How to work with GnuPG

1. Create a key pair

./gpg --quick-gen-key This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2. Export the public key (-a or -armor means export as ASCII instead of binary)

gpg -a --export This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > /tmp/key

3. List keys in keyring

./gpg --list-keys

4. Encrypt a file (-r specifies the owner of the public key)

./gpg -r This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. -e /tmp/testfile

5. Decrypt a file (pasadena is the passphrase used to crete the key)

echo pasadena | gpg —-yes —verbose /tmp/testfile.gpg

(or simply gpg /tmp/testfile.gpg and follow prompt)

6. Set cipher preference

get current preferences

* gpg —-verbose —-version

set preferences

* gpg —-edit-key This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Encrypting requires pubring.gpg

Decryption requires secring.gpg