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GPG and SSH keys

shayonj edited this page Mar 13, 2012 · 5 revisions

Below is a short and quick guide explaining on how to create and sign using gpg keys.

Note : This is required in order to deploy the site to the summit instance.

Assumption: I am assuming at this point you have the ssh keys created. If not go here

Creating a GPG key

To Generate a private key.

  • Type this in your command line .gpg --gen-key

Now You’ll have to answer a bunch of questions:

  • What kind and size of key you want; Ans - 2048

  • How long the key should be valid. You can safely choose a non-expiring key for your own use. If you plan to use a key for public signing, you might want to consider a yearly expiration.

  • Your real name and e-mail address; these are necessary for identifying your key in a larger set of keys.

  • A comment for your key, perhaps to distinquish a key used for special tasks like signing software releases. The comment can be empty.

  • A passphrase. Whatever you do, don’t forget it! Your key, and all your encrypted files, will be useless if you do.

Important Note : Once done, save the GPG fingerprint somewhere as you will be needing to provide this to darix on IRC.

To export your key

  • Do this from the command line gpg --armor --export ABCABCAB --output pubkey.txt . Replace ABCABCAB with your GPG key . For example, go to your command line and
  • run gpg --list-keys
  • You will find something like pub 2048R/ABCABCAB
  • So ABCABCAB is what you will be needing to enter.

Signing your ssh keys with gpg

  • Do this from your command line - gpg --default-key ABCABCAB --armor --sign ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Finally

Now, you should be having the below files ready with you

  • pubkey.txt (output of your generted gpg key)
  • GPG fingerprint
  • id_rsa.pub your ssh key
  • id_rsa.pub.gpg and your signed ssh key.

Now go and email all of these to darix. Except the fingerprint, send him the fingerprint over the IRC.