Password Protect Tar.gz File [upd] -

gpg --decrypt archive.tar.gz.gpg | tar -xzvf -

If you prefer a single-tool solution that supports both compression and encryption natively, consider using 7-Zip or the standard zip command. How to password protect gzip files on the command line? password protect tar.gz file

The resulting command looks less like a simple file operation and more like an incantation: gpg --decrypt archive