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Looking for pgp encryption software


fuzzylizard
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I want to start encrypting some of the data that is on my computer as well as I want to be able to encrypt and sign the email that I am sending out. However, I do not know a lot about pgp type encryption.

 

So, I am looking for two things:

 

1. A list of programs that will work on both windows and linux to manage encryption. Any suggestions must meet certain requirements:

* Must have a graphical front end - I am not messing about with a command line with this

* be easy and straight forward to use

* must manage the uploading/downloading of any and all public keys

* must handle email encryption and signing as well

* must have similiar counterparts on windows

 

2. I am also looking for a few links that will explain how to use the above programs. I do not want to become an expert on encryption. I want to learn just enough about the process in order to use it correctly.

 

Is this too much to ask of Linux? Is encryption really one of those things that separates the newbies from the l33t? Part of the reason that I want to do this is to both set it up on several of my computers to make my life a little more secure and to see how hard it is for a normal person to adopt email and file encryption into their everyday life. There is no use in doing all this if I have no one to send encrypted emails to.

 

[moved from Software by spinynorman]

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I believe there are some encription programs on www.tucows.com ...and they always have a link to the developer's home page...try looking there...

 

hmm...I think I shall as well...just because...I'm obsessed with security...as some of you know, I have 4 firewalls on my windoze comp :P

Plus it makes you sound cooler :P

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If time allows I'll get back to you on this later. I'm moving from Indonesia back to the USA this week, so will be pretty hectic here. :D

 

1. PGP and gpg are pretty compatible. I use KGpg as GUI frontend. Not bad. I can easily work in either windows or linux using pgp or gpg. Evolution does NOT work properly with PGP don't waste time trying. It uses non-standard settings.

 

IMHO PGP is a dying thing. I frankly would not recommend it as most users are too lazy to go through the extra steps it requires. PGP filled a gap when we did not have SSL / SMIME emails and disc encryption like we have now. VPN has filled the commercial need.

 

2. PGP has a built in help system that is extensive. You should not need anything else. Either use PGP or PGPi (international) and www.pgp.com or www.pgpi.org should work for you.

 

Gpg is www.gnupg.org and there are plenty of links there to help you. Kgpg package has some helpful info. Gnome has a similar frontend, but I forget the name. Seahorse????

 

The Linux Documentation project has a how to on encrypted loop stuff and Mandrake has a nice package called Drakloop that makes it easy to use. I tried bestcrypt but did not like it.

 

Again, I do not suggest you waste much time on it as most users do not have keys or plugins. Better to learn to protect your hard drive and realize email is not secure. If you need to send something confidential, use ssl or vpn (both users must have it though) or get your receipients to use pgp for those situations.

 

Hope it helps a bit.

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The basis for all tghe encryption is called gnupg (gpg). http://www.gnupg.org/

 

On the the gnupg-site you can find links to front-ends, ..just look in their menu under "Related software".

 

Yes, there are front-ends. You can encrypt, ...sign mail with mozilla, kmail, ... (mozill I am sure of ..sinc eI saw it ..anyway in thunderbird :)). But I suppose there are plugins for most mail-programs.

There are plugins for chat-programs. I know gaim has an encryption plugin. It's mentionnedon the gaim-page. You can also use encrypted filesystems under linux. If you want I can find an article I found earlier. It seems there are different ways to set it up. Under Mandrake it's an option in harddrake-wizard.

 

For centralising ...kde know has something called "kwallet" which is a central point for teh encryption ..but don't know how strong ... but there is another program for kde which exists longer than kwallet and does ( ~ / more ): PwManager (http://kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=10277&PHPSESSID=5d1f44671f40fae5fa3893731d01e291).

The newest version of it has an emultion-layer for kwallet.

 

You'll have to compare them yourself.

 

There are also front-ends for gnome ..you can find them in the "related software" mentionned above. There even seems to be a windows-front-end. Didn't know that.

 

A good read is the handbook on the gnupg-page ... the longer one is iinteresting (if you are more interested in the details), else (for you I suppose) there is the mini-howto: it also tells some things about the front-ends.

http://www.gnupg.org/(en)/documentation/howtos.html

Also about some not mentionned in related software I think, but I can be wrong (about using it in the mail-programs, ... ).

 

You can also link to gnupg in your own programs ...

 

Hopes this helps

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Again, I do not suggest you waste much time on it as most users do not have keys or plugins. Better to learn to protect your hard drive and realize email is not secure. If you need to send something confidential, use ssl or vpn (both users must have it though) or get your receipients to use pgp for those situations.

Okay, but what about digitally signing emails. I tend to agree with the encrypting part, but I would still like a way to prove that an email, or a file, is actually from me. Is this a waste of time as well? Are there other ways of digitally signing emails?

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You can use pgp or gpg to sign your emails, but 99% of the people out there do not even know what the little certificate/envelope icon is in their windoze email software is, and since they do not have the pgp installed, it is not functional. In Kmail if you do not setup the plugin you get a nifty yellow warning screen showing that it does not recognize the signature. :P

 

I've used pgp and gpg for last 9-10 yrs and it is pretty easy now compared to the cli days past, but still is too much for most end users.

 

If you are doing developing, financial transactions, etc then it makes sense to have a digital signature. You can do that with a digital certificate from a verified source. A google search of "digital signature" will show you lots of options on that if you want to try it out. It is a good learning experience, but don't be surprised if some people people get a bit upset by the "attachments" you will be sending them. Since windoze is so virus prone, these days some are touchy about emails having attachments or strange code at the bottom. :wall:

 

Here's a basic tutorial link to start with:

 

American Bar Association TUTORIAL on Dig Sigs

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  • 1 year later...
Guest davidgypsy
I want to start encrypting some of the data that is on my computer as well as I want to be able to encrypt and sign the email that I am sending out. However, I do not know a lot about pgp type encryption.

 

I use pgp encryption on a daily basis, and it is very secure. In KDE I use Kgpg, it is a graphical frontend for gpg and works easily and without you having to be a computer scientist. It integrates well with Konqueror, so that you just have to right click on a file and it will give you the option to encrypt it. The Gnome equivalent is called Seahorse.

 

It also integrates with Thunderbird, if you have the Enigmail plugin installed, but I normally prefer to just encrypt a file and attach it.

 

The encrypted files you send are 100% compatible with PGP in Windows, and as long as the person you are sending them to has PGP installed, it will be easy for them to unencrypt the file.

 

PGP and GPG work on a two key system, one is a public key and is used to encrypt files, and the other is a secret key and is used to unencrypt files. You need to send your public key to the person you will be sharing encrypted files with, and they need to send you their public key. The secret key needs to be kept by you and never shared with others, or else your security can be breached.

 

Many thousands of people use PGP every day to transfer files securely, and it has never been breached yet.

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Okay, but what about digitally signing emails. I tend to agree with the encrypting part, but I would still like a way to prove that an email, or a file, is actually from me. Is this a waste of time as well? Are there other ways of digitally signing emails?

You can encrypt and sign email using KGPG and Evolution email. It works perfectly for me.

 

Regards,

zenarcher

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