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synkarius/gpg-import-and-export-instructions.md

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Created July 7, 2020 01:16
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  1. @chrisroos chrisroos created this gist Sep 9, 2011.
    50 changes: 50 additions & 0 deletions gpg-import-and-export-instructions.md
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    Every so often I have to restore my gpg keys and I'm never sure how best to do it. So, I've spent some time playing around with the various ways to export/import (backup/restore) keys.

    ## Method 1

    ### Backup the public and secret keyrings and trust database

    cp ~/.gnupg/pubring.gpg /path/to/backups/
    cp ~/.gnupg/secring.gpg /path/to/backups/
    cp ~/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg /path/to/backups/
    # or, instead of backing up trustdb...
    gpg --export-ownertrust > chrisroos-ownertrust-gpg.txt

    *NOTE* The [GPG manual](http://www.gnupg.org/documentation/manuals/gnupg/GPG-Configuration.html) suggests exporting the ownertrust instead of backing up the trustdb, although it doesn't explain why.

    ### Restore the public and secret keyrings and trust database

    cp /path/to/backups/*.gpg ~/.gnupg/
    # or, if you exported the ownertrust
    gpg --import-ownertrust chrisroos-ownertrust-gpg.txt

    ## Method 2

    This only really works if you don't mind losing any other keys (than your own).

    ### Export public and secret key and ownertrust

    gpg -a --export [email protected] > chrisroos-public-gpg.key
    gpg -a --export-secret-keys [email protected] > chrisroos-secret-gpg.key
    gpg --export-ownertrust > chrisroos-ownertrust-gpg.txt

    ### Import secret key (which contains the public key) and ownertrust

    gpg --import chrisroos-secret-gpg.key
    gpg --import-ownertrust chrisroos-ownertrust-gpg.txt

    ## Method 3

    This is mainly about trusting my key once I've imported it (by either restoring the pubring.gpg and secring.gpg, or by using --import). This seems to be what I do the most as I either forget to import the trustdb or ownertrust.

    ### Ultimately trust the imported key

    This is so that I can encrypt data using my public key

    gpg --edit-key [email protected]
    gpg> trust
    Your decision? 5 (Ultimate trust)

    *NOTE* If I don't trust the public key then I see the following message when trying to encrypt something with it:

    gpg: <key-id>: There is no assurance this key belongs to the named user