<title>Email Self-Defense - a guide to fighting surveillance with GnuPG
encryption</title>
<meta name="keywords" content="GnuPG, GPG, openpgp, surveillance, privacy,
-email, security, GnuPG2" />
+email, security, GnuPG2, encryption" />
<meta name="description" content="Email surveillance violates our fundamental
rights and makes free speech risky. This guide will teach you email
self-defense in 40 minutes with GnuPG." />
<!-- PLACE FUNDRAISER MODAL WINDOW HERE -->
-
<!-- ~~~~~~~~~ GnuPG Header and introduction text ~~~~~~~~~ -->
<header class="row" id="header"><div>
<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>
-<p>If you already have an email program, you can skip to <a
-href="#section2">Step 2</a>.</p>
-
</div><!-- End .section-intro -->
<!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
<div id="step-1a" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step1a-install-wizard.png"
alt="Step 1.A: Install Wizard" /></p>
<div id="step-1b" class="step">
<div class="main">
-<h3><em>Step 1.b</em> Get your terminal ready and install GnuPG</h3>
+<h3><em>Step 1.b</em> Install GnuPG</h3>
-<p>If you are using a GNU/Linux machine, you should already have GnuPG installed, and you can skip to <a href="#section2">Step 2</a>.</p>
-<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 steps. For the rest of the steps in this guide, the steps are the same for all operating systems. </p>
+<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>
+
+<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>
<!-- ~~~~~~~~~ MACOS ~~~~~~~~~ -->
<div class="troubleshooting">
-<h4>MacOS</h4>
+<h4>macOS</h4>
<dl>
<dt>Use a third-party package manager to install GnuPG</dt>
-<dd>Your macOS comes with a program called "Terminal" pre-installed, which we'll use to set up your encryption with GnuPG, using the command line. However, the default macOS package manager makes it difficult to install GnuPG and other pieces of free software (like Emacs, GIMP, or Inkscape).<br/>
-To make things easier, we recommend setting up the third-party package manager "Homebrew" to install GnuPG. Copy the link on the home page of <a href="https://brew.sh/">Homebrew</a> and paste it in Terminal. Click "Enter" and wait for it to finalize.<br/>
-When it is done, install the program by entering the following code in Terminal:<br/>
-<code>brew install gnupg gnupg2</code>. After installation is done, you can follow the steps of the rest of this guide.</dd>
+<dd>
+<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>
+
+<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>
+<p># Then install GnuPG by entering the following code in Terminal:<br/>
+<code>brew install gnupg gnupg2</code></p>
+</dd>
</dl>
</div><!-- /.troubleshooting -->
<dl>
<dt>Get GnuPG by downloading GPG4Win</dt>
<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>
-
-<p class="notes">To follow the rest of the steps in this guide, you'll use the program called "PowerShell", which is a program you'll see elsewhere referred to as a "terminal." This allows you to operate your computer using the command line.</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<div class="section-intro">
<h2><em>#2</em> Make your keys</h2>
-<p><img style="float:right; width:400px; margin-bottom:20px;" 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>
+<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>
<p>To use the GnuPG system, you'll need a public key and a private key (known
together as a keypair). Each is a long string of randomly generated numbers
<!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
<div id="step-2a" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step2a-02-make-keypair.png"
alt="Step 2.A: Make your Keypair" /></p>
-<br />
-<p><img
+
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step2a-03-make-keypair.png"
alt="Step 2.A: Set your passphrase" /></p>
<div class="main">
<h3><em>Step 2.a</em> Make a keypair</h3>
+
<h4>Make your keypair</h4>
-<p>Open a terminal using <kbd>ctrl + alt + t</kbd> (on GNU/linux), or find it in your applications, and use the following code to create your keypair:</p>
-<p class="notes">We will use the command line in a terminal to create a keypair using the GnuPG program. A terminal should be installed on your GNU/Linux operating system, if you are using a macOS or Windows OS system, use the programs "Terminal" (macOS) or "PowerShell" (Windows) that were also used in section 1.</p>
+<p>We will use the command line in a terminal to create a keypair using the
+GnuPG program.</p>
+
+<p class="notes">Whether on GNU/Linux, macOS or Windows, you can launch your
+terminal ("Terminal" in macOS, "PowerShell" in Windows) from the Applications
+menu (some GNU/Linux systems respond to the <kbd>Ctrl + Alt + T</kbd>
+shortcut).</p>
-<p># <code>gpg --full-generate-key</code> to start the process.</p>
+<p># Enter <code>gpg --full-generate-key</code> to start the process.</p>
<p># To answer what kind of key you would like to create, select the default option: <samp>1 RSA and RSA</samp>.</p>
<p># Enter the following keysize: <code>4096</code> for a strong key.</p>
-<p># Choose the expiration date, we suggest <code>2y</code> (2 years).</p>
+<p># Choose the expiration date; we suggest <code>2y</code> (2 years).</p>
<p>Follow the prompts to continue setting up with your personal details.</p>
<h4>Set your passphrase</h4>
<dl>
<dt>GnuPG is not installed</dt>
<dd>
-GPG is not installed. You can check if this is the case with the command <code>gpg --version</code>.
-If GnuPG is not installed, it would bring up the following result on most GNU/Linux operating systems, or something like it:
+You can check if this is the case with the command <code>gpg --version</code>.
+If GnuPG is not installed, it will bring up the following result on most GNU/Linux operating systems, or something like it:
<samp>Command 'gpg' not found, but can be installed with:
sudo apt install gnupg</samp>. Follow that command and install the program.</dd>
<dt>How can I see my key?</dt>
<dd>
-Use the following command to see all keys: <code>gpg--list-keys</code>. Yours should be listed in there, and later, so will Edward's (<a href="#section3">section 3</a>). If you want to see only your key, you can use <code>gpg --list-key [your@email]</code>.
+Use the following command to see all keys: <code>gpg --list-keys</code>. Yours should be listed in there, and later, so will Edward's (<a href="#section3">Section 3</a>).<br />
+If you want to see only your key, you can use <code>gpg --list-key [your@email]</code>.<br />
You can also use <code>gpg --list-secret-key</code> to see your own private key.</dd>
<dt>More resources</dt>
href="https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/c14.html#AEN25">The GNU Privacy
Handbook</a>. Make sure you stick with "RSA and RSA" (the default),
because it's newer and more secure than the algorithms the documentation
-recommends. Also make sure your key is at least 4096 bits if you
+recommends. Also make sure your key is at least 4096 bits if you
want to be secure.</dd>
<dt class="feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?</dt>
<!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
<div id="step-2b" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step2b-04-upload-and-certificate.png"
alt="Step 2.B: Send to server and generate a certificate" /></p>
<h4>Export your key to a file</h4>
<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>
-
<p><code>
$ gpg --export-secret-keys -a [keyID] > my_secret_key.asc<br/>
$ gpg --export -a [keyID] > my_public_key.asc
</code></p>
<h4>Generate a revocation certificate</h4>
-<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>
+<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>
<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>
<p># Generate a revocation certificate: <code>gpg --gen-revoke --output revoke.asc [keyID]</code></p>
<p># It will prompt you to give a reason for revocation, we recommend to use <samp>1 = key has been compromised</samp>.</p>
-<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>
+<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>
<!-- ~~~~~~~~~ Troubleshooting ~~~~~~~~~ -->
<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>
<p><code>
-$ gpg --export-secret-keys -a [keyID] > my_private_key.asc<br/>
-$ gpg --export -a [keyID] > my_public_key.asc<br/>
-$ gpg --import my_private_key.asc<br/>
+$ gpg --export-secret-keys -a [keyID] > my_private_key.asc<br />
+$ gpg --export -a [keyID] > my_public_key.asc<br />
+$ gpg --import my_private_key.asc<br />
$ gpg --import my_public_key.asc
</code></p>
$ gpg --edit-key [your@email]
</code></p>
-<p>Because this is your key, you should choose <code>ultimate</code>. You shouldn't trust anyone else's key ultimately.</p>
+<p>Because this is your key, you should choose <code>ultimate</code>. You shouldn't trust anyone else's key ultimately.</p>
-<p class="notes"> Refer to <a href="#step-2b">troubleshoot 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>
+<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>
</dd>
</dl>
<div id="step-3a" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-open-key-manager.png"
+<p
class="large"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-open-key-manager.png"
alt="Step 3.A: Email Menu" /></p>
-<br />
-<p><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-import-from-file.png"
+
+<p
class="large"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-import-from-file.png"
alt="Step 3.A: Import From File" /></p>
-<br />
-<p><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-success.png"
+
+<p
class="large"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-success.png"
alt="Step 3.A: Success" /></p>
-<br />
-<p><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-troubleshoot.png"
+
+<p
class="large"><img src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step3a-troubleshoot.png"
alt="Step 3.A: Troubleshoot" /></p>
</div><!-- /.sidebar -->
<div class="main">
<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>
-<p># Open your email client and use "Tools" → <i>OpenPGP Manager</i></p>
+<p># Open your email client and use "Tools" → <i>OpenPGP Key Manager</i></p>
<p># Under "File" → <i>Import Secret Key(s) From File</i></p>
-<p># Select the file you saved under the name [my_secret_key.asc] in step <a href="#step-3b">step 3.b</a> when you exported your key</p>
+<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>
<p># Unlock with your passphrase</p>
<p># You will receive a "OpenPGP keys successfully imported" window to confirm success</p>
-<p># Go to "Edit" (in Icedove) or "Tools" (in Thunderbird) → "Account settings" → "End-To-End Encryption," and make sure your key is imported and select <i>Treat this key as a Personal Key</i>.</p>
+<p># Go to "Account settings" → "End-To-End Encryption," and make sure your key is imported and select <i>Treat this key as a Personal Key</i>.</p>
</div><!-- End .main -->
<dl>
<dt>I'm not sure the import worked correctly</dt>
<dd>
-Look for "Account settings" → "End-To-End Encryption" (Under "Edit" (in Icedove) or "Tools" (in Thunderbird)). 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.
+Look for "Account settings" → "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.
</dd>
<dt class="feedback">Don't see a solution to your problem?</dt>
<div class="section-intro">
<h2><em>#4</em> Try it out!</h2>
-<p><img style="float:right; width:250px; margin-bottom:20px;" 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>
+<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>
<p>Now you'll try a test correspondence with an FSF computer program named Edward,
who knows how to use encryption. Except where noted, these are the same
steps you'd follow when corresponding with a real, live person.</p>
may take a long time to respond, or not respond at all. We're sorry about
this and we're working hard to fix it. Your key will still work even without
testing with Edward.</p> -->
+
+<div style="clear: both"></div>
</div><!-- End .section-intro -->
<!-- ~~~~~~~~~ a div for each step ~~~~~~~~~ -->
<div id="step-4a" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step4a-send-key-to-Edward.png"
alt="Step 4.A Send key to Edward." /></p>
<div id="step-4b" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step4b-option1-verify-key.png"
alt="Step 4.B Option 1. Verify key" /></p>
-<br />
-<p><img
+
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step4b-option2-import-key.png"
alt="Step 4.B Option 2. Import key" /></p>
</div><!-- /.sidebar -->
<p>To encrypt an email to Edward, you need its public key, so now you'll have
to download it from a keyserver. You can do this in two different ways:</p>
-<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 sent with a key that you don't have yet." A popup with Edward's key details will follow.</p>
+<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>
-<p><strong>Option 2.</strong> Open your OpenPGP manager and under "Keyserver" choose <i>Discover Keys Online</i>. Here, fill in Edward's email address, and import Edward's key.</p>
+<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>
<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>
<dl>
<dt>"Recipients not valid, not trusted or not found"</dt>
-<dd>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 OpenPGP Key Manager to make sure the recipient is listed there.</dd>
+<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 OpenPGP Key Manager to make sure the recipient is listed there.</dd>
<dt>Unable to send message</dt>
<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>
<p>For greater security against potential attacks, you can turn off
HTML. Instead, you can render the message body as plain text. In order
-to do this in Icedove or Thunderbird, go to View > Message Body As > Plain
-Text.</p>
+to do this in Icedove or Thunderbird, go to "View" → "Message Body As" → <i>Plain
+Text</i>.</p>
</div><!-- End .main -->
</div><!-- End #step-headers_unencrypted .step-->
<div id="step-4c" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step4c-Edward-response.png"
alt="Step 4.C Edward's response" /></p>
<div class="section-intro">
<h2><em>#5</em> Learn about the Web of Trust</h2>
-<p><img style="float:right; width:250px; margin-bottom:20px;" src="../static/img/en/screenshots/section5-web-of-trust.png" alt="Illustration of keys all interconnected with a web of lines"/></p>
+<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>
<p>Email encryption is a powerful technology, but it has a weakness:
it requires a way to verify that a person's public key is actually
<p>Signing keys and signing messages use the same type of mathematical
operation, but they carry very different implications. It's a good practice
to generally sign your email, but if you casually sign people's keys, you
-may accidently end up vouching for the identity of an imposter.</p>
+may accidentally end up vouching for the identity of an imposter.</p>
<p>People who use your public key can see who has signed it. Once you've
used GnuPG for a long time, your key may have hundreds of signatures. You
<div id="step-5a" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/step5a-key-properties.png"
alt="Section 5: trusting a key" /></p>
<div id="step-6a" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/section6-01-use-it-well.png"
alt="Section 6: Use it Well (1)" /></p>
<div id="step-6b" class="step">
<div class="sidebar">
-<p><img
src="../static/img/en/screenshots/section6-02-use-it-well.png"
alt="Section 6: Use it Well (2)" /></p>
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