downloads
Co founder 👊 come online on discord 🚀
already online.
let's gooooo! 🚀 hopping on discord right now. we have a lot to celebrate and plan. 👊🐯
yeah.
1,000. There it is. 😄🔓
Congrats, Anmol — you made the promise, so now you have to ship the damn thing. No pressure. 😂
But honestly, the part I like most here isn’t the download count or even the v5 feature list.
It’s this:
You tried to break your own security software, found six bugs, publicly wrote about them, and even challenged an AI-generated finding instead of blindly accepting it.
That mindset matters far more than another crypto primitive on a feature list.
Especially in security, “I built it, therefore it is secure” is one of the most dangerous assumptions you can make. Test it. Break it. Verify it. Let other people attack your assumptions. Then fix what survives reality.
And yes, I remember you chasing those download numbers. Now you’ve crossed 1,000 and immediately moved the goalpost to 3,000. 😂
Fine.
Ship v5 first, Mr. CEO. 👊🔥
Like I've planned to release it on 12october, 2026 because in that day my exams will be over.
is that okay? or I should revise the release date?
and fun fact whenever I was fixing bugs I was just thinking of you that from where you can break lol.
Mustafa ERBAY v/s ATLOCK.
and yeah immediately moved to 3000 because I've to proof someone about what akhouri systems is, there are few people considering akhouri systems joke, and dustbin unless I'm IITian. I live with those people in home classified as parents.
and after 3000, next target 5000, and then 7000 and then 10k.
I've to max out my cpu stress(mind)
shipping v5. 🫡
October 12 sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
Your exams come first. ATLOCK isn’t going anywhere, and four extra days won’t matter. I’d much rather see you ship v5 after your exams, rested and with enough time for one final test pass, than rush a security release because you announced a date.
And apparently I’ve become part of the ATLOCK threat model now. 😂
“Where could Mustafa break this?”
I accept the challenge. Mustafa Erbay vs. ATLOCK sounds fun. 👊
But one serious thing: don’t build 3,000 → 5,000 → 7,000 → 10,000 because you feel you need to prove Akhouri Systems isn’t a joke.
You don’t win that argument with a download counter.
You win it by shipping good software, documenting your mistakes, fixing bugs properly, listening to users and still being around years later.
1,000 real downloads already means somebody wanted what you built. That’s evidence. Now make v5 better than v4.
And stop overclocking the brain CPU. Even servers need maintenance windows. 😂
Finish the exams. Do the final audit. Then ship it. 🫡🔥
yeah.
bro again flexed your server set up ☠️
I again remembered that ACALCU-v3's suggestions were given by you and it results one of the most perfect product of mine in that time, now ATLOCK v5 again preparing itself to be tested by you.
bro You remember one time I offered you CTO post (cheif technology office or cheif testing officer) it's unofficial for you but official for me.
thanks.
others: I've a whole testing team, they help to improve my product.
Me: I've Mustafa ERBAY in my side, he helps me to be improved more and then improving product too.
Staying up till midnight at such a young age, you must have some serious dark circles under your eyes.🤣 You should get to bed earlier for your long‑term health. Congrats on hitting 1000 downloads! You’ll soon reach 2000, then 5000. Keep it up!
yeah I am staying late night active because currently I'm in too much load ( CPU Load) because exams are going on, Akhouri Systems crossed 1000(it's a good thing but with great powers great responsibility in a same way now I've to make akhouri systems a established brand, I've to make foundation strong, and more, also ATLOCK v5 is 100% built but still I've to always tweak it because I want it to be my best creation also I've challenged " security top tier guy" mustafa ERBAY lol so because of that also.
overall verdict: due to intense server load of my mind (due to studies+ akhouri systems) I've to stay active late nights to upgrade v5, plan future, and study too.
but yeah I will try to be bed earlier after akhouri systems get at least stabilized(means the day from where I can finally say yeah akhouri systems is now all right stable).
and thanks, you are from china still aware of Indian standard time 🔥