Getting started with GPG

This document describes step by step guide how to use crypt with GPG (GnuPG).

Current implementation supports encryption and decryption using armored keys only. Support for keyring is planned in the next release.

Generate keys

Generate a new GPG key pair:

gpg --gen-key

Identify your public key by running:

gpg --list-keys

Run this command to export your GPG Public Key (armored):

gpg --armor --export --output my_pubkey.gpg $ID

Encrypt:

echo test | crypt encrypt gpg --public-key my-public-key.gpg --out test.enc

echo test | ./crypt enc gpg --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --key-id 51716619E084DAB9 --out test.enc

Identify your public key by running:

gpg --list-secret-keys

Run this command to export your GPG Private Key (armored):

gpg --export-secret-keys --armor $ID > my-private-key.asc

Decrypt:

crypt decrypt --private-key my-private-key.asc --in test.enc

Decrypt with passphrase for the private key:

crypt decrypt --private-key my-private-key.asc --passphrase <passphrase> --in test.enc

Also, you can set GPG_PASSPHRASE environment variable:

export GPG_PASSPHRASE=<passphrase>
crypt decrypt --private-key my-private-key.asc --in test.enc

This section describes current limitations and planned fixes in the next releases.

In the GnuPG 2.1 keyring format has changed, see What’s new in GnuPG 2.1 for more details.

Use --export-secret-keys to export the secret keys , or --export to export your public keys.

Upstream issues: