Encryption with KGpg

Contents

7.1. Why Signing and Encrypting?
7.2. Generating a New Key Pair
7.3. Exporting the Public Key
7.4. Importing Public Keys from Others
7.5. The Key Server Dialog
7.6. Encrypting Your Data
7.7. For More Information

You can sign or encrypt data with KGpg, a graphical user interface for GnuPG. This program helps you to generate and manage all needed keys. Use its editor function for the quick creation and encryption of files or use the applet in your panel to encrypt or decrypt by dragging and dropping. Other programs, such as your mail program (Kontact or Evolution), access the key data to process signed or encrypted contents. In the following sections, learn how to execute the following steps necessary for signing and encrypting data with KGpg:

  1. Generating a New Key Pair

  2. Exporting the Public Key

  3. Importing Public Keys from Others

  4. Encrypting Your Data

Why Signing and Encrypting?

Signing

Signing means attaching electronic signatures to mails (or even software) to prove its origin. To avoid someone writing mails using your name and to protect both you and the recipients, you should sign your mails. Signatures help you to easily check the sender of the mails you receive and to distinguish authentic from malicious mails.

Software developers sign their software so you are able to check its integrity. Even if you have the software from an unofficial server, you can verify the package with the signature.

Encrypting

You might have sensitive information you want to protect from other parties. Encrypting helps you to transform data and make it unreadable for others. This is especially important for companies who must protect internal information as well as the employees' privacy.