GnuPG : key commands
Below is a list of main commands for operating GnuPG
- Generate double keys: gpg --gen-key
- List available keys: gpg --list-keys
- Exporting your public key: gpg --armor --export keyID
- Importing a key: gpg --import filename
- Calculating the fingerprint of a key: gpg --fingerprint keyed
- Signing a key: gpg --sign-key keyed
- Encrypt and signing a message: gpg -sea -r keyID then type the message followed by key button CTRL+Z
- Signing a public message: gpg --clearsign -a -r keyID then type the message followed by key CTRL+Z
- Decrypt a message/verify signature: gpg < message.txt
- Encrypt a file with a password: gpg -c filename
- Decrypt a file with password: gpg filename
- Sign a file (signature in a separate file): gpg --armor --detach-sign filename (This will be created as filename.asc with the message)
- Verifying detached signature file .asc: gpg filename.asc
Storage keyring
The public and private keys are stored in the storage keyring namely pubring.gpg for public keys and secring.gpg for private keys.
- This file is located in ~/.gnupg for Linux and POSIX OS.
- Under windows Operating Systems, it is located in: C:\Documents and Settings\votrelogin\Application Data\gnupg\
- To access pubring.gpg, execute the following command : gpg --list-keys
Public Key servers
- Below is the server's public key PGP/GPG used for publishing public keys or searching for others.