1 <!-- include virtual="head.html" -->
3 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ GnuPG Header and introduction text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
4 <header class=
"row" id=
"header"><div>
6 <h1>Email Self-Defense
</h1>
8 <!-- include virtual="translist.html" -->
10 <ul id=
"menu" class=
"os">
11 <!-- START DELETION 01, KEEP IN index -->
12 <li class=
"spacer"><a href=
"index.html" class=
"current">GNU/Linux
</a></li>
13 <li><a href=
"mac.html">Mac OS
</a></li>
14 <li><a href=
"windows.html">Windows
</a></li>
15 <li class=
"spacer"><a href=
"workshops.html">Teach your friends
</a></li>
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18 <li class=
"spacer"><a href=
"index.html">GNU/Linux
</a></li>
19 <li><a href=
"mac.html" class=
"current">Mac OS
</a></li>
20 <li><a href=
"windows.html">Windows
</a></li>
21 <li class=
"spacer"><a href=
"workshops.html">Teach your friends
</a></li>
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24 <li class=
"spacer"><a href=
"index.html">GNU/Linux
</a></li>
25 <li><a href=
"mac.html">Mac OS
</a></li>
26 <li><a href=
"windows.html" class=
"current">Windows
</a></li>
27 <li class=
"spacer"><a href=
"workshops.html">Teach your friends
</a></li>
28 <!-- END DELETION 03 -->
30 href=
"https://fsf.org/share?u=https://u.fsf.org/zb&t=Email encryption for everyone via %40fsf">
32 <img src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/gnu-social.png" class=
"share-logo"
33 alt=
"[GNU Social]" />
34 <img src=
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"share-logo"
35 alt=
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36 <img src=
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37 alt=
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38 <img src=
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"share-logo"
39 alt=
"[Hacker News]" /></a></li>
42 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ FSF Introduction ~~~~~~~~~ -->
45 <h3><a href=
"http://u.fsf.org/ys"><img
46 alt=
"Free Software Foundation"
47 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/fsf-logo.png" />
50 <div class=
"fsf-emphasis">
52 <p>We fight for computer users' rights, and promote the development of free (as
53 in freedom) software. Resisting bulk surveillance is very important to us.
</p>
55 <p><strong>Please donate to support Email Self-Defense. We need to keep
56 improving it, and making more materials, for the benefit of people around
57 the world taking the first step towards protecting their privacy.
</strong></p>
62 href=
"https://crm.fsf.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=14&pk_campaign=email_self_defense&pk_kwd=guide_donate"><img
64 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/donate.png" /></a></p>
66 </div><!-- End #fsf-intro -->
68 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Guide Introduction ~~~~~~~~~ -->
71 <p><a id=
"infographic" href=
"infographic.html"><img
72 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/infographic-button.png"
73 alt=
"View & share our infographic →" /></a>
74 Bulk surveillance violates our fundamental rights and makes free speech
75 risky. This guide will teach you a basic surveillance self-defense skill: email
76 encryption. Once you've finished, you'll be able to send and receive emails
77 that are scrambled to make sure a surveillance agent or thief intercepting
78 your email can't read them. All you need is a computer with an Internet
79 connection, an email account, and about forty minutes.
</p>
81 <p>Even if you have nothing to hide, using encryption helps protect the privacy
82 of people you communicate with, and makes life difficult for bulk surveillance
83 systems. If you do have something important to hide, you're in good company;
84 these are the same tools that whistleblowers use to protect their identities
85 while shining light on human rights abuses, corruption and other crimes.
</p>
87 <p>In addition to using encryption, standing up
88 to surveillance requires fighting politically for a
<a
89 href=
"http://gnu.org/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html">reduction
90 in the amount of data collected on us
</a>, but the essential first step is
91 to protect yourself and make surveillance of your communication as difficult
92 as possible. This guide helps you do that. It is designed for beginners, but
93 if you already know the basics of GnuPG or are an experienced free software
94 user, you'll enjoy the advanced tips and the
<a href=
"workshops.html">guide
95 to teaching your friends
</a>.
</p>
97 </div><!-- End .intro -->
98 </div></header><!-- End #header -->
100 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 1: Get the pieces ~~~~~~~~~ -->
101 <section class=
"row" id=
"section1"><div>
103 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
104 <div class=
"section-intro">
106 <h2><em>#
1</em> Get the pieces
</h2>
108 <!-- START DELETION 04, KEEP IN index -->
109 <p class=
"notes">This guide relies on software which is
<a
110 href=
"https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html">freely licensed
</a>;
111 it's completely transparent and anyone can copy it or make their
112 own version. This makes it safer from surveillance than proprietary
113 software (like Windows). Learn more about free software at
<a
114 href=
"https://u.fsf.org/ys">fsf.org
</a>.
</p>
116 <p>Most GNU/Linux operating systems come with GnuPG installed on them,
117 so you don't have to download it. Before configuring GnuPG though, you'll
118 need the IceDove desktop email program installed on your computer. Most
119 GNU/Linux distributions have IceDove installed already, though it may be
120 under the alternate name
"Thunderbird." Email programs are another way to
121 access the same email accounts you can access in a browser (like Gmail),
122 but provide extra features.
</p>
123 <!-- END DELETION 04 -->
124 <!-- START DELETION 05, KEEP IN mac windows -->
125 <p class=
"notes">This guide relies on software which is
<a
126 href=
"https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html">freely licensed
</a>; it's
127 completely transparent and anyone can copy it or make their own version. This
128 makes it safer from surveillance than proprietary software (like Windows or Mac
129 OS). To defend your freedom as well as protect yourself from surveillance, we
130 recommend you switch to a free software operating system like GNU/Linux. Learn
131 more about free software at
<a href=
"https://u.fsf.org/ys">fsf.org
</a>.
</p>
133 <p>To get started, you'll need the IceDove desktop email program installed
134 on your computer. For your system, IceDove may be known by the alternate name
135 "Thunderbird." Email programs are another way to access the same email accounts
136 you can access in a browser (like Gmail), but provide extra features.
</p>
137 <!-- END DELETION 05 -->
139 <p>If you already have an email program, you can skip to
<a
140 href=
"#step-1b">Step
1.b
</a>.
</p>
142 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
144 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
145 <div id=
"step-1a" class=
"step">
146 <div class=
"sidebar">
149 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/step1a-install-wizard.png"
150 alt=
"Step 1.A: Install Wizard" /></p>
152 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
155 <h3><em>Step
1.a
</em> Set up your email program with your email account
</h3>
157 <p>Open your email program and follow the wizard (step-by-step walkthrough)
158 that sets it up with your email account.
</p>
160 <p>Look for the letters SSL, TLS, or STARTTLS to the right of the servers
161 when you're setting up your account. If you don't see them, you will still
162 be able to use encryption, but this means that the people running your email
163 system are running behind the industry standard in protecting your security
164 and privacy. We recommend that you send them a friendly email asking them
165 to enable SSL, TLS, or STARTTLS for your email server. They will know what
166 you're talking about, so it's worth making the request even if you aren't
167 an expert on these security systems.
</p>
169 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
170 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
172 <h4>Troubleshooting
</h4>
175 <dt>The wizard doesn't launch
</dt>
176 <dd>You can launch the wizard yourself, but the menu option for doing so is
177 named differently in each email program. The button to launch it will be in
178 the program's main menu, under
"New" or something similar, titled something
179 like
"Add account" or
"New/Existing email account."</dd>
181 <dt>The wizard can't find my account or isn't downloading my mail
</dt>
182 <dd>Before searching the Web, we recommend you start by asking other people
183 who use your email system, to figure out the correct settings.
</dd>
185 <dt class=
"feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?
</dt>
186 <dd class=
"feedback">Please let us know on the
<a
187 href=
"https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
191 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
192 </div><!-- End .main -->
193 </div><!-- End #step1-a .step -->
195 <!-- START DELETION 06, KEEP IN mac -->
196 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
197 <div id=
"step-1b" class=
"step">
200 <h3><em>Step
1.b
</em> Get GnuPG by downloading GPGTools
</h3>
202 <p>GPGTools is a software package that includes GnuPG.
<a
203 href=
"https://gpgtools.org/#gpgsuite">Download
</a> and install it, choosing
204 default options whenever asked. After it's installed, you can close any
205 windows that it creates.
</p>
207 <p>There are major security flaws in versions of GnuPG provided by GPGTools
208 prior to
2018.3. Make sure you have GPGTools
2018.3 or later.
</p>
210 </div><!-- End .main -->
211 </div><!-- End #step1-b .step -->
212 <!-- END DELETION 06 -->
213 <!-- START DELETION 07, KEEP IN windows -->
214 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
215 <div id=
"step-1b" class=
"step">
218 <h3><em>Step
1.b
</em> Get GnuPG by downloading GPG4Win
</h3>
220 <p>GPG4Win is a software package that includes GnuPG.
<a
221 href=
"https://www.gpg4win.org/">Download
</a> and install it, choosing default
222 options whenever asked. After it's installed, you can close any windows that
225 <p>There are major security flaws in versions of GnuPG provided by GPG4Win
226 prior to
3.1.2. Make sure you have GPG4Win
3.1.2 or later.
</p>
228 </div><!-- End .main -->
229 </div><!-- End #step1-b .step -->
230 <!-- END DELETION 07 -->
231 <!-- START DELETION 08, KEEP IN index -->
232 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
233 <div id=
"step-1b" class=
"step">
234 <div class=
"sidebar">
236 <li><img src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/step1b-01-tools-addons.png"
237 alt=
"Step 1.B: Tools -> Add-ons" /></li>
238 <li><img src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/step1b-02-search.png"
239 alt=
"Step 1.B: Search Add-ons" /></li>
240 <li><img src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/step1b-03-install.png"
241 alt=
"Step 1.B: Install Add-ons" /></li>
244 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
247 <h3><em>Step
1.b
</em> Install the Enigmail plugin for your email program
</h3>
249 <p>In your email program's menu, select Add-ons (it may be in the Tools
250 section). Make sure Extensions is selected on the left. Do you see Enigmail?
251 Make sure it's the latest version. If so, skip this step.
</p>
253 <p>If not, search
"Enigmail" with the search bar in the upper right. You
254 can take it from here. Restart your email program when you're done.
</p>
256 <p>There are major security flaws in versions of GnuPG prior to
2.2.8, and
257 Enigmail prior to
2.0.7. Make sure you have GnuPG
2.2.8 and Enigmail
2.0.7,
258 or later versions.
</p>
260 <!-- END DELETION 08 -->
261 <!-- START DELETION 09, KEEP IN mac windows -->
263 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
264 <div id=
"step-1c" class=
"step">
265 <div class=
"sidebar">
267 <li><img src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/step1b-01-tools-addons.png"
268 alt=
"Step 1.C: Tools -> Add-ons" /></li>
269 <li><img src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/step1b-02-search.png"
270 alt=
"Step 1.C: Search Add-ons" /></li>
271 <li><img src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/step1b-03-install.png"
272 alt=
"Step 1.C: Install Add-ons" /></li>
275 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
278 <h3><em>Step
1.c
</em> Install the Enigmail plugin for your email program
</h3>
280 <p>In your email program's menu, select Add-ons (it may be in the Tools
281 section). Make sure Extensions is selected on the left. Do you see Enigmail?
282 Make sure it's the latest version. If so, skip this step.
</p>
284 <p>If not, search
"Enigmail" with the search bar in the upper right. You
285 can take it from here. Restart your email program when you're done.
</p>
287 <p>There are major security flaws in Enigmail prior to version
2.0.7. Make
288 sure you have Enigmail
2.0.7 or later.
</p>
290 <!-- END DELETION 09 -->
291 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
292 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
294 <h4>Troubleshooting
</h4>
297 <dt>I can't find the menu.
</dt>
298 <dd>In many new email programs, the main menu is represented by an image of
299 three stacked horizontal bars.
</dd>
301 <dt>My email looks weird
</dt>
302 <dd>Enigmail doesn't tend to play nice with HTML, which is used to format
303 emails, so it may disable your HTML formatting automatically. To send an
304 HTML-formatted email without encryption or a signature, hold down the Shift
305 key when you select compose. You can then write an email as if Enigmail
308 <dt class=
"feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?
</dt>
309 <dd class=
"feedback">Please let us know on the
<a
310 href=
"https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
314 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
315 </div><!-- End .main -->
316 </div><!-- End #step-1b .step -->
317 </div></section><!-- End #section1 -->
319 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 2: Make your keys ~~~~~~~~~ -->
320 <section class=
"row" id=
"section2"><div>
322 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
323 <div class=
"section-intro">
325 <h2><em>#
2</em> Make your keys
</h2>
327 <p>To use the GnuPG system, you'll need a public key and a private key (known
328 together as a keypair). Each is a long string of randomly generated numbers
329 and letters that are unique to you. Your public and private keys are linked
330 together by a special mathematical function.
</p>
332 <p>Your public key isn't like a physical key, because it's stored in the open
333 in an online directory called a keyserver. People download it and use it,
334 along with GnuPG, to encrypt emails they send to you. You can think of the
335 keyserver as a phonebook; people who want to send you encrypted email can
336 look up your public key.
</p>
338 <p>Your private key is more like a physical key, because you keep it to
339 yourself (on your computer). You use GnuPG and your private key together to
340 descramble encrypted emails other people send to you.
<span style=
"font-weight:
341 bold;">You should never share your private key with anyone, under any
342 circumstances.
</span></p>
344 <p>In addition to encryption and decryption, you can also use these keys to
345 sign messages and check the authenticity of other people's signatures. We'll
346 discuss this more in the next section.
</p>
348 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
350 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
351 <div id=
"step-2a" class=
"step">
352 <div class=
"sidebar">
355 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/step2a-01-make-keypair.png"
356 alt=
"Step 2.A: Make a Keypair" /></p>
358 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
361 <h3><em>Step
2.a
</em> Make a keypair
</h3>
363 <p>The Enigmail Setup wizard may start automatically. If it doesn't, select
364 Enigmail
→ Setup Wizard from your email program's menu. You don't need
365 to read the text in the window that pops up unless you'd like to, but it's
366 good to read the text on the later screens of the wizard. Click Next with
367 the default options selected, except in these instances, which are listed
368 in the order they appear:
</p>
371 <li>On the screen titled
"Encryption," select
"Encrypt all of my messages
372 by default, because privacy is critical to me."</li>
374 <li>On the screen titled
"Signing," select
"Don't sign my messages by
377 <li>On the screen titled
"Key Selection," select
"I want to create a new
378 key pair for signing and encrypting my email."</li>
380 <li>On the screen titled
"Create Key," pick a strong password! You can
381 do it manually, or you can use the Diceware method. Doing it manually
382 is faster but not as secure. Using Diceware takes longer and requires
383 dice, but creates a password that is much harder for attackers to figure
384 out. To use it, read the section
"Make a secure passphrase with Diceware" in
<a
385 href=
"https://theintercept.com/2015/03/26/passphrases-can-memorize-attackers-cant-guess/">
386 this article
</a> by Micah Lee.
</li>
389 <p>If you'd like to pick a password manually, come up with something
390 you can remember which is at least twelve characters long, and includes
391 at least one lower case and upper case letter and at least one number or
392 punctuation symbol. Never pick a password you've used elsewhere. Don't use
393 any recognizable patterns, such as birthdays, telephone numbers, pets' names,
394 song lyrics, quotes from books, and so on.
</p>
396 <p class=
"notes">The program will take a little while to finish the next
397 step, the
"Key Creation" screen. While you wait, do something else with your
398 computer, like watching a movie or browsing the Web. The more you use the
399 computer at this point, the faster the key creation will go.
</p>
401 <p><span style=
"font-weight: bold;">When the
"Key Generation Completed" screen
402 pops up, select Generate Certificate and choose to save it in a safe place on
403 your computer (we recommend making a folder called
"Revocation Certificate"
404 in your home folder and keeping it there). This step is essential for your
405 email self-defense, as you'll learn more about in
<a href=
"#section5">Section
408 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
409 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
411 <h4>Troubleshooting
</h4>
414 <dt>I can't find the Enigmail menu.
</dt>
415 <dd>In many new email programs, the main menu is represented by an image
416 of three stacked horizontal bars. Enigmail may be inside a section called
419 <!-- START DELETION 12, KEEP IN index -->
420 <dt>The wizard says that it cannot find GnuPG.
</dt>
421 <dd>Open whatever program you usually use for installing software, and search
422 for GnuPG, then install it. Then restart the Enigmail setup wizard by going
423 to Enigmail
→ Setup Wizard.
</dd>
425 <!-- END DELETION 12, KEEP IN index -->
426 <dt>More resources
</dt>
427 <dd>If you're having trouble with our
428 instructions or just want to learn more, check out
<a
429 href=
"https://www.enigmail.net/documentation/Key_Management#Generating_your_own_key_pair">
430 Enigmail's wiki instructions for key generation
</a>.
</dd>
432 <dt class=
"feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?
</dt>
433 <dd class=
"feedback">Please let us know on the
<a
434 href=
"https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
438 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
440 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
441 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
446 <dt>Command line key generation
</dt>
447 <dd>If you prefer using the command line for a higher
448 degree of control, you can follow the documentation from
<a
449 href=
"https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/c14.html#AEN25">The GNU Privacy
450 Handbook
</a>. Make sure you stick with
"RSA and RSA" (the default),
451 because it's newer and more secure than the algorithms the documentation
452 recommends. Also make sure your key is at least
2048 bits, or
4096 if you
453 want to be extra secure.
</dd>
455 <dt>Advanced key pairs
</dt>
456 <dd>When GnuPG creates a new keypair, it compartmentalizes
457 the encryption function from the signing function through
<a
458 href=
"https://wiki.debian.org/Subkeys">subkeys
</a>. If you use
459 subkeys carefully, you can keep your GnuPG identity much more
460 secure and recover from a compromised key much more quickly.
<a
461 href=
"https://alexcabal.com/creating-the-perfect-gpg-keypair/">Alex Cabal
</a>
462 and
<a href=
"http://keyring.debian.org/creating-key.html">the Debian wiki
</a>
463 provide good guides for setting up a secure subkey configuration.
</dd>
466 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
467 </div><!-- End .main -->
468 </div><!-- End #step-2a .step -->
470 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
471 <div id=
"step-2b" class=
"step">
474 <h3><em>Step
2.b
</em> Upload your public key to a keyserver
</h3>
476 <p>In your email program's menu, select Enigmail
→ Key Management.
</p>
478 <p>Right click on your key and select Upload Public Keys to Keyserver. Use
479 the default keyserver in the popup.
</p>
481 <p class=
"notes">Now someone who wants to send you an encrypted message can
482 download your public key from the Internet. There are multiple keyservers
483 that you can select from the menu when you upload, but they are all copies
484 of each other, so it doesn't matter which one you use. However, it sometimes
485 takes a few hours for them to match each other when a new key is uploaded.
</p>
487 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
488 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
490 <h4>Troubleshooting
</h4>
493 <dt>The progress bar never finishes
</dt>
494 <dd>Close the upload popup, make sure you are connected to the Internet,
495 and try again. If that doesn't work, try again, selecting a different
498 <dt>My key doesn't appear in the list
</dt>
499 <dd>Try checking
"Display All Keys by Default."</dd>
501 <dt>More documentation
</dt>
502 <dd>If you're having trouble with our
503 instructions or just want to learn more, check out
<a
504 href=
"https://www.enigmail.net/documentation/Key_Management#Distributing_your_public_key">
505 Enigmail's documentation
</a>.
</dd>
507 <dt class=
"feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?
</dt>
508 <dd class=
"feedback">Please let us know on the
<a
509 href=
"https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
513 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
515 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
516 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
521 <dt>Uploading a key from the command line
</dt>
522 <dd>You can also upload your keys to a keyserver through the
<a
523 href=
"https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/x457.html">command line
</a>.
<a
524 href=
"https://sks-keyservers.net/overview-of-pools.php">The sks Web site
</a>
525 maintains a list of highly interconnected keyservers. You can also
<a
526 href=
"https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/x56.html#AEN64">directly export
527 your key
</a> as a file on your computer.
</dd>
530 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
531 </div><!-- End .main -->
532 </div><!-- End #step-2b .step -->
534 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
535 <div id=
"terminology" class=
"step">
538 <h3>GnuPG, OpenPGP, what?
</h3>
540 <p>In general, the terms GnuPG, GPG, GNU Privacy Guard, OpenPGP and PGP
541 are used interchangeably. Technically, OpenPGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is the
542 encryption standard, and GNU Privacy Guard (often shortened to GPG or GnuPG)
543 is the program that implements the standard. Enigmail is a plug-in program
544 for your email program that provides an interface for GnuPG.
</p>
546 </div><!-- End .main -->
547 </div><!-- End #terminology.step-->
548 </div></section><!-- End #section2 -->
550 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 3: Try it out ~~~~~~~~~ -->
551 <section class=
"row" id=
"section3"><div>
553 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
554 <div class=
"section-intro">
556 <h2><em>#
3</em> Try it out!
</h2>
558 <p>Now you'll try a test correspondence with a computer program named Edward,
559 who knows how to use encryption. Except where noted, these are the same
560 steps you'd follow when corresponding with a real, live person.
</p>
562 <!-- <p>NOTE: Edward is currently having some technical difficulties, so he
563 may take a long time to respond, or not respond at all. We're sorry about
564 this and we're working hard to fix it. Your key will still work even without
565 testing with Edward.</p> -->
566 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
568 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
569 <div id=
"step-3a" class=
"step">
570 <div class=
"sidebar">
573 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/section3-try-it-out.png"
574 alt=
"Try it out." /></p>
576 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
579 <h3><em>Step
3.a
</em> Send Edward your public key
</h3>
581 <p>This is a special step that you won't have to do when corresponding
582 with real people. In your email program's menu, go to Enigmail
→ Key
583 Management. You should see your key in the list that pops up. Right click
584 on your key and select Send Public Keys by Email. This will create a new
585 draft message, as if you had just hit the Write button.
</p>
587 <p>Address the message to
<a
588 href=
"mailto:edward-en@fsf.org">edward-en@fsf.org
</a>. Put at least one word
589 (whatever you want) in the subject and body of the email. Don't send yet.
</p>
591 <p>The lock icon in the top left should be yellow, meaning encryption is
592 turned on. We want this first special message to be unencrypted, so
593 click the icon once to turn it off. The lock should become grey, with a
594 blue dot on it (to alert you that the setting has been changed from the
595 default). Once encryption is off, hit Send.
</p>
597 <p class=
"notes">It may take two or three minutes for Edward to
598 respond. In the meantime, you might want to skip ahead and check out the
<a
599 href=
"#section5">Use it Well
</a> section of this guide. Once he's responded,
600 head to the next step. From here on, you'll be doing just the same thing as
601 when corresponding with a real person.
</p>
603 <p>When you open Edward's reply, GnuPG may prompt you for your password
604 before using your private key to decrypt it.
</p>
606 </div><!-- End .main -->
607 </div><!-- End #step-3a .step -->
609 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
610 <div id=
"step-3b" class=
"step">
613 <h3><em>Step
3.b
</em> Send a test encrypted email
</h3>
615 <p>Write a new email in your email program, addressed to
<a
616 href=
"mailto:edward-en@fsf.org">edward-en@fsf.org
</a>. Make the subject
617 "Encryption test" or something similar and write something in the body.
</p>
619 <p>The lock icon in the top left of the window should be yellow, meaning
620 encryption is on. This will be your default from now on.
</p>
622 <p class=
"notes">Next to the lock, you'll notice an icon of a pencil. We'll
623 get to this in a moment.
</p>
625 <p>Click Send. Enigmail will pop up a window that says
"Recipients not valid,
626 not trusted or not found."</p>
628 <p>To encrypt an email to Edward, you need his public key, so now you'll have
629 Enigmail download it from a keyserver. Click Download Missing Keys and use
630 the default in the pop-up that asks you to choose a keyserver. Once it finds
631 keys, check the first one (Key ID starting with C), then select ok. Select
632 ok in the next pop-up.
</p>
634 <p>Now you are back at the
"Recipients not valid, not trusted or not found"
635 screen. Check the box in front of Edward's key and click Send.
</p>
637 <p class=
"notes">Since you encrypted this email with Edward's public key,
638 Edward's private key is required to decrypt it. Edward is the only one with
639 his private key, so no one except him can decrypt it.
</p>
641 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
642 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
644 <h4>Troubleshooting
</h4>
647 <dt>Enigmail can't find Edward's key
</dt>
648 <dd>Close the pop-ups that have appeared since you clicked Send. Make sure
649 you are connected to the Internet and try again. If that doesn't work, repeat
650 the process, choosing a different keyserver when it asks you to pick one.
</dd>
652 <dt>Unscrambled messages in the Sent folder
</dt>
653 <dd>Even though you can't decrypt messages encrypted to someone else's key,
654 your email program will automatically save a copy encrypted to your public key,
655 which you'll be able to view from the Sent folder like a normal email. This
656 is normal, and it doesn't mean that your email was not sent encrypted.
</dd>
658 <dt>More resources
</dt>
659 <dd>If you're still having trouble with our
660 instructions or just want to learn more, check out
<a
661 href=
"https://www.enigmail.net/documentation/Signature_and_Encryption#Encrypting_a_message">
662 Enigmail's wiki
</a>.
</dd>
664 <dt class=
"feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?
</dt>
665 <dd class=
"feedback">Please let us know on the
<a
666 href=
"https://libreplanet.org/wiki/GPG_guide/Public_Review">feedback
670 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
672 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
673 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
678 <dt>Encrypt messages from the command line
</dt>
679 <dd>You can also encrypt and decrypt messages and files from the
<a
680 href=
"https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/x110.html">command line
</a>,
681 if that's your preference. The option --armor makes the encrypted output
682 appear in the regular character set.
</dd>
685 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
686 </div><!-- End .main -->
687 </div><!-- End #step-3b .step -->
689 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
690 <div id=
"step-headers_unencrypted" class=
"step">
693 <h3><em>Important:
</em> Security tips
</h3>
695 <p>Even if you encrypt your email, the subject line is not encrypted, so
696 don't put private information there. The sending and receiving addresses
697 aren't encrypted either, so a surveillance system can still figure out who
698 you're communicating with. Also, surveillance agents will know that you're
699 using GnuPG, even if they can't figure out what you're saying. When you
700 send attachments, Enigmail will give you the choice to encrypt them or not,
701 independent of the actual email.
</p>
703 <!-- START DELETION 10, KEEP IN index -->
704 <p>For greater security against potential attacks, you can turn off
705 HTML. Instead, you can render the message body as plain text. In order
706 to do this in Thunderbird, go to View
> Message Body As
> Plain
708 <!-- END DELETION 10 -->
709 <!-- START DELETION 11, KEEP IN mac windows -->
710 <p>For greater security against potential attacks, you can turn off
711 HTML. Instead, you can render the message body as plain text.
</p>
712 <!-- END DELETION 11 -->
714 </div><!-- End .main -->
715 </div><!-- End #step-headers_unencrypted .step-->
717 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
718 <div id=
"step-3c" class=
"step">
721 <h3><em>Step
3.c
</em> Receive a response
</h3>
723 <p>When Edward receives your email, he will use his private key to decrypt
724 it, then reply to you.
</p>
726 <p class=
"notes">It may take two or three minutes for Edward to
727 respond. In the meantime, you might want to skip ahead and check out the
<a
728 href=
"#section5">Use it Well
</a> section of this guide.
</p>
730 </div><!-- End .main -->
731 </div><!-- End #step-3c .step -->
733 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
734 <div id=
"step-3d" class=
"step">
737 <h3><em>Step
3.d
</em> Send a test signed email
</h3>
739 <p>GnuPG includes a way for you to sign messages and files, verifying that
740 they came from you and that they weren't tampered with along the way. These
741 signatures are stronger than their pen-and-paper cousins -- they're impossible
742 to forge, because they're impossible to create without your private key
743 (another reason to keep your private key safe).
</p>
745 <p>You can sign messages to anyone, so it's a great way to make people
746 aware that you use GnuPG and that they can communicate with you securely. If
747 they don't have GnuPG, they will be able to read your message and see your
748 signature. If they do have GnuPG, they'll also be able to verify that your
749 signature is authentic.
</p>
751 <p>To sign an email to Edward, compose any message to him and click the
752 pencil icon next to the lock icon so that it turns gold. If you sign a
753 message, GnuPG may ask you for your password before it sends the message,
754 because it needs to unlock your private key for signing.
</p>
756 <p>With the lock and pencil icons, you can choose whether each message will
757 be encrypted, signed, both, or neither.
</p>
762 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
763 <div id=
"step-3e" class=
"step">
766 <h3><em>Step
3.e
</em> Receive a response
</h3>
768 <p>When Edward receives your email, he will use your public key (which
769 you sent him in
<a href=
"#step-3a">Step
3.A
</a>) to verify the message
770 you sent has not been tampered with and to encrypt his reply to you.
</p>
772 <p class=
"notes">It may take two or three minutes for Edward to
773 respond. In the meantime, you might want to skip ahead and check out the
<a
774 href=
"#section5">Use it Well
</a> section of this guide.
</p>
776 <p>Edward's reply will arrive encrypted, because he prefers to use encryption
777 whenever possible. If everything goes according to plan, it should say
778 "Your signature was verified." If your test signed email was also encrypted,
779 he will mention that first.
</p>
781 <p>When you receive Edward's email and open it, Enigmail will
782 automatically detect that it is encrypted with your public key, and
783 then it will use your private key to decrypt it.
</p>
785 <p>Notice the bar that Enigmail shows you above the message, with
786 information about the status of Edward's key.
</p>
788 </div><!-- End .main -->
789 </div><!-- End #step-3e .step -->
792 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 4: Learn the Web of Trust ~~~~~~~~~ -->
793 <section class=
"row" id=
"section4"><div>
795 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
796 <div class=
"section-intro">
798 <h2><em>#
4</em> Learn the Web of Trust
</h2>
800 <p>Email encryption is a powerful technology, but it has a weakness;
801 it requires a way to verify that a person's public key is actually
802 theirs. Otherwise, there would be no way to stop an attacker from making
803 an email address with your friend's name, creating keys to go with it and
804 impersonating your friend. That's why the free software programmers that
805 developed email encryption created keysigning and the Web of Trust.
</p>
807 <p>When you sign someone's key, you are publicly saying that you've verified
808 that it belongs to them and not someone else.
</p>
810 <p>Signing keys and signing messages use the same type of mathematical
811 operation, but they carry very different implications. It's a good practice
812 to generally sign your email, but if you casually sign people's keys, you
813 may accidently end up vouching for the identity of an imposter.
</p>
815 <p>People who use your public key can see who has signed it. Once you've
816 used GnuPG for a long time, your key may have hundreds of signatures. You
817 can consider a key to be more trustworthy if it has many signatures from
818 people that you trust. The Web of Trust is a constellation of GnuPG users,
819 connected to each other by chains of trust expressed through signatures.
</p>
821 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
823 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
824 <div id=
"step-4a" class=
"step">
825 <div class=
"sidebar">
828 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/section4-web-of-trust.png"
829 alt=
"Section 4: Web of Trust" /></p>
831 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
834 <h3><em>Step
4.a
</em> Sign a key
</h3>
836 <p>In your email program's menu, go to Enigmail
→ Key Management.
</p>
838 <p>Right click on Edward's public key and select Sign Key from the context
841 <p>In the window that pops up, select
"I will not answer" and click ok.
</p>
843 <p>Now you should be back at the Key Management menu. Select Keyserver
→
844 Upload Public Keys and hit ok.
</p>
846 <p class=
"notes">You've just effectively said
"I trust that Edward's public
847 key actually belongs to Edward." This doesn't mean much because Edward isn't
848 a real person, but it's good practice.
</p>
850 <!--<div id="pgp-pathfinder">
852 <form enctype="application/x-www-form-urlencoded" action="/mk_path.cgi"
855 <p><strong>From:</strong><input type="text" value="xD41A008"
858 <p><strong>To:</strong><input type="text" value="50BD01x4" name="TO"></p>
860 <p class="buttons"><input type="submit" value="trust paths" name="PATHS"><input
861 type="reset" value="reset" name=".reset"></p>
865 </div>End #pgp-pathfinder -->
866 </div><!-- End .main -->
867 </div><!-- End #step-4a .step -->
869 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
870 <div id=
"step-identify_keys" class=
"step">
873 <h3>Identifying keys: Fingerprints and IDs
</h3>
875 <p>People's public keys are usually identified by their key fingerprint,
876 which is a string of digits like F357AA1A5B1FA42CFD9FE52A9FF2194CC09A61E8
877 (for Edward's key). You can see the fingerprint for your public key, and
878 other public keys saved on your computer, by going to Enigmail
→ Key
879 Management in your email program's menu, then right clicking on the key
880 and choosing Key Properties. It's good practice to share your fingerprint
881 wherever you share your email address, so that people can double-check that
882 they have the correct public key when they download yours from a keyserver.
</p>
884 <p class=
"notes">You may also see public keys referred to by a shorter
885 key ID. This key ID is visible directly from the Key Management
886 window. These eight character key IDs were previously used for
887 identification, which used to be safe, but is no longer reliable. You
888 need to check the full fingerprint as part of verifying you have the
889 correct key for the person you are trying to contact. Spoofing, in
890 which someone intentionally generates a key with a fingerprint whose
891 final eight characters are the same as another, is unfortunately
894 </div><!-- End .main -->
895 </div><!-- End #step-identify_keys .step-->
897 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
898 <div id=
"check-ids-before-signing" class=
"step">
901 <h3><em>Important:
</em> What to consider when signing keys
</h3>
903 <p>Before signing a person's key, you need to be confident that it actually
904 belongs to them, and that they are who they say they are. Ideally, this
905 confidence comes from having interactions and conversations with them over
906 time, and witnessing interactions between them and others. Whenever signing
907 a key, ask to see the full public key fingerprint, and not just the shorter
908 key ID. If you feel it's important to sign the key of someone you've just
909 met, also ask them to show you their government identification, and make
910 sure the name on the ID matches the name on the public key. In Enigmail,
911 answer honestly in the window that pops up and asks
"How carefully have you
912 verified that the key you are about to sign actually belongs to the person(s)
915 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
916 <div class=
"troubleshooting">
921 <dt>Master the Web of Trust
</dt>
922 <dd>Unfortunately, trust does not spread between users the way
<a
923 href=
"http://fennetic.net/irc/finney.org/~hal/web_of_trust.html">many people
924 think
</a>. One of best ways to strengthen the GnuPG community is to deeply
<a
925 href=
"https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/x334.html">understand
</a> the Web of
926 Trust and to carefully sign as many people's keys as circumstances permit.
</dd>
928 <dt>Set ownertrust
</dt>
929 <dd>If you trust someone enough to validate other people's keys, you can assign
930 them an ownertrust level through Enigmails's key management window. Right
931 click on the other person's key, go to the
"Select Owner Trust" menu option,
932 select the trustlevel and click OK. Only do this once you feel you have a
933 deep understanding of the Web of Trust.
</dd>
936 </div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
937 </div><!-- End .main -->
938 </div><!-- End #check-ids-before-signing .step-->
939 </div></section><!-- End #section4 -->
941 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 5: Use it well ~~~~~~~~~ -->
942 <section id=
"section5" class=
"row"><div>
944 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ section introduction: interspersed text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
945 <div class=
"section-intro">
947 <h2><em>#
5</em> Use it well
</h2>
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>
954 </div><!-- End .section-intro -->
956 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
957 <div id=
"step-5a" class=
"step">
958 <div class=
"sidebar">
961 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/section5-01-use-it-well.png"
962 alt=
"Section 5: Use it Well (1)" /></p>
964 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
967 <h3>When should I encrypt? When should I sign?
</h3>
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>
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>
985 </div><!-- End .main -->
986 </div><!-- End #step-5a .step -->
988 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
989 <div id=
"step-5b" class=
"step">
990 <div class=
"sidebar">
993 src=
"//static.fsf.org/nosvn/enc-dev0/img/en/screenshots/section5-02-use-it-well.png"
994 alt=
"Section 5: Use it Well (2)" /></p>
996 </div><!-- /.sidebar -->
999 <h3>Be wary of invalid keys
</h3>
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>
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 message from Enigmail at the top, which most likely says
"Enigmail: Part of
1008 this message encrypted."</p>
1010 <p><b>When using GnuPG, make a habit of glancing at that bar. The program
1011 will warn you there if you get an email signed with a key that can't
1014 </div><!-- End .main -->
1015 </div><!-- End #step-5b .step -->
1017 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1018 <div id=
"step-5c" class=
"step">
1021 <h3>Copy your revocation certificate to somewhere safe
</h3>
1023 <p>Remember when you created your keys and saved the revocation certificate
1024 that GnuPG made? It's time to copy that certificate onto the safest digital
1025 storage that you have -- the ideal thing is a flash drive, disk, or hard
1026 drive stored in a safe place in your home, not on a device you carry with
1029 <p>If your private key ever gets lost or stolen, you'll need this certificate
1030 file to let people know that you are no longer using that keypair.
</p>
1032 </div><!-- End .main -->
1033 </div><!-- End #step-5c .step -->
1035 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1036 <div id=
"step-lost_key" class=
"step">
1039 <h3><em>Important:
</em> act swiftly if someone gets your private key
</h3>
1041 <p>If you lose your private key or someone else gets ahold
1042 of it (say, by stealing or cracking your computer), it's
1043 important to revoke it immediately before someone else uses
1044 it to read your encrypted email or forge your signature. This
1045 guide doesn't cover how to revoke a key, but you can follow these
<a
1046 href=
"https://www.hackdiary.com/2004/01/18/revoking-a-gpg-key/">instructions
</a>.
1047 After you're done revoking, make a new key and send an email to everyone
1048 with whom you usually use your key to make sure they know, including a copy
1049 of your new key.
</p>
1051 </div><!-- End .main -->
1052 </div><!-- End #step-lost_key .step-->
1054 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1055 <!---<div id="transfer-key" class="step">
1058 <h3>Transferring you key</h3>
1060 <p>You can use Enigmail's <a
1061 href="https://www.enigmail.net/documentation/Key_Management">key management
1062 window</a> to import and export keys. If you want to be able to read
1063 your encrypted email on a different computer, you will need to export
1064 your secret key from here. Be warned, if you transfer the key without <a
1065 href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EncryptedFilesystemsOnRemovableStorage">encrypting</a>
1066 the drive it's on the transfer will be dramatically less secure.</p>
1068 </div>--><!-- End .main
1069 </div> End #transfer-key .step-->
1071 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1072 <div id=
"webmail-and-GnuPG" class=
"step">
1075 <h3>Webmail and GnuPG
</h3>
1077 <p>When you use a web browser to access your email, you're using webmail,
1078 an email program stored on a distant website. Unlike webmail, your desktop
1079 email program runs on your own computer. Although webmail can't decrypt
1080 encrypted email, it will still display it in its encrypted form. If you
1081 primarily use webmail, you'll know to open your email client when you receive
1082 a scrambled email.
</p>
1084 </div><!-- End .main -->
1085 </div><!-- End #webmail-and-GnuPG .step-->
1087 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~
1088 <div id="step-5d" class="step">
1091 <h3>Make your public key part of your online identity</h3>
1093 <p> First add your public key fingerprint to your email signature, then
1094 compose an email to at least five of your friends, telling them you just
1095 set up GnuPG and mentioning your public key fingerprint. Link to this guide
1096 and ask them to join you. Don't forget that there's also an awesome <a
1097 href="infographic.html">infographic to share.</a></p>
1099 <p class="notes">Start writing your public key fingerprint anywhere someone
1100 would see your email address: your social media profiles, blog, Website,
1101 or business card. (At the Free Software Foundation, we put ours on our
1102 <a href="https://fsf.org/about/staff">staff page</a>.) We need to get our
1103 culture to the point that we feel like something is missing when we see an
1104 email address without a public key fingerprint.</p>
1106 </div>--><!-- End .main
1107 </div> End #step-5d .step-->
1108 </div></section><!-- End #section5 -->
1110 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Section 6: Next steps ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1111 <section class=
"row" id=
"section6">
1112 <div id=
"step-click_here" class=
"step">
1115 <h2><a href=
"next_steps.html">Great job! Check out the next steps.
</a></h2>
1117 </div><!-- End .main -->
1118 </div><!-- End #step-click_here .step-->
1119 </section><!-- End #section6 -->
1121 <!-- ~~~~~~~~~ FAQ ~~~~~~~~~ -->
1122 <!-- When un-commenting this section go to main.css and search
1123 for /* Guide Sections Background */ then add #faq to the desired color
1124 <section class="row" id="faq"><div>
1125 <div class="sidebar">
1133 <dt>My key expired</dt>
1134 <dd>Answer coming soon.</dd>
1136 <dt>Who can read encrypted messages? Who can read signed ones?</dt>
1137 <dd>Answer coming soon.</dd>
1139 <dt>My email program is opening at times I don't want it to open/is now my
1140 default program and I don't want it to be.</dt>
1141 <dd>Answer coming soon.</dd>
1146 </section> --><!-- End #faq -->
1148 <!-- include virtual="footer.html" -->
1150 <!-- include virtual="javascript.html" -->