Create a GPG key.
This document takes you step-by-step through the process of
creating a key-cert object, including generation of a GPG
key and GPG-signing your DB submissions.
User input is shown in red.
Other important information in orange.
The example below uses GPG version 1.04 but the process is applicable
to other versions.
% gpg --gen-key
gpg (GnuPG) 1.0.4; Copyright (C) 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
under certain conditions. See the file COPYING for details.
gpg: you have to start GnuPG again, so it can read the new options
file
% gpg --gen-key
gpg (GnuPG) 1.0.4; Copyright (C) 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
under certain conditions. See the file COPYING for details.
gpg: /.gnupg/secring.gpg: keyring created
gpg: /.gnupg/pubring.gpg: keyring created
Please select what kind of key you want:
(1) DSA and ElGamal (default)
(2) DSA (sign only)
(4) ElGamal (sign and encrypt)
Your selection? 1
Note that choosing option 4 will result in
a key that you will not be able to register. Options 1 and 2 should
work fine.
DSA keypair will have 1024 bits.
About to generate a new ELG-E keypair.
minimum keysize is 768 bits
default keysize is 1024 bits
highest suggested keysize is 2048 bits
What keysize do you want? (1024)
Requested keysize is 1024 bits
Please specify how long the key should be valid.
0 = key does not expire
= key expires in n days
w = key expires in n weeks
m = key expires in n months
y = key expires in n years
Key is valid for? (0)
Key does not expire at all
Is this correct (y/n)? y
You need a User-ID to identify your key; the software constructs the
user id
from Real Name, Comment and Email Address in this form:
"Heinrich Heine (Der Dichter) "
Real name: Christerfer Frazier
Email address: cfz@merit.edu
Comment:
You selected this USER-ID:
"Christerfer Frazier "
Change (N)ame, (C)omment, (E)mail or (O)kay/(Q)uit? o
You need a Passphrase to protect your secret key.
ThisIsAPieceofCake
We need to generate a lot of random bytes. It is a good idea to
perform
some other action (type on the keyboard, move the mouse, utilize the
disks) during the prime generation; this gives the random number
generator a better chance to gain enough entropy.
++++++++++.+++++.++++++++++..+++++.++++++++++.+++++.+++++++++++++++++++++++++.++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++..++++++++++++++++++++....>+++++....
++++++
We need to generate a lot of random bytes. It is a good idea to
perform
some other action (type on the keyboard, move the mouse, utilize the
disks) during the prime generation; this gives the random number
generator a better chance to gain enough entropy.
.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.++++++++++++++++++
+++..++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.++++++++++>.+++++.................
+..+++++^^^^
public and secret key created and signed.
