Jim Campbelljwcampbell@gmail.com2013Aruna Sankaranarayananaruna.evam@gmail.com2013Hashem Nasarathashem@riseup.net2014Create and use GnuPG keys for encrypting and signing emails.Create PGP keys
To make a new PGP key:
Press the + button in the top-left corner of the window.
Select GPG Key from the list.
Enter your full name in the Full Name field.
Optionally, add your email address and a comment to describe the
key.
Press Create.
In the password dialog, enter a password for the key. Retype the
password to confirm your choice.
Press OK to finish.
Passwords and Keys will take some time to generate your key.
While your key is being created, move your mouse around, press some keys
on your keyboard, or browse the web. This will help Passwords and
Keys to create a truly random key. The key will be listed under
GnuPG keys.
The Full Name, Email Address and
Comment details of a GnuPG key are called the
user ID of the key.
Advanced PGP key options
Under Advanced key options, you can choose custom values
for encryption type, key strength and key expiration date.
Encryption type
Depending on your needs, create keys that can be used for signing only
or for both encryption and signing. The RSA and DSA-Elgamal algorithms
generate equally secure keys.
Key Strength
The key strength is measured in terms of the size of the key in bits.
It is difficult and more time consuming to break a strong key, but strong
keys will slow down the encryption and signing process. You should choose
your key strength in Passwords and Keys depending on how long
you want to use the key. A small key is sufficient for short term use
while a large key is more suitable for long term use.
Expiration Date
When a key expires, certain actions no longer
work. In Passwords and Keys, you can
either set your key to Never Expire or
select an expiration date for it.
It is recommended that you set an expiration date in case you lose
access to the key. Even if your key expires, you can
change the expiration to a later date.