GPG is pretty fiddly to work with in the command line (you’re generally better off using something like Enigmail in Thunderbird), so here’s an overview of the various functions.
-a == --armor -r == --recipient -u == --local-user -o == --output -e == --encrypt -s == --sign -b == --detach-sign -d == --decrypt -c == --symmetric (encryption)
List keys
gpg --list-keys
or
gpg --list-secret-keys
Export keys
gpg --armor --export [email protected]
or to file:
gpg --armor --output file.name --export [email protected]
(secret keys):
gpg --armor --export-secret-keys [email protected]
gpg --armor --output file.name --export-secret-keys [email protected]
to encrypt the output file with symmetric crypto:
gpg --armor --export-secret-keys [email protected] | gpg --armor --symmetric --output file.name
Generate a Revocation Certificate
gpg --armor --output revcert.asc --gen-revoke XXXXXX
Uploading Keys
gpg (--keyserver serverurl) --send-keys XXXXXX
Downloading Keys
gpg (--keyserver serverurl) --recv-key XXXXX
or
gpg (--keyserver serverurl) --search-keys [email protected]
Importing Keys
gpg --import public.key
gpg --allow-secret-key-import --import secret.key
Deleting Keys
gpg --delete-key "keyname"
gpg --delete-secret-key "keyname"
Decrypt
gpg --decrypt encrypted_file.ext
Encrypt
gpg --encrypt (--local-user "sending key") --recipient "rec key" file_to_encrypt.ext
The –edit-key menu
Remember to ‘save’ when finished here.
* denotes only available for secret keys.
fpr - show fingerprint list - list key and user IDs uid - select a UID N key - select subkey N check - check signatures sign - sign a key prefix with l for local sign prefix with t for trust sign prefix with nr for nonrevocable sign adduid* addphoto* deluid - delete user ID addkey* addcardkey* keytocard* bkuptocard* delkey - delete selected key addrevoker* delsig - delete signature expire* primary* - set selected UID as primary toggle* - toggle between secret and public key listings showpref - show preferences setpref* keyserver* notation* passwd* - set passphrase trust - change ownertrust revsig - revoke signature on the selected UIDs revuid* - revoke uid revkey* - revoke key showphoto - show selected photo IDs
(for keytocard, see this post)