🥷GNU Privacy Guard (gpg)

A powerful cryptographic utility.

TL;DR

Useful commands from this page are below.

Generate

gpg --gen-key

Revoke

# revocation certificates can be issued if
# the private key is lost or compromised
gpg --output your-new-certificate-name.asc --gen-revoke your-key-id

List

# list keys. helpful for finding the key id
gpg --list-keys

Export

# print key to the terminal
gpg --armor --export [e-mail] your-key-id

Import

# add an existing gpg key to profile
gpg --import $HOME/.gnupg/file-name.gpg

# sign the imported key
# ONLY IF YOU VERIFY THE FINGERPRINT!!!
gpg --edit-key [e-mail]

Encryption

# encrypt file "your-file" (include file extension)
gpg --output your-file.gpg --encrypt \ # Set output file
    --recipient [e-mail] \ 
    your-file # Source file to encrypt

# decrypt
gpg --output decrypted-file \ # Set output file
    --decrypt encrypted-file.gpg # Set input file (encrypted)

Overview

GPG (technically gpg2) is the OpenPGP part of the GNU Privacy Guard (GnuPG). It ships with your EC2 instance and offers digital encryption and signing services. It also can be used for secure shell applications (GitHub supports GPG keys for SSH).

Check out this great, simple guide for using GPG

Technically, the pre-installed package is**gpg2**, which is targeted for desktop use whereas the original gpg package is for server and embedded platforms. Your ec2 instance will interpret both gpg and gpg2 commands as gpg2. This documentation will use the form gpg for simplicity.

Tamper Resistant Digital Signatures

Digital signature certifies and timestamps a document. Any changes to that file, however slight, will be unable to pass the verification process.

Creating and verifying signatures uses the public/private keypair from the SSH and PKI discussion; however, the operation is different from encryption and decryption.

Getting Started

Go ahead and create a new primary key pair so you can get started with gpg.

# input
gpg --gen-key

# output
Please select what kind of key you want:
   (1) RSA and RSA (default)
   (2) DSA and Elgamal
   (3) DSA (sign only)
   (4) RSA (sign only)
Your selection? 2 # 2 generates DSA for signing and Elgamal for encrypting
SA keys may be between 1024 and 3072 bits long.
What keysize do you want? (2048) 2048 # default is 2048
Requested keysize is 2048 bits
Please specify how long the key should be valid.
         0 = key does not expire
      <n>  = key expires in n days
      <n>w = key expires in n weeks
      <n>m = key expires in n months
      <n>y = key expires in n years
Key is valid for? (0) # zero means no expiration
Key does not expire at all
Is this correct? (y/N) y

GnuPG needs to construct a user ID to identify your key.

# enter your own information when you get to this screen
Real name: Kenneth Shultz
Email address: [e-mail]
Comment: Gadget Engineering Director
You selected this USER-ID:
    "Kenneth Shultz (Gadget Engineering Director) <[e-mail]>"
...
...
...

You will be prompted to create a passphrase for your key pair; proceed to do so, preferably using a memorable phrase with a length of several words.

Take note of your new Key ID in the output (Line 3 below):

# output
gpg: /home/ec2-user/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
gpg: key 9FCE5492 marked as ultimately trusted #Key ID = 9FCE5492
public and secret key created and signed.

gpg: checking the trustdb
gpg: 3 marginal(s) needed, 1 complete(s) needed, PGP trust model
gpg: depth: 0  valid:   1  signed:   0  trust: 0-, 0q, 0n, 0m, 0f, 1u
pub   2048D/9FCE5492 2022-06-09
Key fingerprint = CD37 7CB1 4E47 42DC D0C2  E0F1 12C5 ED0C 224F 4A80
uid   Kenneth Shultz (Gadget Engineering Director) <[e-mail]>
sub   2048g/D436E7FC 2022-06-09

%

Generate Revocation Certificate

With the new key pair created, immediately generate a revocation certificate for the primary public key.

• revocation certificates may be published to notify others that the public key has expired (perhaps due to a lost key, etc)

• can be used to verify signatures made in the past

• cannot be used to encrypt future messages

• does not impact the ability to decrypt past messages (if you still have the private key)

Create a revocation certificate using:

# input
gpg --output $HOME/.gnupg/your-new-certificate-name.asc --gen-revoke your-key-id # example key-id: 9FCE5492      

# output
sec  2048D/9FCE5492 2022-06-08 Kenneth Shultz (Gadget Engineering Director) <[e-mail]>

Create a revocation certificate for this key? (y/N) y #confirm yes
Please select the reason for the revocation:
  0 = No reason specified
  1 = Key has been compromised
  2 = Key is superseded
  3 = Key is no longer used
  Q = Cancel
(Probably you want to select 1 here)
Your decision? 0 
Enter an optional description; end it with an empty line:
>   #No description necessary; could enter something like 
    # "safety revocation certificate"
Reason for revocation: No reason specified
(No description given)
Is this okay? (y/N) y

You need a passphrase to unlock the secret key for
user: "Kenneth Shultz (Gadget Engineering Director) <[e-mail]>"
# Use same passphrase from key creation process
2048-bit DSA key, ID 9FCE5492, created 2022-06-08

ASCII armored output forced.
Revocation certificate created.
...
...

Your revocation certificate has been stored in $HOME/.gnupg/ as your-new-certificate-name.asc (See line 2 above). Check your key ring out now:

# input
gpg --list-keys

# output
/home/ec2-user/.gnupg/pubring.gpg
---------------------------------
pub   2048D/9FCE5492 2022-06-08
uid                  Kenneth Shultz (Gadget Engineering Director) <[e-mail]>
sub   2048g/586776A7 2022-06-08

Export a Public Key

You will need to share your key so that others may verify your signatures. Use the command below, but replace the email and key ID (9FCE5492) with your information:

# input
gpg --armor --export [e-mail] your-key-id

Here is an example output for Kenny Shultz, using [e-mail] and key ID 9FCE5492:

# output
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (GNU/Linux)
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=z96n
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

Lines 2 through 41 above (bounded header and footer included) can now be copied to the clipboard in order to share public key information anywhere.

Add Another User's Public Key and Sign

You can add another user's public key to your keyring.

Copy and paste Kenny's public key from above (include the bounded header and footer).

Name it kenny.gpg and save it to $HOME/.gnupg then import the key using:

gpg --import $HOME/.gnupg/kenny.gpg

In order to certify the key on your system, you now must sign it:

# input
gpg --edit-key [e-mail]

# output   
pub  2048D/9FCE5492  created: 2022-06-08  expires: never       usage: SC  
                     trust: unknown       validity: unknown
sub  2048g/586776A7  created: 2022-06-08  expires: never       usage: E   
[ unknown] (1). Kenneth Shultz (Gadget Engineering Director) <[e-mail]>

A gpg shell has been spawned (gpg>); proceed to enter the following fpr and sign commands. Before using your passphrase to complete the signing process, verify that the fingerprint (Line 9 below) matches exactly to:

4104 CFE0 F9A4 8B60 5253 A6BF ACAD E367 9FCE 5492

# input
gpg> fpr

# output
pub   4096R/58360418 2015-09-24 Amazon Inspector <[e-mail]>
  Primary key fingerprint: DDA0 D4C5 10AE 3C20 6F46  6DC0 2474 0960 5836 0418

# input
gpg> sign

# output
pub  2048D/9FCE5492  created: 2022-06-08  expires: never       usage: SC  
                     trust: unknown       validity: unknown
 Primary key fingerprint: 4104 CFE0 F9A4 8B60 5253  A6BF ACAD E367 9FCE 5492

     Kenneth Shultz (Gadget Engineering Director) <[e-mail]>

Are you sure that you want to sign this key with your
key "Your Name (Your Key Description) <[e-mail]>" (your-keyID)

Really sign? (y/N) y
...

Always verify fingerprints before signing and authorizing keys on your system.

You can now use a force quit (ctrl+C) to exit the gpg terminal.

Encrypting and Decrypting

You can use someone's public key to encrypt a message.

The message can only be decrypted with the recipient's private key (the key pair to the public key)

Try creating a file to encrypt - we'll create and use a message.txt file:

echo "here's a decrypted message" >> message.txt

Try encrypting with my or your own public key:

gpg --output message.txt.gpg --encrypt --recipient [e-mail] message.txt

Here we pass [e-mail] as the recipient to encrypt the message using Kenny's key. We create and define message.txt.gpg as the output (encrypted file).

You will never be able to decrypt this file without Kenny's private key.

Kenny could now decrypt this message using his private key and resolve it to message.txt with the command:

gpg --output message.txt --decrypt message.txt.gpg

If you'd like to try decrypting a file yourself, start this section over using your own public key to encrypt the file in place of Kenny's!