getsops/sops · error

Input string %s does not match sops' data format

Error message

Input string %s does not match sops' data format

What it means

Error "Input string %s does not match sops' data format" thrown in getsops/sops.

Source

Thrown at aes/cipher.go:60

type Cipher struct {
	// stash is a map that stores IVs for reuse, so that the ciphertext doesn't change when decrypting and reencrypting
	// the same values.
	stash map[stashKey][]byte
}

// NewCipher is the constructor for a new Cipher object
func NewCipher() Cipher {
	return Cipher{
		stash: make(map[stashKey][]byte),
	}
}

var encre = regexp.MustCompile(`^ENC\[AES256_GCM,data:(.+),iv:(.+),tag:(.+),type:(.+)\]`)

func parse(value string) (*encryptedValue, error) {
	matches := encre.FindStringSubmatch(value)
	if matches == nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Input string %s does not match sops' data format", value)
	}
	data, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(matches[1])
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error base64-decoding data: %s", err)
	}
	iv, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(matches[2])
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error base64-decoding iv: %s", err)
	}
	tag, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(matches[3])
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error base64-decoding tag: %s", err)
	}
	datatype := string(matches[4])

	return &encryptedValue{data, iv, tag, datatype}, nil
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 13442bb981)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at aes/cipher.go:60 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of getsops/sops@13442bb981 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e3191853f2f22f8a. Report an issue: GitHub.