Help with PGP: Importing keys that have been emailed to me

[Stumpy Wheela]

Hi there
I need to encrypt emails and I am totally new to using PGP. I have successfully created my own key in Seahorse but I am having trouble saving the key my friend has emailed me. I've read and followed the Seahorse instructions for importing a key but the key does not then appear in my keys list.

I follow the instructions 'file', 'import', i then choose the file, a box pops up showing the key which says underneath it "The information in this key has not yet been verified", i click 'import', but then it doesn't appear in my keys list like the help function says they should, is it because of this verification message? What am I doing wrong?! I've been stuck on this for ages now!

Any help appreciated!
Thanks, Hannah

[mike acker]

I'm not familiar with Seahorse; however, to import a key:

Code: Select all

gpg --import <key file name>

you can check these by doing a list keys:

Code: Select all

gpg --list-keys

if gpg reports the key OK the look in Seahorse. as noted: I've not used Seahorse. Thunderbird/Enigmail seems to have trouble communicating with gpg -- seems like its a problem using pinentry. Evolution works well. CLAWS is a great program but the message editor is text only -- unless you want to create -- e.g. a .pdf in LibreOffice Writer and send it as an attachment.

Note: I had to update the expiry dates on my key; now: I'm having trouble importing it.

gpg is a favorite subject for me; let me know if you need help testing.

apparently in Debian Stretch there is missing update: dirmngr
let me know if you run into trouble uploading/downloading from the keyserver.
the fingerprint for my key is 4DEA0DAD Mike Acker

[mike acker]

there is also a kgpg program in the package manager. it's good on basics. start it from terminal or put it in your start list.

what you should have to get started is your public/private key-pair. you will assign yourself ULTIMATE trust and then export your public key to the keyserver. do not forget to generate a revoke certificate. you assign ULTIMATE trust only to yourself.

using kgpg you can get a copy of my public key: ask for 4DEA0DAD

when you have the key: sign it using your key. this will make it VALID

lingo on these is confusing:

VALID means you are satisfied you know who the key belongs to.

Trust Level is another matter. Leave my key UNTRUSTED. You do this because all you know about me is that I use this BBS.