Silk Road forums
Discussion => Security => Topic started by: r00b00cup on October 07, 2012, 03:01 pm
-
I'm running ubuntu on a bootable usb stick.
I can't find any information on how to sort out PGP on ubuntu.
Some help would be greatly appreciated ! - links to websites - useful links on the sr forums ; Anything :)
Or if someone would like to do something similar to this - GPG (Step-by-Step: Windows Pictorial)
http://dkn255hz262ypmii.onion/index.php?topic=131.0 - for ubuntu users, that would be fantastic. I'm far from a techno geek - so go easy with the dialect
Thankyou
-
Excellent that you have chosen Ubuntu to visit the deep web. It is a very secure choice.
PGP comes installed by default on Ubuntu. The program is called gpg (short for Gnu Privacy Guard). To use the GPG program, you have to use the command line interface (also called the terminal).
You start the terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
A good guide on how to use GPG through the command line can be found here:
http://dkn255hz262ypmii.onion/index.php?topic=42031.0
I'm currently writing a guide on using Ubuntu to visit Silk Road, and it will contain a detailed chapter about GPG. I'll release it soon, be sure to get yourself a free copy.
-
Absolutely fantastic response. Couldn't have been more helpful if you tried.
I eagerly look forward to your guide - when do you think it will be finished? ( + have you finished the PGP section yet; coz you could send it to me early ;) )
Thanks
-
Glad it was helpful :)
The guide is coming, soon. That's all I can say for now. I've got most of the text written (it's 30+ pages), but I still need to double check a few things before I publicize it. Especially since there are some security purists out there, that will rip me apart for the smallest errors (which is totally understandable given the importance of the matter).
So it's coming. In the main time, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask them here or shoot me a pm.
CoolGrey
-
Hi again. Basically i generated a key pair in the terminal following the guide you gave me (command line pgp easier than shit)
But when i load up my usb + type in 'gpg -a --export dsfklldkfj@fdkfjlf.com'
It says gpg : WARNING: nothing exported
?>?>? It's like it doesn't remember me generating the key. Ubuntu doesn't remember anything i do it seems (although that is a good thing). For instance i have to download and install with each use etc. But it doesn't even remember my key? I'm so confused
-
Hi again. Basically i generated a key pair in the terminal following the guide you gave me (command line pgp easier than shit)
But when i load up my usb + type in 'gpg -a --export dsfklldkfj@fdkfjlf.com'
It says gpg : WARNING: nothing exported
?>?>? It's like it doesn't remember me generating the key. Ubuntu doesn't remember anything i do it seems (although that is a good thing). For instance i have to download and install with each use etc. But it doesn't even remember my key? I'm so confused
What do you see if you use the command: gpg --list-keys >keylist.txt
If you enter that command, it should output a list of all your PGP public keys into the text keylist.txt
You're just missing the option to redirect the output to a file; this is usually carried out using the greater-than (>) symbol, e.g.
gpg --armor --export dsfklldkfj@fdkfjlf.com >exported_key.asc
Your exported key will be found in: exported_key.asc
I hope you're not enclosing your command in single-quotes (') -- that may cause problems of its own.
-
You could save gpg4usb on the usb and run it. Simple GUI and everything but I know a lot of us Linuxers prefer terminal. http://gpg4usb.cpunk.de/
-
It gives that error if it can't find the key. The reason can be either because it is not available, or because you entered a wrong key.
Type this command, it will show all your keys (both your own and other people's whose keys you've imported)
gpg -k
If it outputs a list, and your key is in it, then you made an error in typing. Tip: instead of the email address, you can also type the name. My key is called:
coolgrey - coolgrey@tormail.org
when I export it, I just type:
gpg -a --export "CoolGrey"
If you type the gpg -k command, and it doesn't show any keys, your keyring got deleted. I read in another post of yours that this happens more (you said you had to download the Tor browser bundle every time you start up).
If that is the case, maybe your Ubuntu isn't installed right. How did you make a bootable USB drive? Did you use a program like unetbootin, or did you install ubuntu from a cd, and selected the USB stick as target drive?
-
Hi there. Once again thanks for the thorough response. Excellent.
Yeh when i type in gpg -k - it gives me this:
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ gpg -k
gpg: directory `/home/ubuntu/.gnupg' created
gpg: new configuration file `/home/ubuntu/.gnupg/gpg.conf' created
gpg: WARNING: options in `/home/ubuntu/.gnupg/gpg.conf' are not yet active during this run
gpg: keyring `/home/ubuntu/.gnupg/secring.gpg' created
gpg: keyring `/home/ubuntu/.gnupg/pubring.gpg' created
gpg: /home/ubuntu/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
So it doesn't list my keys; keyring must of got deleted (godamit)
I made my bootable ubuntu usb using the following guide : http://www.ubuntu.com/download/help/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows
And i downloaded ubuntu from here : http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop
Regards
-
Yeah I recognize that output. It shows those lines when you run gpg for the first time. It creates all the required directories and configuration files.
When you shut down Ubuntu, apparently it deletes everything. I am quite sure this has to do with the way it is installed.
A way to solve your problem, is to reinstall Ubuntu on a USB stick, however this time do it differently:
1. Burn the installation CD .ISO to a writable CD. You can get a good free cd burner program at: www.cdburnerxp.se
(but if you already have cd burning software, that's okay too).
2. Get an empty USB stick, at least 8GB, preferably 16GB or more. (make sure there is no valuable data on it)
3. insert the CD and the USB stick and restart the computer. It should automatically boot from the installation CD. Choose "Install Ubuntu" and select the USB stick as the target drive.
Then it will install ubuntu and use the USB stick as a hard drive.
I installed Ubuntu on a USB stick like that, and mine does not wipe everything when you power it down. Two further remarks on the installation
I - Before you do step 3, optionally, you can open up your computer and pull out the red SATA cable of your hard drive. That way you cannot accidentally install Ubuntu to your hard disk that has Windows on it. However it is not necessary, because it will show you a warning if it detects another operating system on the target drive. Either way, be sure you select the USB drive to install Ubuntu to, not the hard disk.
II - During installation, select the option to encrypt home directory. Then the most important files will be encrypted, and you will be prompted your user password during start up.