en/index.html

   1 <!DOCTYPE html>
   2 <html lang="en">
   3 <head>
   4 <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
   5 <title>Email Self-Defense - a guide to fighting surveillance with GnuPG
   6 encryption</title>
   7 <meta name="keywords" content="GnuPG, GPG, openpgp, surveillance, privacy,
   8 email, security, GnuPG2, encryption" />
   9 <meta name="description" content="Email surveillance violates our fundamental
  10 rights and makes free speech risky. This guide will teach you email
  11 self-defense in 40 minutes with GnuPG." />
  12 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
  13 <link rel="stylesheet" href="../static/css/main.css" />
  14 <link rel="shortcut icon"
  15 href="../static/img/favicon.ico" />
  16 </head>
  17 <body>
  18 <!--<div style="text-align: center; padding: 2.5px; background-color: #a94442; color:#fcf8e3;"><p>Due to Enigmail's PGP functionality being migrated into Icedove and Thunderbird, steps 2 and 3 of the guide are currently out of date.</p><p> Thank you for your patience while we're working on a new round of updates.</p></div>-->
  19
  20 <!-- PLACE FUNDRAISER MODAL WINDOW HERE -->
  21
  22 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ GnuPG Header and introduction text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
  23 <header class="row" id="header"><div>
  24
  25
  26 <h1>Email Self-Defense</h1>
  27
  28 <!-- Language list for browsers that do not have JS enabled -->
  29 <ul id="languages" class="os">
  30 <li><strong><a href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Translation_Guide">
  31 Translate!</a></strong></li>
  32 </ul>
  33
  34 <ul id="menu" class="os">
  35 <li class="spacer"><a href="index.html" class="current">Set up guide</a></li>
  36 <!--<li><a href="mac.html">Mac OS</a></li>-->
  37 <!--<li><a href="windows.html">Windows</a></li>-->
  38 <li class="spacer"><a href="workshops.html">Teach your friends</a></li>
  39 <li class="spacer"><a
  40 href="https://fsf.org/share?u=https://u.fsf.org/zb&amp;t=Email%20encryption%20for%20everyone%20via%20%40fsf">
  41 Share&nbsp;
  42 <img src="../static/img/gnu-social.png" class="share-logo"
  43 alt="[GNU Social]" />&nbsp;
  44 <img src="../static/img/mastodon.png" class="share-logo"
  45 alt="[Mastodon]" />&nbsp;
  46 <img src="../static/img/reddit-alien.png" class="share-logo"
  47 alt="[Reddit]" />&nbsp;
  48 <img src="../static/img/hacker-news.png" class="share-logo"
  49 alt="[Hacker News]" /></a></li>
  50 </ul>
  51
  52 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ FSF Introduction ~~~~~~~~~ -->
  53 <div id="fsf-intro">
  54
  55 <h3><a href="https://u.fsf.org/ys"><img
  56 alt="Free Software Foundation"
  57 src="../static/img/fsf-logo.png" />
  58 </a></h3>
  59
  60 <center><p><a href="https://crm.fsf.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&amp;id=14&amp;mtm_campaign=email_self_defense&amp;mtm_kwd=guide_donate"><img alt="Donate" src="../static/img/en/donate.png" style="img align: center;"/></a></p></center>
  61
  62 <div class="fsf-emphasis">
  63
  64 <p>We fight for computer users' rights, and promote the development of free (as
  65 in freedom) software. Resisting bulk surveillance is very important to us.</p>
  66
  67 <p><strong>Please donate to support Email Self-Defense. We need to keep
  68 improving it, and making more materials, for the benefit of people around
  69 the world taking the first step towards protecting their privacy.</strong></p>
  70
  71 </div>
  72
  73 <script type="text/javascript">
  74 this.fsf_widget_size = "thin";
  75 this.fsf_associate_id = "2442";
  76 </script>
  77 <script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.fsf.org/nosvn/appeal2011/widget2.js"></script>
  78
  79 </div><!-- End #fsf-intro -->
  80
  81 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Guide Introduction ~~~~~~~~~ -->
  82 <div class="intro">
  83
  84 <p><a id="infographic" href="infographic.html"><img
  85 src="../static/img/en/infographic-button.png"
  86 alt="View &amp; share our infographic &rarr;" /></a>
  87 Bulk surveillance violates our fundamental rights and makes free speech
  88 risky. This guide will teach you a basic surveillance self-defense skill: email
  89 encryption. Once you've finished, you'll be able to send and receive emails
  90 that are scrambled to make sure a surveillance agent or thief intercepting
  91 your email can't read them. All you need is a computer with an Internet
  92 connection, an email account, and about forty minutes.</p>
  93
  94 <p>Even if you have nothing to hide, using encryption helps protect the privacy
  95 of people you communicate with, and makes life difficult for bulk surveillance
  96 systems. If you do have something important to hide, you're in good company;
  97 these are the same tools that whistleblowers use to protect their identities
  98 while shining light on human rights abuses, corruption, and other crimes.</p>
  99
 100 <p>In addition to using encryption, standing up
 101 to surveillance requires fighting politically for a <a
 102 href="https://gnu.org/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html">reduction
 103 in the amount of data collected on us</a>, but the essential first step is
 104 to protect yourself and make surveillance of your communication as difficult
 105 as possible. This guide helps you do that. It is designed for beginners, but
 106 if you already know the basics of GnuPG or are an experienced free software
 107 user, you'll enjoy the advanced tips and the <a href="workshops.html">guide
 108 to teaching your friends</a>.</p>
 109
 110 </div><!-- End .intro -->
 111 </div></header><!-- End #header -->
 112
 113 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 1: Get the pieces ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 114 <section class="row" id="section1"><div>
 115
 116 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 117 <div class="section-intro">
 118
 119 <h2><em>#1</em> Get the pieces</h2>
 120
 121 <p class="notes">This guide relies on software which is <a
 122 href="https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html">freely licensed</a>;
 123 it's completely transparent and anyone can copy it or make their
 124 own version. This makes it safer from surveillance than proprietary
 125 software (like Windows or macOS). Learn more about free software at <a
 126 href="https://u.fsf.org/ys">fsf.org</a>.</p>
 127
 128 <p>Most GNU/Linux operating systems come with GnuPG installed on them, so if you're running one of these systems, you don't have to download it. If you're running macOS or Windows, steps to download GnuPG are below. Before configuring your encryption setup with this guide, though, you'll need a desktop email program installed on your computer. Many GNU/Linux distributions have one installed already, such as Icedove, which may be under the alternate name "Thunderbird." Programs like these are another way to access the same email accounts you can access in a browser (like Gmail), but provide extra features.</p>
 129
 130 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
 131
 132 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 133 <div id="step-1a" class="step">
 134 <div class="sidebar">
 135
 136 <p class="large"><img
 137 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step1a-install-wizard.png"
 138 alt="Step 1.A: Install Wizard" /></p>
 139
 140 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 141 <div class="main">
 142
 143 <h3><em>Step 1.a</em> Set up your email program with your email account</h3>
 144
 145 <p>Open your email program and follow the wizard (step-by-step walkthrough)
 146 that sets it up with your email account. This usually starts from "Account Settings" &rarr; "Add Mail Account". You should get the email server settings from your systems administrator or the help section of your email account.</p>
 147
 148
 149 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 150 <div class="troubleshooting">
 151
 152 <h4>Troubleshooting</h4>
 153
 154 <dl>
 155 <dt>The wizard doesn't launch</dt>
 156 <dd>You can launch the wizard yourself, but the menu option for doing so is
 157 named differently in each email program. The button to launch it will be in
 158 the program's main menu, under "New" or something similar, titled something
 159 like "Add account" or "New/Existing email account."</dd>
 160
 161 <dt>The wizard can't find my account or isn't downloading my mail</dt>
 162 <dd>Before searching the Web, we recommend you start by asking other people
 163 who use your email system, to figure out the correct settings.</dd>
 164
 165 <dt>I can't find the menu</dt>
 166 <dd>In many new email programs, the main menu is represented by an image of
 167 three stacked horizontal bars.</dd>
 168
 169 <dt class="feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?</dt>
 170 <dd class="feedback">Please let us know on the <a
 171 href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
 172 page</a>.</dd>
 173 </dl>
 174
 175 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 176 </div><!-- End .main -->
 177 </div><!-- End #step1-a .step -->
 178
 179 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 180 <div id="step-1b" class="step">
 181 <div class="main">
 182
 183 <h3><em>Step 1.b</em> Install GnuPG</h3>
 184
 185 <p>If you are using a GNU/Linux machine, you should already have GnuPG installed, and you can skip to <a href="#section2">Section 2</a>.</p>
 186
 187 <p>If you are using a macOS or Windows machine, however, you need to first install the GnuPG program. Select your operating system below and follow the instructions. For the rest of this guide, the steps are the same for all operating systems. </p>
 188
 189 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ MACOS ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 190 <div class="troubleshooting">
 191
 192 <h4>macOS</h4>
 193
 194 <dl>
 195 <dt>Use a third-party package manager to install GnuPG</dt>
 196 <dd>
 197 <p>The default macOS package manager makes it difficult to install GnuPG and other pieces of free software (like Emacs, GIMP, or Inkscape). To make things easier, we recommend setting up the third-party package manager "Homebrew" to install GnuPG. For this, we will use a program called "Terminal," which is pre-installed on macOS.</p>
 198
 199 <p># Copy the first command on the home page of <a href="https://brew.sh/">Homebrew</a> by clicking on the clipboard icon, and paste it in Terminal. Click "Enter" and wait for the installation to finalize.</p>
 200 <p># Then install GnuPG by entering the following code in Terminal:<br/>
 201 <code>brew install gnupg gnupg2</code></p>
 202 </dd>
 203 </dl>
 204
 205 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 206
 207 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ WINDOWS ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 208 <div class="troubleshooting">
 209
 210 <h4>Windows</h4>
 211
 212 <dl>
 213 <dt>Get GnuPG by downloading GPG4Win</dt>
 214 <dd><p><a href="https://www.gpg4win.org/">GPG4Win</a> is an email and file encryption software package that includes GnuPG. Download and install the latest version, choosing default options whenever asked. After it's installed, you can close any windows that it creates.</p>
 215 </dd>
 216 </dl>
 217
 218 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 219 </div><!-- End .main -->
 220 </div><!-- End #step1-b .step -->
 221
 222 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 223 <div id="terminology" class="step">
 224 <div class="main">
 225
 226 <h3>GnuPG, OpenPGP, what?</h3>
 227
 228 <p>In general, the terms GnuPG, GPG, GNU Privacy Guard, OpenPGP and PGP
 229 are used interchangeably. Technically, OpenPGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is the
 230 encryption standard, and GNU Privacy Guard (often shortened to GPG or GnuPG)
 231 is the program that implements the standard. Most email programs provide an interface for GnuPG. There is also a newer version of GnuPG, called GnuPG2.</p>
 232
 233 </div><!-- End .main -->
 234 </div><!-- End #terminology.step-->
 235
 236 </div></section><!-- End #section1 -->
 237
 238 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 2: Make your keys ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 239 <section id="section2" class="row"><div>
 240
 241 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 242 <div class="section-intro">
 243
 244 <h2><em>#2</em> Make your keys</h2>
 245 <p class="float medium"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step2a-01-make-keypair.png" alt="A robot with a head shaped like a key holding a private and a public key"/></p>
 246
 247 <p>To use the GnuPG system, you'll need a public key and a private key (known
 248 together as a keypair). Each is a long string of randomly generated numbers
 249 and letters that are unique to you. Your public and private keys are linked
 250 together by a special mathematical function.</p>
 251
 252 <p>Your public key isn't like a physical key, because it's stored in the open
 253 in an online directory called a keyserver. People download it and use it,
 254 along with GnuPG, to encrypt emails they send to you. You can think of the
 255 keyserver as a phonebook; people who want to send you encrypted email can
 256 look up your public key.</p>
 257
 258 <p>Your private key is more like a physical key, because you keep it to
 259 yourself (on your computer). You use GnuPG and your private key together to
 260 descramble encrypted emails other people send to you. <strong>You should never share your private key with anyone, under any
 261 circumstances.</strong></p>
 262
 263 <p>In addition to encryption and decryption, you can also use these keys to
 264 sign messages and check the authenticity of other people's signatures. We'll
 265 discuss this more in the next section.</p>
 266
 267 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
 268
 269 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 270 <div id="step-2a" class="step">
 271 <div class="sidebar">
 272 <p class="large"><img
 273 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step2a-02-make-keypair.png"
 274 alt="Step 2.A: Make your Keypair" /></p>
 275
 276 <p class="large"><img
 277 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step2a-03-make-keypair.png"
 278 alt="Step 2.A: Set your passphrase" /></p>
 279
 280 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 281 <div class="main">
 282
 283 <h3><em>Step 2.a</em> Make a keypair</h3>
 284
 285 <h4>Make your keypair</h4>
 286
 287 <p>We will use the command line in a terminal to create a keypair using the
 288 GnuPG program.</p>
 289
 290 <p class="notes">Whether on GNU/Linux, macOS or Windows, you can launch your
 291 terminal ("Terminal" in macOS, "PowerShell" in Windows) from the Applications
 292 menu (some GNU/Linux systems respond to the <kbd>Ctrl + Alt + T</kbd>
 293 shortcut).</p>
 294
 295 <p># Enter <code>gpg --full-generate-key</code> to start the process.</p>
 296 <p># To answer what kind of key you would like to create, select the default option: <samp>1&nbsp;RSA&nbsp;and&nbsp;RSA</samp>.</p>
 297 <p># Enter the following keysize: <code>4096</code> for a strong key.</p>
 298 <p># Choose the expiration date; we suggest <code>2y</code> (2 years).</p>
 299 <p>Follow the prompts to continue setting up with your personal details.</p>
 300 <p class="notes"> Depending on your version of GPG, you may need to use
 301 <code>--gen-key</code> instead of <code>--full-generate-key</code>&#65279;.</p>
 302
 303 <h4>Set your passphrase</h4>
 304 <p>On the screen titled "Passphrase," pick a strong password! You can
 305 do it manually, or you can use the Diceware method. Doing it manually
 306 is faster but not as secure. Using Diceware takes longer and requires
 307 dice, but creates a password that is much harder for attackers to figure
 308 out. To use it, read the section "Make a secure passphrase with Diceware" in <a
 309 href="https://theintercept.com/2015/03/26/passphrases-can-memorize-attackers-cant-guess/">
 310 this article</a> by Micah Lee.</p>
 311
 312
 313 <p>If you'd like to pick a passphrase manually, come up with something
 314 you can remember which is at least twelve characters long, and includes
 315 at least one lower case and upper case letter and at least one number or
 316 punctuation symbol. Never pick a password you've used elsewhere. Don't use
 317 any recognizable patterns, such as birthdays, telephone numbers, pets' names,
 318 song lyrics, quotes from books, and so on.</p>
 319
 320 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 321 <div class="troubleshooting">
 322
 323 <h4>Troubleshooting</h4>
 324 <dl>
 325 <dt>GnuPG is not installed</dt>
 326 <dd>
 327 You can check if this is the case with the command <code>gpg --version</code>&#65279;.
 328 If GnuPG is not installed, it will bring up the following result on most GNU/Linux operating systems, or something like it:
 329 <samp>Command 'gpg' not found, but can be installed with:
 330   sudo apt install gnupg</samp>. Follow that command and install the program.</dd>
 331
 332 <dt><i>gpg --full-generate-key</i> command not working</dt>
 333 <dd>Some distributions use a different version of GPG. When you receive an error code that is something along the lines of: <samp>gpg: Invalid option "--full-generate-key"</samp>, you can try the following commands: <br />
 334 <code>sudo apt update</code><br />
 335 <code>sudo apt install gnupg2</code><br />
 336 <code>gpg2 --full-generate-key</code><br />
 337 If this resolved the issue, you need to continue to use the gpg2 identifier instead of gpg throughout the following steps of the guide.
 338 <p class="notes"> Depending on your version of GPG, you may need to use
 339 <code>--gen-key</code> instead of <code>--full-generate-key</code>&#65279;.</p>
 340 </dd>
 341
 342 <dt>I took too long to create my passphrase</dt>
 343 <dd>That's okay. It's important to think about your passphrase. When you're ready, just follow the steps from the beginning again to create your key.</dd>
 344
 345 <dt>How can I see my key?</dt>
 346 <dd>
 347 Use the following command to see all keys: <code>gpg --list-keys</code>&#65279;. Yours should be listed in there, and later, so will Edward's (<a href="#section3">Section 3</a>).<br />
 348 If you want to see only your key, you can use <code>gpg --list-key [your@email]</code>&#65279;.<br />
 349 You can also use <code>gpg --list-secret-key</code> to see your own private key.</dd>
 350
 351 <dt>More resources</dt>
 352 <dd>For more information about this process, you can also refer to <a
 353 href="https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/c14.html#AEN25">The GNU Privacy
 354 Handbook</a>. Make sure you stick with "RSA and RSA" (the default),
 355 because it's newer and more secure than the algorithms the documentation
 356 recommends. Also make sure your key is at least 4096&nbsp;bits if you
 357 want to be secure.</dd>
 358
 359 <dt class="feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?</dt>
 360 <dd class="feedback">Please let us know on the <a
 361 href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
 362 page</a>.</dd>
 363 </dl>
 364
 365 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 366
 367 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 368 <div class="troubleshooting">
 369
 370 <h4>Advanced</h4>
 371 <dl>
 372 <dt>Advanced key pairs</dt>
 373 <dd>When GnuPG creates a new keypair, it compartmentalizes
 374 the encryption function from the signing function through <a
 375 href="https://wiki.debian.org/Subkeys">subkeys</a>. If you use
 376 subkeys carefully, you can keep your GnuPG identity more
 377 secure and recover from a compromised key much more quickly. <a
 378 href="https://alexcabal.com/creating-the-perfect-gpg-keypair/">Alex Cabal</a>
 379 and <a href="https://keyring.debian.org/creating-key.html">the Debian wiki</a>
 380 provide good guides for setting up a secure subkey configuration.</dd>
 381 </dl>
 382
 383 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 384 </div><!-- End .main -->
 385 </div><!-- End #step-2a .step -->
 386
 387 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 388 <div id="step-2b" class="step">
 389 <div class="sidebar">
 390 <p class="large"><img
 391 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step2b-04-upload-and-certificate.png"
 392 alt="Step 2.B: Send to server and generate a certificate" /></p>
 393
 394 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 395 <div class="main">
 396
 397 <h3><em>Step 2.b</em> Some important steps following creation</h3>
 398
 399 <h4>Upload your key to a keyserver</h4>
 400 <p>We will upload your key to a keyserver, so if someone wants to send you an encrypted message, they can download your public key from the Internet. There are multiple keyservers
 401 that you can select from the menu when you upload, but they are mostly all copies
 402 of each other. Any server will work, but it's good to remember which one you uploaded your key to originally. Also keep in mind, sometimes takes a few hours for them to match each other when a new key is uploaded.</p>
 403 <p># Copy your keyID: <code>gpg --list-key [your@email]</code> will list your public ("pub") key information, including your keyID, which is a unique list of numbers and letters. Copy this keyID, so you can use it in the following command.</p>
 404 <p># Upload your key to a server:
 405 <code>gpg --send-key [keyID]</code></p>
 406
 407 <h4>Export your key to a file</h4>
 408 <p>Use the following command to export your secret key so you can import it into your email client at the next <a href="#section3">step</a>. To avoid getting your key compromised, store this in a safe place, and make sure that if it is transferred, it is done so in a trusted way. Exporting your keys can be done with the following commands:</p>
 409 <p><code>
 410 $ gpg --export-secret-keys -a [keyID] > my_secret_key.asc<br/>
 411 $ gpg --export -a [keyID] > my_public_key.asc
 412 </code></p>
 413
 414 <h4>Generate a revocation certificate</h4>
 415 <p>Just in case you lose your key, or it gets compromised, you want to generate a certificate  and choose to save it in a safe place on your computer for now (please refer to <a href="#step-6c">Step 6.C</a> for how to best store your revocation cerficate safely). This step is essential for your email self-defense, as you'll learn more about in <a href="#section5">Section 5</a>.</p>
 416
 417 <p># Copy your keyID: <code>gpg --list-key [your@email]</code> will list your public ("pub") key information, including your keyID, which is a unique list of numbers and letters. Copy this keyID, so you can use it in the following command.</p>
 418 <p># Generate a revocation certificate: <code>gpg --gen-revoke --output revoke.asc [keyID]</code></p>
 419 <p># It will prompt you to give a reason for revocation, we recommend to use <samp>1&nbsp;=&nbsp;key has been compromised</samp>.</p>
 420 <p># You don't have to fill in a reason, but you can; then press "Enter" for an empty line, and confirm your selection.</p>
 421
 422
 423 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 424 <div class="troubleshooting">
 425
 426 <h4>Troubleshooting</h4>
 427
 428 <dl>
 429 <dt>Sending my key to the keyserver is not working</dt>
 430 <dd>Instead of using the general command to upload your key to the keyserver, you can use a more specific command and add the keyserver to your command <code>gpg --keyserver keys.openpgp.org --send-key [keyID]</code>&#65279;.</dd>
 431
 432 <dt>My key doesn't seem to be working or I get a "permission denied."</dt>
 433 <dd><p>Like every other file or folder, gpg keys are subject to permissions. If these are not set correctly, your system may not be accepting your keys. You can follow the next steps to check, and update to the right permissions.</p>
 434
 435 <p># Check your permissions: <code>ls -l ~/.gnupg/*</code></p>
 436 <p># Set permissions to read, write, execute for only yourself, no others. These are the recommended permissions for your folder. <br/>
 437 You can use the code: <code>chmod 700 ~/.gnupg</code></p>
 438 <p># Set permissions to read and write for yourself only, no others. These are the recommended permissions for the keys inside your folder. <br/>
 439 You can use the code: <code>chmod 600 ~/.gnupg/*</code></p>
 440
 441 <p class="notes">If you have (for any reason) created your own folders inside ~/.gnupg, you must also additionally apply execute permissions to that folder. Folders require execution privileges to be opened. For more information on permissions, you can check out <a href="https://helpdeskgeek.com/linux-tips/understanding-linux-permissions-chmod-usage/">this detailed information guide</a>.</p>
 442 </dd>
 443
 444 <dt class="feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?</dt>
 445 <dd class="feedback">Please let us know on the <a
 446 href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
 447 page</a>.</dd>
 448 </dl>
 449
 450 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 451
 452 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 453 <div class="troubleshooting">
 454
 455 <h4>Advanced</h4>
 456
 457 <dl>
 458 <dt>More about keyservers</dt>
 459 <dd>You can find some more keyserver information<a
 460 href="https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/x457.html"> in this manual</a>. <a
 461 href="https://sks-keyservers.net/overview-of-pools.php">The sks Web site</a>
 462 maintains a list of highly interconnected keyservers. You can also <a
 463 href="https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/x56.html#AEN64">directly export
 464 your key</a> as a file on your computer.</dd>
 465
 466 <dt>Transferring your keys</dt>
 467 <dd>
 468 <p>Use the following commands to transfer your keys. To avoid getting your key compromised, store it in a safe place, and make sure that if it is transferred, it is done so in a trusted way. Importing and exporting a key can be done with the following commands:</p>
 469
 470 <p><code>
 471 $ gpg --export-secret-keys -a [keyID] > my_private_key.asc<br />
 472 $ gpg --export -a [keyID] > my_public_key.asc<br />
 473 $ gpg --import my_private_key.asc<br />
 474 $ gpg --import my_public_key.asc
 475 </code></p>
 476
 477 <p>Ensure that the keyID printed is the correct one, and if so, then go ahead and add ultimate trust for it:</p>
 478
 479 <p><code>
 480 $ gpg --edit-key [your@email]
 481 </code></p>
 482
 483 <p>Because this is your key, you should choose <code>ultimate</code>&#65279;. You shouldn't trust anyone else's key ultimately.</p>
 484
 485 <p class="notes"> Refer to <a href="#step-2b">Troubleshooting in Step 2.B</a> for more information on permissions. When transferring keys, your permissions may get mixed, and errors may be prompted. These are easily avoided when your folders and files have the right permissions</p>
 486 </dd>
 487 </dl>
 488
 489 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 490 </div><!-- End .main -->
 491 </div><!-- End #step-2b .step -->
 492 </div></section><!-- End #section2 -->
 493
 494 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 3: Set up email encryption ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 495 <section id="section3" class="row"><div>
 496
 497 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 498 <div class="section-intro">
 499
 500 <h2><em>#3</em> Set up email encryption</h2>
 501 <p class="notes">The Icedove (or Thunderbird) email program has PGP functionality integrated, which makes it pretty easy to work with. We'll take you through the steps of integrating and using your key in these email clients.</p>
 502
 503 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
 504
 505 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 506 <div id="step-3a" class="step">
 507 <div class="sidebar">
 508
 509 <p class="large"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-open-key-manager.png"
 510 alt="Step 3.A: Email Menu" /></p>
 511
 512 <p class="large"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-import-from-file.png"
 513 alt="Step 3.A: Import From File" /></p>
 514
 515 <p class="large"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-success.png"
 516 alt="Step 3.A: Success" /></p>
 517
 518 <p class="large"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-troubleshoot.png"
 519 alt="Step 3.A: Troubleshoot" /></p>
 520 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 521 <div class="main">
 522
 523 <h3><em>Step 3.a</em> Set up your email with encryption</h3>
 524
 525 <p>Once you have set up your email with encryption, you can start contributing to encrypted traffic on the Internet. First we'll get your email client to import your secret key, and we will also learn how to get other people's public keys from servers so you can send and receive encrypted email.</p>
 526
 527 <p># Open your email client and use "Tools" &rarr; <i>OpenPGP Key Manager</i></p>
 528 <p># Under "File" &rarr; <i>Import Secret Key(s) From File</i></p>
 529 <p># Select the file you saved under the name [my_secret_key.asc] in <a href="#step-2b">Step 2.B</a> when you exported your key</p>
 530 <p># Unlock with your passphrase</p>
 531 <p># You will receive a "OpenPGP keys successfully imported" window to confirm success</p>
 532 <p># Go to "Account settings" &rarr; "End-To-End Encryption," and make sure your key is imported and select <i>Treat this key as a Personal Key</i>.</p>
 533
 534 </div><!-- End .main -->
 535
 536 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 537 <div class="main">
 538 <div class="troubleshooting">
 539 <h4>Troubleshooting</h4>
 540 <dl>
 541 <dt>I'm not sure the import worked correctly</dt>
 542 <dd>
 543 Look for "Account settings" &rarr; "End-To-End Encryption." Here you can see if your personal key associated with this email is found. If it is not, you can try again via the <i>Add key</i> option. Make sure you have the correct, active, secret key file.
 544 </dd>
 545
 546 <dt class="feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?</dt>
 547 <dd class="feedback">Please let us know on the <a
 548 href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
 549 page</a>.</dd>
 550 </dl>
 551
 552 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 553 </div><!-- End .main -->
 554 </div><!-- End #step3-a .step -->
 555 </div></section><!-- End #section3 -->
 556
 557 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 4: Try it out ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 558 <section class="row" id="section4"><div>
 559
 560 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 561 <div class="section-intro">
 562
 563 <h2><em>#4</em> Try it out!</h2>
 564 <p class="float small"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/section3-try-it-out.png" alt="Illustration of a person in a house with a cat connected to a server"/></p>
 565 <p>Now you'll try a test correspondence with an FSF computer program named Edward,
 566 who knows how to use encryption. Except where noted, these are the same
 567 steps you'd follow when corresponding with a real, live person.</p>
 568
 569 <!-- <p>NOTE: Edward is currently having some technical difficulties, so he
 570 may take a long time to respond, or not respond at all. We're sorry about
 571 this and we're working hard to fix it. Your key will still work even without
 572 testing with Edward.</p> -->
 573
 574 <div style="clear: both"></div>
 575 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
 576
 577 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 578 <div id="step-4a" class="step">
 579 <div class="sidebar">
 580
 581 <p class="large"><img
 582 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step4a-send-key-to-Edward.png"
 583 alt="Step 4.A Send key to Edward." /></p>
 584
 585 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 586 <div class="main">
 587
 588 <h3><em>Step 4.a</em> Send Edward your public key</h3>
 589
 590 <p>This is a special step that you won't have to do when corresponding
 591 with real people. In your email program's menu, go to "Tools" &rarr; "OpenPGP Key
 592 Manager." You should see your key in the list that pops up. Right click
 593 on your key and select <i>Send Public Keys by Email</i>. This will create a new draft message, as if you had just hit the "Write" button, but in the attachment you will find your public keyfile.</p>
 594
 595 <p>Address the message to <a
 596 href="mailto:edward-en@fsf.org">edward-en@fsf.org</a>. Put at least one word
 597 (whatever you want) in the subject and body of the email. Don't send yet.</p>
 598
 599 <p>We want Edward to be able to open the email with your keyfile, so we want this first special message to be unencrypted. Make sure encryption is turned off by using the dropdown menu "Security" and select <i>Do Not Encrypt</i>. Once encryption is off, hit Send.</p>
 600
 601 <p class="notes">It may take two or three minutes for Edward to
 602 respond. In the meantime, you might want to skip ahead and check out the <a
 603 href="#section6">Use it Well</a> section of this guide. Once you have received a response,
 604 head to the next step. From here on, you'll be doing just the same thing as
 605 when corresponding with a real person.</p>
 606
 607 <p>When you open Edward's reply, GnuPG may prompt you for your passphrase
 608 before using your private key to decrypt it.</p>
 609
 610 </div><!-- End .main -->
 611 </div><!-- End #step-4a .step -->
 612
 613 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 614 <div id="step-4b" class="step">
 615 <div class="sidebar">
 616
 617 <p class="large"><img
 618 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step4b-option1-verify-key.png"
 619 alt="Step 4.B Option 1. Verify key" /></p>
 620
 621 <p class="large"><img
 622 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step4b-option2-import-key.png"
 623 alt="Step 4.B Option 2. Import key" /></p>
 624 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 625
 626 <div class="main">
 627
 628 <h3><em>Step 4.b</em> Send a test encrypted email</h3>
 629
 630 <h4>Get Edward's key</h4>
 631
 632 <p>To encrypt an email to Edward, you need its public key, so now you'll have
 633 to download it from a keyserver. You can do this in two different ways:</p>
 634 <p><strong>Option 1.</strong> In the email answer you received from Edward as a response to your first email, Edward's public key was included. On the right of the email, just above the writing area, you will find an "OpenPGP" button that has a lock and a little wheel next to it. Click that, and select <i>Discover</i> next to the text: "This message was signed with a key that you don't yet have." A popup with Edward's key details will follow.</p>
 635
 636 <p><strong>Option 2.</strong> Open your OpenPGP Key manager, and under "Keyserver" choose <i>Discover Keys Online</i>. Here, fill in Edward's email address, and import Edward's key.</p>
 637
 638 <p>The option <i>Accepted (unverified)</i> will add this key to your key manager, and now it can be used to send encrypted emails and to verify digital signatures from Edward.</p>
 639
 640 <p class="notes">In the popup window confirming if you want to import Edward's key, you'll see many  different emails that are all associated with its key. This is correct; you can safely import the key.</p>
 641
 642 <p class="notes">Since you encrypted this email with Edward's public key,
 643 Edward's private key is required to decrypt it. Edward is the only one with
 644 its private key, so no one except Edward can decrypt it.</p>
 645
 646 <h4>Send Edward an encrypted email</h4>
 647
 648 <p> Write a new email in your email program, addressed to <a
 649 href="mailto:edward-en@fsf.org">edward-en@fsf.org</a>. Make the subject
 650 "Encryption test" or something similar and write something in the body.</p>
 651
 652 <p>This time, make sure encryption is turned on by using the dropdown menu "Security" and select <i>Require Encryption</i>. Once encryption is on, hit Send.</p>
 653
 654
 655 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 656 <div class="troubleshooting">
 657
 658 <h4>Troubleshooting</h4>
 659
 660 <dl>
 661 <dt>"Recipients not valid, not trusted or not found"</dt>
 662 <dd>You could get the above error message, or something along these lines:  "Unable to send this message with end-to-end encryption, because there are problems with the keys of the following recipients: ..." In these cases, you may be trying to send an encrypted email to someone when you do not have their public key yet. Make sure you follow the steps above to import the key to your key manager. Open the OpenPGP Key Manager to make sure the recipient is listed there.</dd>
 663
 664 <dt>Unable to send message</dt>
 665 <dd>You could get the following message when trying to send your encrypted email: "Unable to send this message with end-to-end encryption, because there are problems with the keys of the following recipients: edward-en@fsf.org." This usually means you imported the key with the "unaccepted (unverified) option." Go to the "key properties" of this key by right clicking on the key in the OpenPGP Key Manager, and select the option <i>Yes, but I have not verified that this is the correct key</i> in the "Acceptance" option at the bottom of this window. Resend the email.</dd>
 666
 667 <dt>I can't find Edward's key</dt>
 668 <dd>Close the pop-ups that have appeared since you clicked Send. Make sure
 669 you are connected to the Internet and try again. If that doesn't work, you can download the key manually from <a href="https://keys.openpgp.org/search?q=edward-en%40fsf.org">the keyserver</a>, and import it by using the <i>Import Public Key(s) from File</i> option in the OpenPGP Key Manager.</dd>
 670
 671 <dt>Unscrambled messages in the Sent folder</dt>
 672 <dd>Even though you can't decrypt messages encrypted to someone else's key,
 673 your email program will automatically save a copy encrypted to your public key,
 674 which you'll be able to view from the Sent folder like a normal email. This
 675 is normal, and it doesn't mean that your email was not sent encrypted.</dd>
 676
 677 <dt class="feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?</dt>
 678 <dd class="feedback">Please let us know on the <a
 679 href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
 680 page</a>.</dd>
 681 </dl>
 682
 683 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 684
 685 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 686 <div class="troubleshooting">
 687
 688 <h4>Advanced</h4>
 689
 690 <dl>
 691 <dt>Encrypt messages from the command line</dt>
 692 <dd>You can also encrypt and decrypt messages and files from the <a
 693 href="https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/x110.html">command line</a>,
 694 if that's your preference. The option --armor makes the encrypted output
 695 appear in the regular character set.</dd>
 696 </dl>
 697
 698 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 699 </div><!-- End .main -->
 700 </div><!-- End #step-4b .step -->
 701
 702 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 703 <div id="step-headers_unencrypted" class="step">
 704 <div class="main">
 705
 706 <h3><em>Important:</em> Security tips</h3>
 707
 708 <p>Even if you encrypt your email, the subject line is not encrypted, so
 709 don't put private information there. The sending and receiving addresses
 710 aren't encrypted either, so a surveillance system can still figure out who
 711 you're communicating with. Also, surveillance agents will know that you're
 712 using GnuPG, even if they can't figure out what you're saying. When you
 713 send attachments, you can choose to encrypt them or not,
 714 independent of the actual email.</p>
 715
 716 <p>For greater security against potential attacks, you can turn off
 717 HTML. Instead, you can render the message body as plain text. In order
 718 to do this in Icedove or Thunderbird, go to "View" &rarr; "Message Body As" &rarr; <i>Plain
 719 Text</i>.</p>
 720
 721 </div><!-- End .main -->
 722 </div><!-- End #step-headers_unencrypted .step-->
 723
 724 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 725 <div id="step-4c" class="step">
 726 <div class="sidebar">
 727
 728 <p class="large"><img
 729 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step4c-Edward-response.png"
 730 alt="Step 4.C Edward's response" /></p>
 731
 732 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 733
 734 <div class="main">
 735
 736 <h3><em>Step 4.c</em> Receive a response</h3>
 737
 738 <p>When Edward receives your email, it will use its private key to decrypt
 739 it, then reply to you. </p>
 740
 741 <p class="notes">It may take two or three minutes for Edward to
 742 respond. In the meantime, you might want to skip ahead and check out the <a
 743 href="#section6">Use it Well</a> section of this guide.</p>
 744
 745 <p>Edward will send you an encrypted email back saying your email was received and decrypted. Your email client will automatically decrypt Edward's message.</p>
 746
 747 <p class="notes">The OpenPGP button in the email will show a little green checkmark over the lock symbol to show the message is encrypted, and a little orange warning sign which means that you have accepted the key, but not verified it. When you have not yet accepted the key, you will see a little question mark there. Clicking the prompts in this button will lead you to key properties as well.</p>
 748
 749 </div><!-- End .main -->
 750 </div><!-- End #step-4c .step -->
 751
 752 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 753 <div id="step-4d" class="step">
 754 <div class="main">
 755
 756 <h3><em>Step 4.d</em> Send a signed test email</h3>
 757
 758 <p>GnuPG includes a way for you to sign messages and files, verifying that
 759 they came from you and that they weren't tampered with along the way. These
 760 signatures are stronger than their pen-and-paper cousins -- they're impossible
 761 to forge, because they're impossible to create without your private key
 762 (another reason to keep your private key safe).</p>
 763
 764 <p>You can sign messages to anyone, so it's a great way to make people
 765 aware that you use GnuPG and that they can communicate with you securely. If
 766 they don't have GnuPG, they will be able to read your message and see your
 767 signature. If they do have GnuPG, they'll also be able to verify that your
 768 signature is authentic.</p>
 769
 770 <p>To sign an email to Edward, compose any message to the email address and click the
 771 pencil icon next to the lock icon so that it turns gold. If you sign a
 772 message, GnuPG may ask you for your password before it sends the message,
 773 because it needs to unlock your private key for signing.</p>
 774
 775 <p>In "Account Settings" &rarr; "End-To-End-Encryption" you can opt to <i>add digital signature by default</i>.</p>
 776
 777 </div><!-- End .main -->
 778 </div><!-- End #step-4d .step -->
 779
 780 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 781 <div id="step-4e" class="step">
 782 <div class="main">
 783
 784 <h3><em>Step 4.e</em> Receive a response</h3>
 785
 786 <p>When Edward receives your email, he will use your public key (which
 787 you sent him in <a href="#step-3a">Step 3.A</a>) to verify the message
 788 you sent has not been tampered with and to encrypt a reply to you.</p>
 789
 790 <p class="notes">It may take two or three minutes for Edward to
 791 respond. In the meantime, you might want to skip ahead and check out the <a
 792 href="#section6">Use it Well</a> section of this guide.</p>
 793
 794 <p>Edward's reply will arrive encrypted, because he prefers to use encryption
 795 whenever possible. If everything goes according to plan, it should say
 796 "Your signature was verified." If your test signed email was also encrypted,
 797 he will mention that first.</p>
 798
 799 <p>When you receive Edward's email and open it, your email client will
 800 automatically detect that it is encrypted with your public key, and
 801 then it will use your private key to decrypt it.</p>
 802
 803 </div><!-- End .main -->
 804 </div><!-- End #step-4e .step -->
 805 </div></section>
 806
 807 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 5: Learn About the Web of Trust ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 808 <section class="row" id="section5"><div>
 809
 810 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 811 <div class="section-intro">
 812
 813 <h2><em>#5</em> Learn about the Web of Trust</h2>
 814 <p class="float small"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/section5-web-of-trust.png" alt="Illustration of keys all interconnected with a web of lines"/></p>
 815
 816 <p>Email encryption is a powerful technology, but it has a weakness:
 817 it requires a way to verify that a person's public key is actually
 818 theirs. Otherwise, there would be no way to stop an attacker from making
 819 an email address with your friend's name, creating keys to go with it, and
 820 impersonating your friend. That's why the free software programmers that
 821 developed email encryption created keysigning and the Web of Trust.</p>
 822
 823 <p>When you sign someone's key, you are publicly saying that you've verified
 824 that it belongs to them and not someone else.</p>
 825
 826 <p>Signing keys and signing messages use the same type of mathematical
 827 operation, but they carry very different implications. It's a good practice
 828 to generally sign your email, but if you casually sign people's keys, you
 829 may accidentally end up vouching for the identity of an imposter.</p>
 830
 831 <p>People who use your public key can see who has signed it. Once you've
 832 used GnuPG for a long time, your key may have hundreds of signatures. You
 833 can consider a key to be more trustworthy if it has many signatures from
 834 people that you trust. The Web of Trust is a constellation of GnuPG users,
 835 connected to each other by chains of trust expressed through signatures.</p>
 836
 837 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
 838
 839 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 840 <div id="step-5a" class="step">
 841 <div class="sidebar">
 842
 843 <p class="large"><img
 844 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step5a-key-properties.png"
 845 alt="Section 5: trusting a key" /></p>
 846
 847 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 848 <div class="main">
 849
 850 <h3><em>Step 5.a</em> Sign a key</h3>
 851
 852 <p>In your email program's menu, go to OpenPGP Key Manager and select <i>Key properties</i> by right clicking on Edward's key.</p>
 853
 854 <p>Under "Your Acceptance," you can select <i>Yes, I've verified in person this key has the correct fingerprint"</i>.</p>
 855
 856 <p class="notes">You've just effectively said "I trust that Edward's public
 857 key actually belongs to Edward." This doesn't mean much because Edward isn't
 858 a real person, but it's good practice, and for real people it is important. You can read more about signing a person's key in the <a href="#check-ids-before-signing">check IDs before signing</a> section.</p>
 859
 860 <!--<div id="pgp-pathfinder">
 861
 862 <form enctype="application/x-www-form-urlencoded" action="/mk_path.cgi"
 863 method="get">
 864
 865 <p><strong>From:</strong><input type="text" value="xD41A008"
 866 name="FROM"></p>
 867
 868 <p><strong>To:</strong><input type="text" value="50BD01x4" name="TO"></p>
 869
 870 <p class="buttons"><input type="submit" value="trust paths" name="PATHS"><input
 871 type="reset" value="reset" name=".reset"></p>
 872
 873 </form>
 874
 875 </div>End #pgp-pathfinder -->
 876 </div><!-- End .main -->
 877 </div><!-- End #step-5a .step -->
 878
 879 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 880 <div id="step-identify_keys" class="step">
 881 <div class="main">
 882
 883 <h3>Identifying keys: Fingerprints and IDs</h3>
 884
 885 <p>People's public keys are usually identified by their key fingerprint,
 886 which is a string of digits like F357AA1A5B1FA42CFD9FE52A9FF2194CC09A61E8
 887 (for Edward's key). You can see the fingerprint for your public key, and
 888 other public keys saved on your computer, by going to OpenPGP Key
 889 Management in your email program's menu, then right clicking on the key
 890 and choosing Key Properties. It's good practice to share your fingerprint
 891 wherever you share your email address, so that people can double-check that
 892 they have the correct public key when they download yours from a keyserver.</p>
 893
 894 <p class="notes">You may also see public keys referred to by a shorter
 895 keyID. This keyID is visible directly from the Key Management
 896 window. These eight character keyIDs were previously used for
 897 identification, which used to be safe, but is no longer reliable. You
 898 need to check the full fingerprint as part of verifying you have the
 899 correct key for the person you are trying to contact. Spoofing, in
 900 which someone intentionally generates a key with a fingerprint whose
 901 final eight characters are the same as another, is unfortunately
 902 common.</p>
 903
 904 </div><!-- End .main -->
 905 </div><!-- End #step-identify_keys .step-->
 906
 907 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 908 <div id="check-ids-before-signing" class="step">
 909 <div class="main">
 910
 911 <h3><em>Important:</em> What to consider when signing keys</h3>
 912
 913 <p>Before signing a person's key, you need to be confident that it actually
 914 belongs to them, and that they are who they say they are. Ideally, this
 915 confidence comes from having interactions and conversations with them over
 916 time, and witnessing interactions between them and others. Whenever signing
 917 a key, ask to see the full public key fingerprint, and not just the shorter
 918 keyID. If you feel it's important to sign the key of someone you've just
 919 met, also ask them to show you their government identification, and make
 920 sure the name on the ID matches the name on the public key.</p>
 921
 922 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 923 <div class="troubleshooting">
 924
 925 <h4>Advanced</h4>
 926
 927 <dl>
 928 <dt>Master the Web of Trust</dt>
 929 <dd>Unfortunately, trust does not spread between users the way <a
 930 href="https://fennetic.net/irc/finney.org/~hal/web_of_trust.html">many people
 931 think</a>. One of the best ways to strengthen the GnuPG community is to deeply <a
 932 href="https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/x334.html">understand</a> the Web of
 933 Trust and to carefully sign as many people's keys as circumstances permit.</dd>
 934 </dl>
 935
 936 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
 937 </div><!-- End .main -->
 938 </div><!-- End #check-ids-before-signing .step-->
 939 </div></section><!-- End #section5 -->
 940
 941 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 6: Use it well ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 942 <section id="section6" class="row"><div>
 943
 944 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 945 <div class="section-intro">
 946
 947 <h2><em>#6</em> Use it well</h2>
 948
 949 <p>Everyone uses GnuPG a little differently, but it's important to follow
 950 some basic practices to keep your email secure. Not following them, you
 951 risk the privacy of the people you communicate with, as well as your own,
 952 and damage the Web of Trust.</p>
 953
 954 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
 955
 956 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 957 <div id="step-6a" class="step">
 958 <div class="sidebar">
 959
 960 <p class="medium"><img
 961 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/section6-01-use-it-well.png"
 962 alt="Section 6: Use it Well (1)" /></p>
 963
 964 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 965 <div class="main">
 966
 967 <h3>When should I encrypt? When should I sign?</h3>
 968
 969 <p>The more you can encrypt your messages, the better. If you only encrypt
 970 emails occasionally, each encrypted message could raise a red flag for
 971 surveillance systems. If all or most of your email is encrypted, people
 972 doing surveillance won't know where to start. That's not to say that only
 973 encrypting some of your email isn't helpful -- it's a great start and it
 974 makes bulk surveillance more difficult.</p>
 975
 976 <p>Unless you don't want to reveal your own identity (which requires other
 977 protective measures), there's no reason not to sign every message, whether or
 978 not you are encrypting. In addition to allowing those with GnuPG to verify
 979 that the message came from you, signing is a non-intrusive way to remind
 980 everyone that you use GnuPG and show support for secure communication. If you
 981 often send signed messages to people that aren't familiar with GnuPG, it's
 982 nice to also include a link to this guide in your standard email signature
 983 (the text kind, not the cryptographic kind).</p>
 984
 985 </div><!-- End .main -->
 986 </div><!-- End #step-6a .step -->
 987
 988 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
 989 <div id="step-6b" class="step">
 990 <div class="sidebar">
 991
 992 <p class="medium"><img
 993 src="../static/img/en/screenshots/section6-02-use-it-well.png"
 994 alt="Section 6: Use it Well (2)" /></p>
 995
 996 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
 997 <div class="main">
 998
 999 <h3>Be wary of invalid keys</h3>
1000
1001 <p>GnuPG makes email safer, but it's still important to watch out for invalid
1002 keys, which might have fallen into the wrong hands. Email encrypted with
1003 invalid keys might be readable by surveillance programs.</p>
1004
1005 <p>In your email program, go back to the first encrypted email that Edward
1006 sent you. Because Edward encrypted it with your public key, it will have a
1007 green checkmark a at the top "OpenPGP" button.</p>
1008
1009 <p><strong>When using GnuPG, make a habit of glancing at that button. The program
1010 will warn you there if you get an email signed with a key that can't
1011 be trusted.</strong></p>
1012
1013 </div><!-- End .main -->
1014 </div><!-- End #step-6b .step -->
1015
1016 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1017 <div id="step-6c" class="step">
1018 <div class="main">
1019
1020 <h3>Copy your revocation certificate to somewhere safe</h3>
1021
1022 <p>Remember when you created your keys and saved the revocation certificate
1023 that GnuPG made? It's time to copy that certificate onto the safest storage that you have -- a flash drive, disk, or hard drive stored in a safe place in your home could work, not on a device you carry with you regularly. The safest way we know is actually to print the revocation certificate and store it in a safe place.</p>
1024
1025 <p>If your private key ever gets lost or stolen, you'll need this certificate
1026 file to let people know that you are no longer using that keypair.</p>
1027
1028 </div><!-- End .main -->
1029 </div><!-- End #step-6c .step -->
1030
1031 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1032 <div id="step-lost_key" class="step">
1033 <div class="main">
1034
1035 <h3><em>IMPORTANT:</em> ACT SWIFTLY if someone gets your private key</h3>
1036
1037 <p>If you lose your private key or someone else gets a hold
1038 of it (say, by stealing or cracking your computer), it's
1039 important to revoke it immediately before someone else uses
1040 it to read your encrypted email or forge your signature. This
1041 guide doesn't cover how to revoke a key, but you can follow these <a
1042 href="https://www.hackdiary.com/2004/01/18/revoking-a-gpg-key/">instructions</a>.
1043 After you're done revoking, make a new key and send an email to everyone
1044 with whom you usually use your key to make sure they know, including a copy
1045 of your new key.</p>
1046
1047 </div><!-- End .main -->
1048 </div><!-- End #step-lost_key .step-->
1049
1050 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1051 <div id="webmail-and-GnuPG" class="step">
1052 <div class="main">
1053
1054 <h3>Webmail and GnuPG</h3>
1055
1056 <p>When you use a web browser to access your email, you're using webmail,
1057 an email program stored on a distant website. Unlike webmail, your desktop
1058 email program runs on your own computer. Although webmail can't decrypt
1059 encrypted email, it will still display it in its encrypted form. If you
1060 primarily use webmail, you'll know to open your email client when you receive
1061 a scrambled email.</p>
1062
1063 </div><!-- End .main -->
1064 </div><!-- End #webmail-and-GnuPG .step-->
1065
1066 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1067 <div id="step-6d" class="step">
1068 <div class="main">
1069
1070 <h3>Make your public key part of your online identity</h3>
1071
1072 <p> First add your public key fingerprint to your email signature, then
1073 compose an email to at least five of your friends, telling them you just
1074 set up GnuPG and mentioning your public key fingerprint. Link to this guide
1075 and ask them to join you. Don't forget that there's also an awesome <a
1076 href="infographic.html">infographic to share.</a></p>
1077
1078 <p class="notes">Start writing your public key fingerprint anywhere someone
1079 would see your email address: your social media profiles, blog, Website,
1080 or business card. (At the Free Software Foundation, we put ours on our
1081 <a href="https://fsf.org/about/staff">staff page</a>.) We need to get our
1082 culture to the point that we feel like something is missing when we see an
1083 email address without a public key fingerprint.</p>
1084
1085 </div><!-- End .main-->
1086 </div><!-- End #step-6d .step-->
1087 </div></section><!-- End #section6 -->
1088
1089 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 7: Next steps ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1090 <section class="row" id="section7">
1091 <div id="step-click_here" class="step">
1092 <div class="main">
1093
1094 <h2><a href="next_steps.html">Great job! Check out the next steps.</a></h2>
1095
1096 </div><!-- End .main -->
1097 </div><!-- End #step-click_here .step-->
1098 </section><!-- End #section7 -->
1099
1100 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ FAQ ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1101 <!-- When un-commenting this section go to main.css and search
1102 for /* Guide Sections Background */ then add #faq to the desired color
1103 <section class="row" id="faq"><div>
1104 <div class="sidebar">
1105
1106 <h2>FAQ</h2>
1107
1108 </div>
1109 <div class="main">
1110
1111 <dl>
1112 <dt>My key expired</dt>
1113 <dd>Answer coming soon.</dd>
1114
1115 <dt>Who can read encrypted messages? Who can read signed ones?</dt>
1116 <dd>Answer coming soon.</dd>
1117
1118 <dt>My email program is opening at times I don't want it to open/is now my
1119 default program and I don't want it to be.</dt>
1120 <dd>Answer coming soon.</dd>
1121 </dl>
1122
1123 </div>
1124 </div>
1125 </section> --><!-- End #faq -->
1126
1127 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Footer ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1128 <footer class="row" id="footer"><div>
1129 <div id="copyright">
1130
1131 <h4><a href="https://u.fsf.org/ys"><img
1132 alt="Free Software Foundation"
1133 src="../static/img/fsf-logo.png" /></a></h4>
1134
1135 <p>Copyright &copy; 2014-2021 <a
1136 href="https://u.fsf.org/ys">Free Software Foundation</a>, Inc. <a
1137 href="https://my.fsf.org/donate/privacypolicy.html">Privacy Policy</a>. Please
1138 support our work by <a href="https://u.fsf.org/yr">joining us as an associate
1139 member.</a></p>
1140
1141 <p>The images on this page are under a <a
1142 href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons
1143 Attribution 4.0 license (or later version)</a>, and the rest of it is under
1144 a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0">Creative Commons
1145 Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license (or later version)</a>. Download the <a
1146 href="https://agpl.fsf.org/emailselfdefense.fsf.org/edward/CURRENT/edward.tar.gz">
1147 source code of Edward reply bot</a> by Andrew Engelbrecht
1148 &lt;andrew@engelbrecht.io&gt; and Josh Drake &lt;zamnedix@gnu.org&gt;,
1149 available under the GNU Affero General Public License. <a
1150 href="https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#OtherLicenses">Why these
1151 licenses?</a></p>
1152
1153 <p>Fonts used in the guide &amp; infographic: <a
1154 href="https://www.google.com/fonts/specimen/Dosis">Dosis</a> by Pablo
1155 Impallari, <a href="https://www.google.com/fonts/specimen/Signika">Signika</a>
1156 by Anna Giedry&#347;, <a
1157 href="https://www.google.com/fonts/specimen/Archivo+Narrow">Archivo
1158 Narrow</a> by Omnibus-Type, <a
1159 href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Graphics_Howto#Pitfalls">PXL-2000</a>
1160 by Florian Cramer.</p>
1161
1162 <p>Download the <a href="emailselfdefense_source.zip">source package</a>
1163 for this guide, including fonts, image source files and the text of Edward's
1164 messages.</p>
1165
1166 <p>This site uses the Weblabels standard for labeling <a
1167 href="https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/freejs">free JavaScript</a>. View
1168 the JavaScript <a href="https://weblabels.fsf.org/emailselfdefense.fsf.org/"
1169 rel="jslicense">source code and license information</a>.</p>
1170
1171 </div><!-- /#copyright -->
1172
1173 <p class="credits">Infographic and guide design by <a rel="external"
1174 href="https://jplusplus.org"><strong>Journalism++</strong><img
1175 src="static/img/jplusplus.png"
1176 alt="Journalism++" /></a></p><!-- /.credits -->
1177 </div></footer><!-- End #footer -->
1178
1179
1180 <script type="text/javascript"
1181 src="../static/js/jquery-1.11.0.min.js"></script>
1182 <script type="text/javascript"
1183 src="../static/js/scripts.js"></script>
1184 <!-- Piwik -->
1185 <script type="text/javascript">
1186   // @license magnet:?xt=urn:btih:cf05388f2679ee054f2beb29a391d25f4e673ac3&amp;dn=gpl-2.0.txt GPL-2.0-or-later
1187   var _paq = _paq || [];
1188   _paq.push(["trackPageView"]);
1189   _paq.push(["enableLinkTracking"]);
1190
1191   (function() {
1192     var u = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https" : "http") + "://"+"piwik.fsf.org//";
1193     _paq.push(["setTrackerUrl", u+"piwik.php"]);
1194     _paq.push(["setSiteId", "13"]);
1195     var d=document, g=d.createElement("script"), s=d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; g.type="text/javascript";
1196     g.defer=true; g.async=true; g.src=u+"piwik.js"; s.parentNode.insertBefore(g,s);
1197   })();
1198   // @license-end
1199 </script>
1200 <!-- End Piwik Code -->
1201 <!-- Piwik Image Tracker -->
1202 <noscript><img src="https://piwik.fsf.org//piwik.php?idsite=13&amp;rec=1" style="border:0" alt="" /></noscript>
1203 <!-- End Piwik -->
1204 </body>
1205 </html>