= Creating GPG Keys ''' [NOTE] ====== This page was automatically converted from https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Creating_GPG_Keys It is probably * Badly formatted * Missing graphics and tables that do not covert well from mediawiki * Out-of-date * In need of other love Please fix it, remove this notice, and then add to `_topic_map.yml` Pull requests accepted at https://pagure.io/fedora-docs/fedora-howto Once that is live, go to the original wiki page and add an `{{old}}` tag, followed by a note like .... {{admon/note|This page has a new home!| This wiki page is no longer maintained. Please find the up-to-date version at: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/whatever-the-url }} .... ====== ''' This page explains in detail how to obtain a GPG key using common Fedora utilities. It also provides information on managing your key as a Fedora contributor. [[creating-gpg-keys]] Creating GPG Keys ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [[creating-gpg-keys-using-the-gnome-desktop]] Creating GPG Keys Using the GNOME Desktop ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Install the *Seahorse* utility, which makes GPG key management easier. From the main menu, select _Applications > Add/Remove Software_. Select the _Search_ tab and enter the name _seahorse_. Select the checkbox next to the _seahorse_ package and select _Apply_ to add the software. You can also install *Seahorse* using the command line with the command `su -c "yum install seahorse"`. To create a key, go the the Activities overview and select _Passwords and Encryption Keys_, which starts the application *Seahorse*. From the _File_ menu select _New..._ then _PGP Key_ then click _Continue_. Type your full name, email address, and an optional comment describing who you are (e.g.: John C. Smith, jsmith@example.com, The Man). Click _Create_. A dialog is displayed asking for a passphrase for the key. Choose a passphrase that is strong but also easy to remember. Click _OK_ and the key is created. To find your GPG key ID click on the _My Personal Keys_ tab and look in the _Key ID_ column next to the newly created key. In most cases, if you are asked for the key ID, you should prepend "0x" to the key ID, as in "0x6789ABCD". Now you should link:#BackupGNOME[ make a backup] of your private key. [[creating-gpg-keys-using-the-kde-desktop]] Creating GPG Keys Using the KDE Desktop ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Start the *KGpg* program from the main menu by selecting _Utilities > PIM > KGpg_. If you have never used *KGpg* before, the program walks you through the process of creating your own GPG keypair. A dialog box appears prompting you to create a new key pair. Enter your name, email address, and an optional comment. You can also choose an expiration time for your key, as well as the key strength (number of bits) and algorithms. The next dialog box prompts you for your passphrase. At this point, your key appears in the main *KGpg* window. To find your GPG key ID, look in the _Key ID_ column next to the newly created key. In most cases, if you are asked for the key ID, you should prepend "0x" to the key ID, as in "0x6789ABCD". Now you should link:#BackupKDE[ make a backup] of your private key. [[creating-gpg-keys-using-the-command-line]] Creating GPG Keys Using the Command Line ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use the following shell command: .... gpg2 --full-gen-key .... This command generates a key pair that consists of a public and a private key. Other people use your public key to authenticate and/or decrypt your communications. Distribute your *public* key as widely as possible, especially to people who you know will want to receive authentic communications from you, such as a mailing list. The Fedora Documentation Project, for example, asks participants to include a GPG public key in their link:DocsProject/SelfIntroduction[ self-introduction] . A series of prompts directs you through the process. Press the *Enter* key to assign a default value if desired. The first prompt asks you to select what kind of key you prefer: .... Please select what kind of key you want: (1) RSA and RSA (default) (2) DSA and Elgamal (3) DSA (sign only) (4) RSA (sign only) Your selection? .... In almost all cases, the default is the correct choice. A RSA/RSA key allows you not only to sign communications, but also to encrypt files. Next, choose the key size: .... RSA keys may be between 1024 and 4096 bits long. Larger is almost always recommended here, however your use case and security models may dictate otherwise. What keysize do you want? (2048) .... Again, the default is sufficient for almost all users, and represents an _extremely_ strong level of security. Next, choose when the key will expire. It is a good idea to choose an expiration date instead of using the default, which is _none._ If, for example, the email address on the key becomes invalid, an expiration date will remind others to stop using that public key. .... Please specify how long the key should be valid. 0 = key does not expire = key expires in n days w = key expires in n weeks m = key expires in n months y = key expires in n years Key is valid for? (0) .... Entering a value of `1y`, for example, makes the key valid for one year. (You may change this expiration date after the key is generated, if you change your mind.) Before the `gpg` program asks for signature information, the following prompt appears: .... Is this correct (y/n)? .... Enter `y` to finish the process. Next, enter your name and email address. _Remember this process is about authenticating you as a real individual._ For this reason, include your _real name_. Do not use aliases or handles, since these disguise or obfuscate your identity. Enter your real email address for your GPG key. If you choose a bogus email address, it will be more difficult for others to find your public key. This makes authenticating your communications difficult. If you are using this GPG key for link:DocsProject/SelfIntroduction[ self-introduction] on a mailing list, for example, enter the email address you use on that list. Use the comment field to include aliases or other information. (Some people use different keys for different purposes and identify each key with a comment, such as "Office" or "Open Source Projects.") At the confirmation prompt, enter the letter *O* to continue if all entries are correct, or use the other options to fix any problems. Finally, enter a passphrase for your secret key. The `gpg` program asks you to enter your passphrase twice to ensure you made no typing errors. Finally, `gpg` generates random data to make your key as unique as possible. Move your mouse, type random keys, or perform other tasks on the system during this step to speed up the process. Once this step is finished, your keys are complete and ready to use: .... pub 1024D/1B2AFA1C 2005-03-31 John Q. Doe (Fedora Docs Project) Key fingerprint = 117C FE83 22EA B843 3E86 6486 4320 545E 1B2A FA1C sub 1024g/CEA4B22E 2005-03-31 [expires: 2006-03-31] .... The key fingerprint is a shorthand "signature" for your key. It allows you to confirm to others that they have received your actual public key without any tampering. You do not need to write this fingerprint down. To display the fingerprint at any time, use this command, substituting your email address: .... gpg2 --fingerprint jqdoe@example.com .... Your "GPG key ID" consists of 8 hex digits identifying the public key. In the example above, the GPG key ID is 1B2AFA1C. In most cases, if you are asked for the key ID, you should prepend "0x" to the key ID, as in "0x1B2AFA1C". Now you should link:#BackupCLI[ make a backup] of your private key. Including your revocation keys for all active keys ( this allows your revoking keys in the event of lost passphrase of key compromise) [[making-a-backup]] Making a Backup ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [[making-a-key-backup-using-the-gnome-desktop]] Making a Key Backup Using the GNOME Desktop ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Right-click your key and select _Properties_. Select the _Details_ tab, and _Export_, next to the _Export Complete Key_ label. Select a destination filename and click _Save_. Store the copy in a secure place, such as a locked container. Now you are ready to link:#ExportGNOME[ make your public key available to others] . [[making-a-key-backup-using-the-kde-desktop]] Making a Key Backup Using the KDE Desktop ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Right-click your key and select _Export Secret Key_. At the confirmation dialog, click _Export_ to continue, then select a destination filename and click _Save_. Store the copy in a secure place, such as a locked container. Now you are ready to link:#ExportKDE[ make your public key available to others] . [[making-a-key-backup-using-the-command-line]] Making a Key Backup Using the Command Line ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use the following command to make the backup, which you can then copy to a destination of your choice: .... gpg2 --export-secret-keys --armor jqdoe@example.com > jqdoe-privkey.asc .... Store the copy in a secure place, such as a locked container. Now you are ready to link:#ExportCLI[ make your public key available to others] . [[making-your-public-key-available]] Making Your Public Key Available ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When you make your public key available to others, they can verify communications you sign, or send you encrypted communications if necessary. This procedure is also known as _exporting_. You should now export your key using link:#ExportGNOME[ GNOME] , link:#ExportKDE[ KDE] , or the link:#ExportCLI[ command line] . You can also link:#ExportFile[ copy your key manually] to a file if you wish to email it to individuals or groups. [[exporting-a-gpg-key-using-the-gnome-desktop]] Exporting a GPG Key Using the GNOME Desktop ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Export the key to a public keyserver where other project members can obtain it. Right-click the key and select _Sync and Publish Keys..._ (or in the seahorse menu bar click on the _Remote_ menu and select _Sync and Publish Keys..._). Click _Key Servers_, select _hkp://subkeys.pgp.net:11371_ in the _Publish Keys To_ combobox, click _Close_ and then _Sync_. You can now link:#Safeguarding[ read more about safeguarding your key] or use your browser to go back to a previous page. [[exporting-a-gpg-key-using-the-kde-desktop]] Exporting a GPG Key Using the KDE Desktop ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ After your key has been generated, you can export the key to a public keyserver by right-clicking on the key in the main window, and selecting _Export Public Keys_. From there you can export your public key to the clipboard, an ASCII file, to an email, or directly to a key server. Export your public key to the default key server. You can now link:#Safeguarding[ read more about safeguarding your key] or use your browser to go back to a previous page. [[exporting-a-gpg-key-using-the-command-line]] Exporting a GPG Key Using the Command Line ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use the following command to send your key to a public keyserver: .... gpg2 --send-key KEYNAME .... For _KEYNAME_, substitute the key ID or fingerprint of your primary keypair. This will send your key to the gnupg default key server (keys.gnupg.net), if you prefer another one use : .... gpg2 --keyserver hkp://pgp.mit.edu --send-key KEYNAME .... Replacing "pgp.mit.edu" with your server of choice. You can now link:#Safeguarding[ read more about safeguarding your key] or use your browser to go back to a previous page. [[copying-a-public-key-manually]] Copying a Public Key Manually ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If you want to give or send a file copy of your key to someone, use this command to write it to an ASCII text file: .... gpg2 --export --armor jqdoe@example.com > jqdoe-pubkey.asc .... You can now link:#Safeguarding[ read more about safeguarding your key] or use your browser to go back to a previous page. [[safeguarding-your-secret-key]] Safeguarding Your Secret Key ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Treat your secret key as you would any very important document or physical key. (Some people always keep their secret key on their person, either on magnetic or flash media.) If you lose your secret key, you will be unable to sign communications, or to open encrypted communications that were sent to you. [[hardware-token-options]] Hardware Token options ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you followed the above, you have a secret key which is just a regular file. A more secure model than keeping the key on disk is to use a hardware token. There are several options available on the market, for example the https://www.yubico.com/products/yubikey-hardware/yubikey4/[YubiKey]. Look for a token which advertises OpenPGP support. See https://blog.josefsson.org/2014/06/23/offline-gnupg-master-key-and-subkeys-on-yubikey-neo-smartcard/[this blog entry] for how to create a key with offline backups, and use the token for online access. [[gpg-key-revocation]] GPG Key Revocation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When you revoke a key, you withdraw it from public use. _You should only have to do this if it is compromised or lost, or you forget the passphrase._ [[generating-a-revocation-certificate]] Generating a Revocation Certificate ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ When you create the key pair you should also create a key revocation certificate. If you later issue the revocation certificate, it notifies others that the public key is not to be used. Users may still use a revoked public key to verify old signatures, but not encrypt messages. As long as you still have access to the private key, messages received previously may still be decrypted. If you forget the passphrase, you will not be able to decrypt messages encrypted to that key. .... gpg2 --output revoke.asc --gen-revoke KEYNAME .... If you do not use the `--output` flag, the certificate will print to standard output. For _KEYNAME_, substitute either the key ID of your primary keypair or any part of a user ID that identifies your keypair. Once you create the certificate (the `revoke.asc` file), you should protect it. If it is published by accident or through the malicious actions of others, the public key will become unusable. It is a good idea to write the revocation certificate to secure removable media or print out a hard copy for secure storage to maintain secrecy. [[revoking-a-key]] Revoking a key ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .... gpg2 --import revoke.asc .... Once you locally revoke the key, you should send the revoked certificate to a keyserver, regardless of whether the key was originally issued in this way. Distribution through a server helps other users to quickly become aware the key has been compromised. Export to a keyserver with the following command: .... gpg2 --keyserver subkeys.pgp.net --send KEYNAME .... For _KEYNAME_, substitute either the key ID of your primary keypair or any part of a user ID that identifies your keypair. See the Using_GPG page for more ideas on using your new GPG keys. Category:Informal_Documentation Category:Encryption ''' See a typo, something missing or out of date, or anything else which can be improved? Edit this document at https://pagure.io/fedora-docs/fedora-howto.