diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 6f039a7..1bbb386 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 module github.com/rwinkhart/MUTN
 
-go 1.25.6
+go 1.26.0
 
 require (
 	github.com/charmbracelet/glamour v0.7.0
-	github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate v0.2.2
-	github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.4.3-0.20260125215941-ec9c6b506232
-	golang.org/x/term v0.39.0
+	github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate v0.3.0
+	github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.4.3-0.20260213233823-3fd2b13712ef
+	golang.org/x/term v0.40.0
 )
 
 require (
@@ -29,18 +29,18 @@ require (
 	github.com/pquerna/otp v1.5.0 // indirect
 	github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7 // indirect
 	github.com/rwinkhart/go-highlite v0.1.1 // indirect
-	github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.1.2 // indirect
-	github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.2.5 // indirect
+	github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.1.4 // indirect
+	github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.16 // indirect
 	github.com/yuin/goldmark-emoji v1.0.6 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/crypto v0.47.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/crypto v0.48.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/net v0.49.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.40.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.41.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0 // indirect
 )
 
-replace golang.org/x/sys => github.com/rwinkhart/sys v0.40.0
+replace golang.org/x/sys => github.com/rwinkhart/sys v0.41.0
 
-replace github.com/Microsoft/go-winio => github.com/rwinkhart/go-winio v0.1.0
+replace github.com/Microsoft/go-winio => github.com/rwinkhart/go-winio v0.1.1
 
 replace github.com/charmbracelet/glamour => github.com/rwinkhart/glamour-temp-MUTN v0.7.2
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 52eb338..0b27a32 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -44,20 +44,20 @@ github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7 h1:WUdvkW8uEhrYfLC4ZzdpI2ztxP1I582+49Oc5Mq64VQ=
 github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7/go.mod h1:FN3SvrM+Zdj16jyLfmOkMNblXMcoc8DfTHruCPUcx88=
 github.com/rwinkhart/glamour-temp-MUTN v0.7.2 h1:/CBexwkGdL8HuZjO7M0zzjGHaHCr9/r4XTOtUJa+pPE=
 github.com/rwinkhart/glamour-temp-MUTN v0.7.2/go.mod h1:DN/eJaNQ5h7dgxzfmWFo7By+b82CKEUdNaY6z4R4v3c=
-github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate v0.2.2 h1:SVHTAQU+HWFivtUnDBcfrgClJV5ZmHyFS7/uERh7NKU=
-github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate v0.2.2/go.mod h1:/NVRKGslU20E5xU5YOgXzWxA6aa94BMtv5MtHRTb5Ek=
+github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate v0.3.0 h1:dwlm1mZya1xrATkvm2pHbTIFNb5WRjIc7A3a4Ep2aAM=
+github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate v0.3.0/go.mod h1:ES13A2r9fnCVfyezwMBgY/RgA4pOIudOUXz3Jk/ikes=
 github.com/rwinkhart/go-highlite v0.1.1 h1:9TxbRhYVfD/3YaEgNk1BtEiZ0t8/5mxDUZqNMXHodT0=
 github.com/rwinkhart/go-highlite v0.1.1/go.mod h1:mWLMtCWcyV0BG4NeyPyAUGMjPvI0ds6vXmUq89QwBFA=
-github.com/rwinkhart/go-winio v0.1.0 h1:b72agLW+dETGmhR3VbcbwnStfgKfc5AfgJOXBJDkaHg=
-github.com/rwinkhart/go-winio v0.1.0/go.mod h1:ZWa7ssZJT30CCDGJ7fk/2SBTq9BIQrrVjrcss0UW2s0=
-github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.4.3-0.20260125215941-ec9c6b506232 h1:NzUoqkjBy9u9a3wV+D1DR2DemVpYi0Hxug800ybarZE=
-github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.4.3-0.20260125215941-ec9c6b506232/go.mod h1:63SCVQaWcg4JiEBxYEtLwAiRxXQvlpyFsmWUxxfdIpU=
-github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.1.2 h1:4cGWDbv0whvLeVvbUdx84V/9p+2fS+DEXgrA1KxlRFo=
-github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.1.2/go.mod h1:LLHG7YshHEpbpJJP+Il9nx2dnGj5O3VGE32rWmflj0c=
-github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.2.5 h1:3GJeii9sDZsZNL+HRkfHrnbgxnaB8a9kejiMIfPXnpE=
-github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.2.5/go.mod h1:qVw8Yp/SKtsuVZYOzzluVEVkoRJ1G7UEh2aR1CXso/U=
-github.com/rwinkhart/sys v0.40.0 h1:ZPBbXb+27vLL518sZhhNV89jXK1KbCnFGmYJ2juOQ/c=
-github.com/rwinkhart/sys v0.40.0/go.mod h1:OgkHotnGiDImocRcuBABYBEXf8A9a87e/uXjp9XT3ks=
+github.com/rwinkhart/go-winio v0.1.1 h1:kAJKiqneR7cUR01Wn5/doAAV4kOGTEGPug4oinXc5N4=
+github.com/rwinkhart/go-winio v0.1.1/go.mod h1:ZWa7ssZJT30CCDGJ7fk/2SBTq9BIQrrVjrcss0UW2s0=
+github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.4.3-0.20260213233823-3fd2b13712ef h1:XDjR//iPsxytW/nRMCS6re+fwY+ljddRA/7Tk52hAT4=
+github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.4.3-0.20260213233823-3fd2b13712ef/go.mod h1:XkT0W9PW8ouGUwrGKhNCSDgaEY25n64+/HxJUQcQ0FU=
+github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.1.4 h1:93+phjLknvJadEd2cu/ZPPWdfRSPOwFJzDBEn4ZtWVc=
+github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.1.4/go.mod h1:E8eApo/izzmq4nGGR+kpJ0ZLAXjofnVRMGCeVMPQ/Ik=
+github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.3.0 h1:OdgA++IGcDrZqN6FzyYnzbz04fL8Q1MHvlgPjhtgJM4=
+github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.3.0/go.mod h1:UUY7kSku6kV2X1RWPUcK0Re+rQ6RvngWI8DVZJ11cqk=
+github.com/rwinkhart/sys v0.41.0 h1:pHB6HphVC132UXYZ6yeOk62abqgl+pyl5ZZnsk4iUKg=
+github.com/rwinkhart/sys v0.41.0/go.mod h1:OgkHotnGiDImocRcuBABYBEXf8A9a87e/uXjp9XT3ks=
 github.com/stretchr/objx v0.1.0/go.mod h1:HFkY916IF+rwdDfMAkV7OtwuqBVzrE8GR6GFx+wExME=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.3.0/go.mod h1:M5WIy9Dh21IEIfnGCwXGc5bZfKNJtfHm1UVUgZn+9EI=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.10.0 h1:Xv5erBjTwe/5IxqUQTdXv5kgmIvbHo3QQyRwhJsOfJA=
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.16 h1:n+CJdUxaFMiDUNnWC3dMWCIQJSkxH4uz3ZwQBkAlVNE=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.16/go.mod h1:ip/1k0VRfGynBgxOz0yCqHrbZXhcjxyuS66Brc7iBKg=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark-emoji v1.0.6 h1:QWfF2FYaXwL74tfGOW5izeiZepUDroDJfWubQI9HTHs=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark-emoji v1.0.6/go.mod h1:ukxJDKFpdFb5x0a5HqbdlcKtebh086iJpI31LTKmWuA=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.47.0 h1:V6e3FRj+n4dbpw86FJ8Fv7XVOql7TEwpHapKoMJ/GO8=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.47.0/go.mod h1:ff3Y9VzzKbwSSEzWqJsJVBnWmRwRSHt/6Op5n9bQc4A=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.48.0 h1:/VRzVqiRSggnhY7gNRxPauEQ5Drw9haKdM0jqfcCFts=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.48.0/go.mod h1:r0kV5h3qnFPlQnBSrULhlsRfryS2pmewsg+XfMgkVos=
 golang.org/x/net v0.49.0 h1:eeHFmOGUTtaaPSGNmjBKpbng9MulQsJURQUAfUwY++o=
 golang.org/x/net v0.49.0/go.mod h1:/ysNB2EvaqvesRkuLAyjI1ycPZlQHM3q01F02UY/MV8=
-golang.org/x/term v0.39.0 h1:RclSuaJf32jOqZz74CkPA9qFuVTX7vhLlpfj/IGWlqY=
-golang.org/x/term v0.39.0/go.mod h1:yxzUCTP/U+FzoxfdKmLaA0RV1WgE0VY7hXBwKtY/4ww=
+golang.org/x/term v0.40.0 h1:36e4zGLqU4yhjlmxEaagx2KuYbJq3EwY8K943ZsHcvg=
+golang.org/x/term v0.40.0/go.mod h1:w2P8uVp06p2iyKKuvXIm7N/y0UCRt3UfJTfZ7oOpglM=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405 h1:yhCVgyC4o1eVCa2tZl7eS0r+SDo693bJlVdllGtEeKM=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0 h1:D8xgwECY7CYvx+Y2n4sBz93Jn9JRvxdiyyo8CTfuKaY=
diff --git a/mutn.go b/mutn.go
index 52f1544..62fb45e 100644
--- a/mutn.go
+++ b/mutn.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func main() {
 					case "note", "-n":
 						field = 4
 					case "menu", "-m":
-						cli.CopyMenu(args[1], nil, "")
+						cli.CopyMenu(args[1], nil, nil)
 					default:
 						cli.HelpCopy()
 					}
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ func main() {
 						other.PrintError("Failed to age entries: "+err.Error(), 1)
 					}
 				case 4:
-					verifyEntries(front.InputHidden("RCW Password:"))
+					verifyEntries(front.InputSecret("RCW Password:"))
 				case 5:
 					oldPassword := confirmRCWPassword("old")
 					newPassword := confirmRCWPassword("new")
@@ -264,8 +264,8 @@ func main() {
 func confirmRCWPassword(lowercasePrefix string) []byte {
 	for {
 		// get master password
-		rcwPass := front.InputHidden(strings.ToUpper(string(lowercasePrefix[0])) + lowercasePrefix[1:] + " master password:")
-		if !bytes.Equal(rcwPass, front.InputHidden("Confirm "+lowercasePrefix+" master password:")) || len(rcwPass) == 0 {
+		rcwPass := front.InputSecret(strings.ToUpper(string(lowercasePrefix[0])) + lowercasePrefix[1:] + " master password:")
+		if !bytes.Equal(rcwPass, front.InputSecret("Confirm "+lowercasePrefix+" master password:")) || len(rcwPass) == 0 {
 			fmt.Println(back.AnsiError + "Passwords do not match or password is invalid" + back.AnsiReset)
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/src/cli/1globals.go b/src/cli/1globals.go
index c0f25aa..e73450a 100644
--- a/src/cli/1globals.go
+++ b/src/cli/1globals.go
@@ -19,5 +19,5 @@ const (
 )
 
 func init() {
-	global.GetPassword = front.InputHidden
+	global.GetPassword = front.InputSecret
 }
diff --git a/src/cli/add.go b/src/cli/add.go
index 6f96dd8..514be8f 100644
--- a/src/cli/add.go
+++ b/src/cli/add.go
@@ -18,24 +18,24 @@ func AddEntry(realPath string, entryType uint8) {
 
 	var decSlice []string
 
-	var password string
+	var password []byte
 	if entryType < 2 {
 		username := front.Input("Username:")
 
 		// determine whether to generate the password
 		if entryType == 0 {
-			password = string(front.InputHidden("Password:"))
+			password = front.InputSecret("Password:")
 		} else {
 			password = inputPasswordGen()
 		}
 
-		totp := string(front.InputHidden("TOTP secret:"))
+		totp := string(front.InputSecret("TOTP secret:"))
 		url := front.Input("URL:")
 		if front.InputBinary("Add a note to this entry?") {
 			note, _ := editNote([]string{})
-			decSlice = append([]string{password, username, totp, url}, note...)
+			decSlice = append([]string{string(password), username, totp, url}, note...)
 		} else {
-			decSlice = []string{password, username, totp, url}
+			decSlice = []string{string(password), username, totp, url}
 		}
 	} else {
 		note, _ := editNote([]string{})
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ func AddEntry(realPath string, entryType uint8) {
 	}
 
 	// write and preview the new entry
-	if password != "" {
-		writeEntryCLI(realPath, decSlice, true, "")
+	if password != nil {
+		writeEntryCLI(realPath, decSlice, true, nil)
 	} else {
-		writeEntryCLI(realPath, decSlice, false, "")
+		writeEntryCLI(realPath, decSlice, false, nil)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/cli/copyMenu.go b/src/cli/copyMenu.go
index d0402c1..1121bac 100644
--- a/src/cli/copyMenu.go
+++ b/src/cli/copyMenu.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import (
 // fields without having to re-decrypt each time. decSlice can be left nil
 // to decrypt the entry specified by vanityPath. If the entry was provided
 // decrypted, CopyMenu assumes it was edited and triggers a sync.
-func CopyMenu(vanityPath string, decSlice []string, oldPassword string) {
+func CopyMenu(vanityPath string, decSlice []string, oldPassword []byte) {
 	realPath := global.GetRealPath(vanityPath)
 	var err error
 	if decSlice == nil {
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func CopyMenu(vanityPath string, decSlice []string, oldPassword string) {
 	for i := range indices {
 		if len(decSlice) > indices[i] && decSlice[indices[i]] != "" {
 			fieldOptions = append(fieldOptions, fieldStrings[i])
-			if indices[i] == 0 && oldPassword != "" {
+			if indices[i] == 0 && oldPassword != nil {
 				fieldOptions = append(fieldOptions, "Old Password")
 			}
 		}
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func CopyMenu(vanityPath string, decSlice []string, oldPassword string) {
 	signal.Notify(sigChan, os.Interrupt, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
 	go func() {
 		<-sigChan
-		if err = clip.ClearProcess(""); err != nil {
+		if err = clip.ClearProcess(nil); err != nil {
 			other.PrintError("Failed to clear clipboard on exit: "+err.Error(), global.ErrorClipboard)
 		}
 		os.Exit(0)
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func CopyMenu(vanityPath string, decSlice []string, oldPassword string) {
 		}
 		selectedField = fieldOptions[choice-1]
 		if selectedField == "Old Password" {
-			if err = clip.CopyString(false, oldPassword); err != nil {
+			if err = clip.CopyBytes(false, oldPassword); err != nil {
 				other.PrintError("Failed to copy old password to clipboard: "+err.Error(), global.ErrorClipboard)
 			}
 			continue
@@ -113,14 +113,13 @@ func CopyMenu(vanityPath string, decSlice []string, oldPassword string) {
 		choice = indices[slices.Index(fieldStrings, selectedField)]
 		if choice == 2 {
 			fmt.Println(back.AnsiWarning + "[Starting]" + back.AnsiReset + " TOTP clipboard refresher")
-			errorChan := make(chan error)
+			errorChan := make(chan error, 1)
 			done := make(chan bool)
 			go clip.TOTPCopier(decSlice[2], errorChan, done)
 			// block until first successful copy
 			if err = <-errorChan; err != nil {
 				other.PrintError("Failed to copy TOTP token: "+err.Error(), global.ErrorClipboard)
 			}
-			fmt.Println(back.AnsiGreen + "[Started]" + back.AnsiReset + " TOTP clipboard refresher")
 			// block until the user sends "q"
 			for {
 				input := front.Input("Service will run until 'q' is entered:")
@@ -129,9 +128,9 @@ func CopyMenu(vanityPath string, decSlice []string, oldPassword string) {
 				}
 			}
 			close(done)
-			fmt.Println(back.AnsiBlue + "\n[Stopped]" + back.AnsiReset + " TOTP clipboard refresher")
+			fmt.Println(back.AnsiBlue + "[Stopped]" + back.AnsiReset + " TOTP clipboard refresher")
 		} else {
-			if err = clip.CopyString(false, decSlice[choice]); err != nil {
+			if err = clip.CopyBytes(false, []byte(decSlice[choice])); err != nil {
 				other.PrintError("Failed to copy field to clipboard: "+err.Error(), global.ErrorClipboard)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/cli/edit.go b/src/cli/edit.go
index 7d22a4b..ea0db07 100644
--- a/src/cli/edit.go
+++ b/src/cli/edit.go
@@ -34,15 +34,15 @@ func EditEntryField(realPath string, field int) {
 	}
 
 	// edit the field
-	var oldPassword string
+	var oldPassword []byte
 	switch field {
 	case 0:
-		oldPassword = decSlice[field]
-		decSlice[field] = string(front.InputHidden("Password:"))
+		oldPassword = []byte(decSlice[field])
+		decSlice[field] = string(front.InputSecret("Password:"))
 	case 1:
 		decSlice[field] = front.Input("Username:")
 	case 2:
-		decSlice[field] = string(front.InputHidden("TOTP secret:"))
+		decSlice[field] = string(front.InputSecret("TOTP secret:"))
 	case 3:
 		decSlice[field] = front.Input("URL:")
 	case 4: // edit notes fields
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ func GenUpdate(realPath string) {
 	}
 
 	// generate a new password
-	oldPassword := decSlice[0]
-	decSlice[0] = inputPasswordGen()
+	oldPassword := []byte(decSlice[0])
+	decSlice[0] = string(inputPasswordGen())
 
 	// write and preview the modified entry
 	writeEntryCLI(realPath, decSlice, true, oldPassword)
diff --git a/src/cli/printInfo.go b/src/cli/printInfo.go
index 0fc676c..b782039 100644
--- a/src/cli/printInfo.go
+++ b/src/cli/printInfo.go
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func Version() {
 		ansiVersionOutline + "<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>-<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>\n" +
 		"\\" + ansiBlackOnWhite + "                                                       " + back.AnsiReset + ansiVersionOutline + "/\n" +
 		"\\" + ansiBlackOnWhite + "                      MUTN v" + MUTNVersion + "                      " + back.AnsiReset + ansiVersionOutline + "/\n" +
-		"\\" + ansiBlackOnWhite + "                The Cryptic Cuts Update                " + back.AnsiReset + ansiVersionOutline + "/\n" +
+		"\\" + ansiBlackOnWhite + "                The \"Hardy Herd\" Update                " + back.AnsiReset + ansiVersionOutline + "/\n" +
 		"\\" + ansiBlackOnWhite + "                                                       " + back.AnsiReset + ansiVersionOutline + "/\n" +
 		"\\" + ansiBlackOnWhite + "              Built with libmutton v" + global.LibmuttonVersion + "              " + back.AnsiReset + ansiVersionOutline + "/\n" +
 		"\\" + ansiBlackOnWhite + "                                                       " + back.AnsiReset + ansiVersionOutline + "/\n" +
diff --git a/src/cli/utilitiesMisc.go b/src/cli/utilitiesMisc.go
index 1a33436..8fca326 100644
--- a/src/cli/utilitiesMisc.go
+++ b/src/cli/utilitiesMisc.go
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate/back"
 	"github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate/front"
 	"github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate/other"
-	"github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate/stringy"
+	"github.com/rwinkhart/go-boilerplate/security"
 	"github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton/core"
 )
 
 // inputPasswordGen prompts the user for password generation parameters and returns a generated password as a string.
-func inputPasswordGen() string {
+func inputPasswordGen() []byte {
 	passLength := front.InputInt("Password length:", 1, -1)
 	fmt.Println()
 	passCharset := uint8(front.InputMenuGen("Password complexity:", []string{"Simple", "Complex", "Ultra Complex (not compatible with many services)"}))
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ func inputPasswordGen() string {
 		complexity = 0.2 // (ultra) complex
 		// 2 and 3 indicate complex and ultra complex charsets, respectively
 	}
-	return stringy.StringGen(passLength, complexity, passCharset)
+	return security.BytesGen(passLength, complexity, passCharset)
 }
 
 // writeEntryCLI writes decSlice to realPath and previews it (errors if no data is supplied).
-func writeEntryCLI(realPath string, decSlice []string, passwordIsNew bool, oldPassword string) {
+func writeEntryCLI(realPath string, decSlice []string, passwordIsNew bool, oldPassword []byte) {
 	if core.EntryIsNotEmpty(decSlice) {
 		if err := core.WriteEntry(realPath, decSlice, passwordIsNew, nil); err != nil {
 			other.PrintError("Failed to write entry: "+err.Error(), back.ErrorWrite)