Configure PGP for Evolution Email Client

More information about Real Time's products & services is available on our sales web site. Direct links for each item are listed below:

This HOWTO will take you through a quick & basic PGP Key creation, submission to key servers, and setup in Evolution.

Table of Contents:

Key Generation, Graphic User Interface (GUI)

First, you'll need to make sure you have (or install) the following packages:

  • seahorse

Then proceed with the following:

  1. Launch a Seahorse by hitting Alt & F2 then type seahorse

  2. Click on Key -> Create New Key... (Or, hit Ctrl+N)

  3. Select PGP Key and click on Continue

  4. Enter in the following information:
    Your First and Last Name in the Full Name: field
    Your Email Address in the Email Address: field
    Optional - a comment in the Comment: field
    Click on Advanced Options
    The default options are fine, but you may want to change them
    Click on Create

  5. You will now have to enter you password or passphrase for your PGP key - it's recommended to use a sentence with a mix of random numbers and mixed capitalization; do not make this easy to guess!

  6. You should now see that your key has been created
    See the column labeled Key ID ? (currently blocked out with the white box..) You will need to reference that number|text string later on in Evolution

  7. Right click on your Key and select Sync and Publish Keys...

  8. Click on Sync and then wait a moment or two

  9. You have now successfully created a PGP key and uploaded it to a public server

  10. See how you can integrate this with Evolution email client

Key Generation, Command Line Interface (CLI)

First, you'll need to make sure you have (or install) the following packages:

  • gnupg

  • gnupg-agent

Then proceed with the following:

  1. Launch a terminal window by hitting Alt & F2 then type xterm

  2. Enter the following xterm window:
    gpg --gen-key

  3. Then enter 1 (this selects the option, "1- to create a standard DSA/ElGamal key" - this is selected by default) and press Enter

  4. Type in 1024 and then press Enter

  5. Type in 0 and then press Enter

  6. Enter a y and then press Enter

  7. Type in your Real Name, as in your first and last name and press Enter

  8. Type in your email address (this is the email address you will be using your GPG Key with) and press Enter

  9. In the Comment field, you can leave this blank or add other important information, then press Enter

  10. Type 0 (as in Okay) to confirm settings so far and then press Enter

  11. You will now have to type in your Pass Phrase - it's recommended to use a sentence with a mix of random numbers and mixed capitalization; do not make this easy to guess!
    IMPORTANT: The Pass Phrase is not long enough you will be warned and prompted to enter a new one again

  12. You will have to re-enter your Pass Phrase again to confirm it

  13. Wait for your computer to generate the random bytes needed for they key, this could take a while

One they Key generation process has finished, proceed with the following:

  1. While in the same xterm, type in the following command:
    gpg --export -a "User Name" > public.key
    Be sure to replace "User Name" with your actual username

  2. Open a nautilus window by hitting Alt & F2 and typing nautilis

  3. Find the file public.key in your home directory

  4. Right click on the file, then left click on Open with "Text Editor"

  5. Press CTRL+A, then CTRL+C
    Or, Edit -> Select All and then Edit -> Copy

  6. Launch a web browser and visit this page, http://pgp.mit.edu

  7. In the box under labeled "Submit a key" - right click in the box and then left click on Paste

  8. Click on the button labeled, Submit this key to the keyserver!

  9. Go back to http://pgp.mit.edu

  10. Type in your First and Last name in the Search String: box

  11. On the results page you are looking for keyID column

  12. Highlight and copy your keyID - you will need to refer to this in the next step

Configure Evolution

  1. Launch Evolution

  2. Go to Edit -> Preferences or hit Shift+Ctrl+S

  3. Choose your email account, left click on it once, and then click Edit

  4. Click on the Security tab (found on the far right)

  5. In the PGP/GPG Key ID: box, enter (or paste) your Key ID (sometimes called keyID) - see the steps listed above on where this is located or how you can find your Key ID

  6. Click OK

  7. Click Close

If you want to use your key in any new email, simply click on the Security menu item in your new mail message, and then click on PGP Sign or PGP Encrypt

The instructions and screen shots contained within this website are specific to services offered by Real Time Enterprises only.

 

 

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Real Time Enterprises, Inc.

Real Time Enterprises, Inc.
10181 Crosstown Circle
Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Phone: (952) 943-8700
Fax: (952) 943-8500

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