OpenPGP is a non proprietary protocol for encrypting e-mail with the use of public key
cryptography based on PGP. It defines standard formats for encrypted messages, signatures, private keys
and certificates for exchanging public keys.
Public key cryptography is a concept which involves the use of two keys:
a public key, that you can give to anyone with whom
you would like to communicate, and a private key which is
private and must be kept secret.
To create OpenPGP keys:
-
Choose
-
Select PGP Key and click Continue
-
Enter your full name (first - last), your e-mail address and any additional information.
You can also specify advanced options for the key: see below.
-
Click Create to create the new key pair.
-
The Passphrase for New PGP Key dialog will open.
Enter the passphrase twice for your new key.
Use similar practices to generating a strong password when choosing a
passphrase. The main difference between a password and a passphrase is that,
in a passphrase, spaces are valid characters.
Expand the Advanced key options
section to specify the following options for a new key:
- Encryption Type
-
This field specifies the encryption algorithms used
to generate your keys.
-
DSA ElGamal
-
This is the suggested choice as it will allow
you to encrypt, decrypt, sign and verify as needed.
- DSA
-
Will allow signing only.
- RSA
-
Will allow signing only.
- Key Strength (bits)
-
This is the length of the key in bits. The longer the key,
the more secure it will be, provided a strong passphrase is
used. Conversely, performing any operation with a longer key
will require more time than it would with a shorter key. Acceptable
values are between 1024 and 4096 bits. At least 2048 bits is recommended.
- Expiration Date
-
This is the date at which the key will cease to be usable for
performing encryption or signing operations. 6 months is a reasonable time
to set it to. You will have to either change the
expiration date or generate a new key or subkey after this amount
of time passes.
Sign your new key with your old one before it expires
to preserve your trust status.
Sobre
Dereitos de autor
- Copyright © 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Jacob Perkins and Adam Schreiber
Aviso legal
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this
document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation
License (GFDL), Version 1.1 or any later version published
by the Free Software Foundation with no Invariant Sections,
no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. You can find
a copy of the GFDL at this link or in the file COPYING-DOCS
distributed with this manual.
This manual is part of a collection of GNOME manuals
distributed under the GFDL. If you want to distribute this
manual separately from the collection, you can do so by
adding a copy of the license to the manual, as described in
section 6 of the license.
Many of the names used by companies to distinguish their
products and services are claimed as trademarks. Where those
names appear in any GNOME documentation, and the members of
the GNOME Documentation Project are made aware of those
trademarks, then the names are in capital letters or initial
capital letters.
DOCUMENT AND MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THE DOCUMENT ARE PROVIDED
UNDER THE TERMS OF THE GNU FREE DOCUMENTATION LICENSE
WITH THE FURTHER UNDERSTANDING THAT:
-
DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES
THAT THE DOCUMENT OR MODIFIED VERSION OF THE
DOCUMENT IS FREE OF DEFECTS MERCHANTABLE, FIT FOR
A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGING. THE ENTIRE
RISK AS TO THE QUALITY, ACCURACY, AND PERFORMANCE
OF THE DOCUMENT OR MODIFIED VERSION OF THE
DOCUMENT IS WITH YOU. SHOULD ANY DOCUMENT OR
MODIFIED VERSION PROVE DEFECTIVE IN ANY RESPECT,
YOU (NOT THE INITIAL WRITER, AUTHOR OR ANY
CONTRIBUTOR) ASSUME THE COST OF ANY NECESSARY
SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION. THIS DISCLAIMER
OF WARRANTY CONSTITUTES AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THIS
LICENSE. NO USE OF ANY DOCUMENT OR MODIFIED
VERSION OF THE DOCUMENT IS AUTHORIZED HEREUNDER
EXCEPT UNDER THIS DISCLAIMER; AND
-
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES AND UNDER NO LEGAL
THEORY, WHETHER IN TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE),
CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, SHALL THE AUTHOR,
INITIAL WRITER, ANY CONTRIBUTOR, OR ANY
DISTRIBUTOR OF THE DOCUMENT OR MODIFIED VERSION
OF THE DOCUMENT, OR ANY SUPPLIER OF ANY OF SUCH
PARTIES, BE LIABLE TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY
DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY CHARACTER
INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS
OF GOODWILL, WORK STOPPAGE, COMPUTER FAILURE OR
MALFUNCTION, OR ANY AND ALL OTHER DAMAGES OR
LOSSES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO USE OF THE
DOCUMENT AND MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THE DOCUMENT,
EVEN IF SUCH PARTY SHALL HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Feedback
To report a bug or make a suggestion regarding the
Passwords and Keys application or this manual, follow the directions in the
Gnome Feedback Page.