Bitcoin Forum

I downloaded the gpg4win 2.1.0 from gpg4win.org Using the GPA program that came with it I generated a key by using a name and email address and a pass phrase like it asked for and it created the key.

Now I have no idea how to use this key to encrypt my sent messages

I have no idea how to find the public key to give to other to decrypt my messages.

I have no idea how to add other peoples public keys to decrypt their messages either and if I had the key I wouldn't know the steps to decrypting it.

Can someone help me? I am totally lost on this subject and I've read a lot.

http://lifehacker.com/180878/how-to-encrypt-your-email

You probably should move this to technical support.

General Concept
You have a keypair (public & private key).  You don't use YOUR public key to encrypt messages to other people.  Only the person with the matching private key can decrypt the message.  So if encrypted with YOUR public key only YOUR private key can decrypt it.  You need the public key or the person you want to send the message to.  You encrypt it with THEIR public key and then only THEIR private key can decrypt it.

To sign a message  ---> You SIGN the message with YOUR PRIVATE KEY.
To verify a message  ---> You VERIFY the message with the SENDER'S PUBLIC KEY (it could only be signed by their private key if valid)
To encrypt a message ---> You ENCRYPT the message with the RECIPIENTS PUBLIC KEY (can only be decrypted by someone with the matching private key)
To decrypt a message ---> You DECRYPT the message with YOUR PRIVATE KEY

Make sense?


To export your public key using GPG4Win
In GPG4Win to export your public key (remember never share your private key with ANYONE) right click on your key.
Select EXPORT KEY.  
Save it as a file (name doesn't matter just remember where it is).
Now open that file you saved in a text editor (like notepad).

You will see something like this (but probably longer):

You can send your public key to a recipient (even include it inside an encrypted message) and they can use it verify your signatures and send you encrypted files.

Import another person's public key using GPG4Win
If the person provides the key as a text KEY BLOCK (as above) use a text editor and save it as a text file (notepad, ultra edit, notepad++).
In GPA4Win click on the [Keys] menu and select [Import Key].
Select the file you saved the public key in and click [Ok].

The key should now be listed in your key manager.
You can use it to verify signatures from this person and to send encrypted messages to this person.



Key Servers
Alternatively you can upload your key to keyserver (but that is a little more advanced).
For example here is Tangible Cryptography public key
http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x28BB715FC26C17CD

You can also search keyservers to find other entities public keys:
http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/

For example search for TangibleCryptography.  Now be careful it is possible for someone to upload a fake key pretending to be someone else.
The person who you are communicating with should be able to provide you their key signature via off-band method.

Tangible Cryptography LLC key signature is 28BB715FC26C17CD.  If you see any other TangibleCryptography it is a fake.

that guide was useless, the addin extension for thunderbird version 15 does not exist for windows yet. Can someone please help me with more then just a link

ty death last msg was not directed towards you.

If I type an email on gmail how do I get that text encrypted exactly how do I use the persons public key on it?

If I receive an encrypted message how do I use my private key to actually view the text?

GPG4Win has an application called GPA.  Open GPA and click on [Clipboard].  You can use the clipboard to sign, verify, encrypt, or decrypt messages.  
Just copy the signed or encrypted contents to/from the email or PM.

Example:
You want to send a encrypted message.
Open GPA.  Click [Clipboard]
Write your message.
Click [Encrypt]
Select the recepient's public key.
[OPTIONAL] Check the "sign message" checkbox and select your key
Click [OK]

The clipboard now has an ecrypted text message.  Copy and paste it into an email, PM, website form, or IRC window.

you're welcome?

well you linked me to a site that says use thunderbird and enigma extension. You download thunderbird and then goto enigma site and the plugin for the latest version which is the only version you can download on thunderbirds main page only has a beta version for macosx. The enigma extension for thunderbird 15 on windows does not exist. Therefore the guide you sent me was out of date and useless to me. That's the brutal truth.

You must feel really frustrated, and i'm sorry for that.

I've felt frustrated like that before, links being 404 or otherwise not the correct version.

But you know, I've found that with any dated tutorial some digging is required to get the correct versions (of whatever) to make everything work correctly.

yea but the enigma plugin had no updated version available for windows, I looked. I even tried finding an version 14.0 thunderbird from an external site and it wasn't easily found either

You may wish to re-title your post to "Help with using GPG (Windows)" or specifically "Help with GPG4Win".

If I remember correctly the default settings of the GPG4Win installer leave the GPA box unchecked and instead install Kleopatra, an X509 certificate manager which is useless for most people.

no gpa is checked by default i downloaded the 15MB light package with just core files.

I figured it out. I successfully encrypted and decrypted the word hello.

Thank you

So I can't decrypt messages that I've sent?

You need to include your key as one of the keys to encrypt the message with.

If you encrypt a message with only "X" public key then only X can decrypt it.  If you want both you and X to be able to decrypt a message you need to select both YOUR public key AND "X" public key when encrypting.

To make this easier gpg (which gpa uses behind the scenes) has an option to encrypt with a preset a key in all messages.

In GPA click on [Edit] menu and then [Back End Preferences].  On the GPG for OpenPGP tab for the option "encrypt to" enter your 8 digit KEYID.    Once set if you encrypt a message to "X" GPG will actually encrypt the message for "X" AND the key you enter here.

Thank you!