Silk Road forums
Discussion => Security => Topic started by: jhannm on December 19, 2012, 01:32 am
-
So I've always had problems with gpg, and now I can't decrypt any messages it either says "No open data" or "gpa has stopped working" a few people have told me that I'm not copy and pasting right and I need to make sure I'm getting all the dashes in front and at the end of the message but I'm doing that and it's still not working. What could be wrong I really need some help and I've read and researched but can't seem to find an answer and most the info on the clearnet is hard to understand for someone like me who isn't very good with computers. Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.
-
Here is a basic, simple guide I wrote, which should help you out if your using a Windows system (Gpg4win)
You could also use gpg4usb. It has a simple interface and is easier to use for beginners.
1. Copy the Public Key of the person you want to send a message to.
2. Open a text editor, such as Notepad, and paste the Public Key. Name the file and save it to your desired location on your PC.
3. Open GPA (Gpg4win), click IMPORT, locate the file you just saved with the Public Key in it, and double click it. It will then show up in KEY MANAGER where it is stored for future use along with any other Public Keys you wish to keep.
4. Then click on CLIPBOARD, the 2nd icon in from the right at the top of the page. Type the message you wish to send to the recipient and then click ENCRYPT. Click on the Public Key of the person your sending the message to (should now be highlighted), then click OK at the bottom.
5. Then copy the encrypted message and paste it in a PM to the recipient and send it,
6. REMEMBER - Include your Own Public Key in this message if you wish to receive an encrypted response from the recipient. You can find this by RIGHT-CLICKING your key in KEY MANAGER, then copy/pasting it. :)
-
Thanks for the info, I'm really having problems decrypting though can you help me with that?
-
To decrypt, copy and paste the encrypted message you received into the CLIP BOARD in GPA. Click on DECRYPT, enter your Private Key and the message is then able to be read.
-
To decrypt, copy and paste the encrypted message you received into the CLIP BOARD in GPA. Click on DECRYPT, enter your Private Key and the message is then able to be read.
That's exactly how I do it and it doesn't work, sometimes it will but 99% of the time it doesn't work
-
Make sure you have your private key saved to your keyring otherwise you won't be able to decrypt any messages sent to that address. I'm guessing that's here your problem lies.
How do I make sure of that, I have two different keys saved in my key manager but I don't know if it's my public or private key, it's been so long since i set it up and I'm sure I did something wrong when setting it up. So how do I make sure I have my private key in there?
-
Make sure your copying the entire message, everything as seen below.
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: BCPG v1.47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=W6fe
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
If your 100% sure your using your correct private passphrase (Private Key) when decrypting the message, you could have a corrupt file in GPA itself. Try downloading it again and doing a re-install after un-installing the current version.
-
Make sure you have your private key saved to your keyring otherwise you won't be able to decrypt any messages sent to that address. I'm guessing that's here your problem lies.
How do I make sure of that, I have two different keys saved in my key manager but I don't know if it's my public or private key, it's been so long since i set it up and I'm sure I did something wrong when setting it up. So how do I make sure I have my private key in there?
Mate, only Public keys are stored under the Key Manager and you should have only one Public Key of your own stored. Private Keys are kept private for obvious reasons and ARE NOT kept with the Public Keys you have in the Key Manager.
-
So I uninstalled gpa and reinstalled it, then I was able to decrypt a message just fine but after the first one it won't decrypt any more messages. I deleted one of the keys in key manager and now only have one. I know my public and private keys work because I just decrypted a message but now it won't decrypt any more. This is really frustrating I really need some help. Thanks guys. I deleted second key and was able to decrypt one message after that so I know the key I have on there is good.
-
Delete all the keys from your Key Manager and start fresh. Create a new Public Key for yourself. If that doesn't work, it could perhaps be an issue with your P.C. What version of Windows are you running?
-
BEFORE YOU EVACUATE YOUR KEYS ETC
Check the nightly builds section HERE:
https://nightly.gpgtools.org/GPGTools_Installer-latest.dmg
GURU hipped me to this when I had the same issues
-
Delete all the keys from your Key Manager and start fresh. Create a new Public Key for yourself. If that doesn't work, it could perhaps be an issue with your P.C. What version of Windows are you running?
I'm running window 7, I hope it is an issue with my pc, that would give me one more reason to get a new one.
-
Delete all the keys from your Key Manager and start fresh. Create a new Public Key for yourself. If that doesn't work, it could perhaps be an issue with your P.C. What version of Windows are you running?
I'm running window 7, I hope it is an issue with my pc, that would give me one more reason to get a new one.
It's likely not an issue with your PC, it's far more likely to be an issue with that piece of shit software known as GPG4WIN. Do yourself a favour and get rid of it. Go to the GPG4USB homepage, and download GPG4USB. You'll find the interface 1000x easier to understand, and the documentation includes screenshots to make it easier. I'd estimate that 90% of the GPG problems on here are caused as a result of that crappy GPG4WIN software (especially Kleopatra).
GPG4USB Homepage: http://gpg4usb.cpunk.de/index.html
NC
-
Delete all the keys from your Key Manager and start fresh. Create a new Public Key for yourself. If that doesn't work, it could perhaps be an issue with your P.C. What version of Windows are you running?
I'm running window 7, I hope it is an issue with my pc, that would give me one more reason to get a new one.
It's likely not an issue with your PC, it's far more likely to be an issue with that piece of shit software known as GPG4WIN. Do yourself a favour and get rid of it. Go to the GPG4USB homepage, and download GPG4USB. You'll find the interface 1000x easier to understand, and the documentation includes screenshots to make it easier. I'd estimate that 90% of the GPG problems on here are caused as a result of that crappy GPG4WIN software (especially Kleopatra).
GPG4USB Homepage: http://gpg4usb.cpunk.de/index.html
NC
Thanks man I'm going to try this right now.
-
So I downloaded the GPG4USB and generated a key but I it's not showing up in my key manager? Also can I import the key I was using before and use it with gpg4usb. If not I need to figure out how to get my new key in the key manager so I can export it so people can send me messages.
-
I'll take a stab at this: yes, you can import your old private key. Provided you have it on disk somewhere. Did you think to save it? Or know where GPG4WIN (apparently what you were using) would store it?
The GPG application generally stores it in the user's home directory under a ".gnupg" folder. Since GPG4WIN is a port of GPG for Windows, I assume it would leave fundamental things like that alone and put it in your C:\Users\<username>\.gnupg directory. It should be labeled "secring.gpg". That's your secret keychain. Don't give it out or anything. Just import it.
Your public keys (including imported ones) should be in the same location in the file "pubring.gpg". I don't think your private key should show up in your key manager. But when you say "key manager," I don't even know what you're talking about, frankly. I tend to avoid all the high-level simplifications that Ubuntu and "friendly" Linux distros like it provide, so that's about all the help I'm going to be (whether it's of help or not, lol). I've learned more about computers struggling to use Linux than I ever learned in really any other way. It hasn't always been fun though...
Anyway, remember: a public key is used to encrypt for the corresponding private key. You probably don't want your SECRET KEY showing up in your PUBLIC KEY ring, right? I mean unless you add your own public key to it or something.
Good luck.
-
So I downloaded the GPG4USB and generated a key but I it's not showing up in my key manager? Also can I import the key I was using before and use it with gpg4usb. If not I need to figure out how to get my new key in the key manager so I can export it so people can send me messages.
GPG4USB is a stand-alone program; as such, any keys that you generate with GPG4USB are not going to show up in GPA, and vice-versa. Keys in GPG4USB, show up in the right-hand pane. Remember that there are two panes: the editor pane on the left, the key pane on the right.
Keys that you generate will show up in the GPG4USB right-hand pane with the following format. First you'll see a little checkbox, then a pair of gold/silver keys, then the username and finally the email address on the key (if any).
Are you trying to tell me that you're not seeing the key that you generated in the right hand pane?
If you want to import one of your keys from GPG4WIN, you'll have to import your *private* key, if you want to be able to decrypt any messages. (Alternatively, you can import both your public and private keyrings.)
NC
-
So I downloaded the GPG4USB and generated a key but I it's not showing up in my key manager? Also can I import the key I was using before and use it with gpg4usb. If not I need to figure out how to get my new key in the key manager so I can export it so people can send me messages.
GPG4USB is a stand-alone program; as such, any keys that you generate with GPG4USB are not going to show up in GPA, and vice-versa. Keys in GPG4USB, show up in the right-hand pane. Remember that there are two panes: the editor pane on the left, the key pane on the right.
Keys that you generate will show up in the GPG4USB right-hand pane with the following format. First you'll see a little checkbox, then a pair of gold/silver keys, then the username and finally the email address on the key (if any).
Are you trying to tell me that you're not seeing the key that you generated in the right hand pane?
If you want to import one of your keys from GPG4WIN, you'll have to import your *private* key, if you want to be able to decrypt any messages. (Alternatively, you can import both your public and private keyrings.)
NC
Yes that's what I'm saying, the key after I generated a key it didn't show up in the right hand panel like it does in the tutorial. I just got a new laptop so I'm going to try it again and see what happens hopefully it was an issue with my old pc.
-
Everything seems to be working on my new computer, thanks for all the help guys I really appreciate it.