diff --git a/personal/cron_scripts/ilo_status.py b/personal/cron_scripts/ilo_status.py
index 721bcb1..9072d3c 100644
--- a/personal/cron_scripts/ilo_status.py
+++ b/personal/cron_scripts/ilo_status.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python3
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 import argparse
 import configparser
 import os
@@ -7,41 +7,127 @@ import urllib3
 import redfish
 from datetime import datetime
 
+try:
+    from cryptography.fernet import Fernet, InvalidToken
+except ImportError:
+    sys.exit("Error: 'cryptography' package is required.  Run: pip install cryptography")
+
+DEFAULT_CREDENTIALS_FILE = "/root/cron_serverlists/credentials.ini"
+DEFAULT_KEYFILE_NAME = "secret.key"
+
+
 def log(message, is_error=False):
-    """Print message with timestamp"""
     timestamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
-    if is_error:
-        print(f"[{timestamp}] {message}", file=sys.stderr)
-    else:
-        print(f"[{timestamp}] {message}")
+    stream = sys.stderr if is_error else sys.stdout
+    print(f"[{timestamp}] {message}", file=stream)
+
+
+def resolve_credentials_path(cli_path):
+    """Resolve credentials path. Prefer explicit CLI path, then search common locations."""
+    if cli_path and os.path.exists(cli_path):
+        return cli_path
+
+    candidates = []
+    if cli_path:
+        candidates.append(cli_path)
+    candidates.append(os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "credentials.ini"))
+    if DEFAULT_CREDENTIALS_FILE not in candidates:
+        candidates.append(DEFAULT_CREDENTIALS_FILE)
+
+    for candidate in candidates:
+        if os.path.exists(candidate):
+            return candidate
+
+    log(
+        "Error: credentials file not found. Looked in: " + ", ".join(candidates),
+        is_error=True,
+    )
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def resolve_keyfile(cli_keyfile, credentials_path):
+    """Resolve keyfile path. Prefer explicit --keyfile, else search next to credentials file."""
+    if cli_keyfile:
+        return cli_keyfile if os.path.exists(cli_keyfile) else None
+
+    candidate = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(credentials_path), DEFAULT_KEYFILE_NAME)
+    if os.path.exists(candidate):
+        return candidate
+
+    return None
+
+
+def load_fernet(keyfile):
+    """Load Fernet instance from the key file created by set_password.py."""
+    if not os.path.exists(keyfile):
+        log(f"Error: key file not found: {keyfile}", is_error=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
+    with open(keyfile, "rb") as fh:
+        key = fh.read()
+    try:
+        return Fernet(key)
+    except ValueError:
+        log(f"Error: invalid key format in key file: {keyfile}", is_error=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def is_fernet_token(value):
+    return isinstance(value, str) and value.startswith("gAAAA")
+
+
+def decrypt_password(encrypted_password, fernet):
+    """Decrypt password encrypted by set_password.py, or pass through plaintext."""
+    if not is_fernet_token(encrypted_password):
+        return encrypted_password
+    if fernet is None:
+        log(
+            "Error: encrypted password detected but key file was not found. "
+            "Use --keyfile /path/to/secret.key.",
+            is_error=True,
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+    try:
+        return fernet.decrypt(encrypted_password.encode()).decode()
+    except InvalidToken:
+        log("Error: failed to decrypt password. Check that --keyfile matches the credentials file.", is_error=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def load_ilo_credentials(path, fernet):
+    config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    config.read(path)
+
+    section = "ilo_credentials"
+    if not config.has_section(section):
+        log(f"Error: missing [{section}] section in {path}", is_error=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    username = config.get(section, "username", fallback="root")
+    encrypted_password = config.get(section, "password", fallback=None)
+    if not encrypted_password:
+        log(f"Error: missing password in [{section}] section of {path}", is_error=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    password = decrypt_password(encrypted_password, fernet)
+    return username, password
+
 
 # Suppress SSL warnings for self-signed iLO certificates
 urllib3.disable_warnings(urllib3.exceptions.InsecureRequestWarning)
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Get the power status of an HPE server via iLO Redfish")
 parser.add_argument("hostname", help="iLO hostname or IP address")
-parser.add_argument("-c", "--credentials", default="/etc/ilo_credentials",
-                    help="Path to credentials file (default: /etc/ilo_credentials)")
+parser.add_argument("-c", "--credentials", default=None,
+                    help="Path to credentials file (default: auto-detected credentials.ini)")
+parser.add_argument("--keyfile", default=None,
+                    help="Path to Fernet key file for decrypting passwords (default: auto-detected secret.key)")
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
-# Read credentials from file (chmod 600 recommended: sudo chmod 600 /etc/ilo_credentials)
-# File format:
-#   [ilo]
-#   username = root
-#   password = yourpassword
-cred_path = args.credentials
-if not os.path.exists(cred_path):
-    log(f"Error: credentials file not found: {cred_path}", is_error=True)
-    sys.exit(1)
+cred_path = resolve_credentials_path(args.credentials)
+keyfile = resolve_keyfile(args.keyfile, cred_path)
+fernet = load_fernet(keyfile) if keyfile else None
 
-config = configparser.ConfigParser()
-config.read(cred_path)
-try:
-    LOGIN_ACCOUNT = config.get("ilo_credentials", "username", fallback="root")
-    LOGIN_PASSWORD = config.get("ilo_credentials", "password")
-except (configparser.NoSectionError, configparser.NoOptionError) as e:
-    log(f"Error reading credentials file: {e}", is_error=True)
-    sys.exit(1)
+LOGIN_ACCOUNT, LOGIN_PASSWORD = load_ilo_credentials(cred_path, fernet)
 
 BASE_URL = f"https://{args.hostname}"