Home → Stable →

what/where is my public key?

• Edit

josh

03 Jul, 2012 06:33 PM

I've read several posts relating to the public key, but I can't find what I'm looking for but I know it must be an often asked question.

Where is my public key? All I see in the keychain is "sec" "uid" and "sub".

I've highlighted the "sec" one, the main one, and have right-clicked to "send to key server" (there was no box to check or uncheck to "allow secret key export". I have also right click to export the "sec" portion . . . . I did not check "allow secret key export" but it just exported it to my desktop and it is not a viewable file.

Someone asked me for my public key and I don't know how to give it to them. I want to be able to see my public key so that I can copy and paste it as I see fit. Not sure how. I'm also not sure if I've compromised my SEC by sending to the servers.

Thanks in advance for any help.

1. Support Staff 1 Posted by Luke Le on 03 Jul, 2012 07:05 PM

   

   Hi Josh,

   this is an unfortunate short coming of the current version of GPG Keychain Access.
   Each key you create contains a private key part and a public key part.
   That's one of the reason why they're not separately listed in GPG Keychain Access but you only see one row which reads "sec".
   If you export it, by default only the public key is exported unless you check the "allow secret key export" as you mentioned.
   Also, if you choose send to key server, it will always only send the public key to the server. (it should rather read, send public key to key server and we'll redesign the entire user interface to make it much clearer, but that will not happen soon)
   The private key should never be shared with anynone!

   It's not a viewable file at the moment, since it's automatically imported into GPG Keychain Access if you double click it. That's a feature we'll also add in the future.

   Unfortunately we're a very small team of only 4-5 active people who are working on this in their spare time since we charge no money for it. But we'll completely rewrite each tool we provide with GPGTools as time allows.

   Hope that helps.

   • Edit

2. 2 Posted by josh on 03 Jul, 2012 07:49 PM

   

   But I don't understand how to give someone my public key then?

   He uses Thunderbird with enigmail plug in. People say to upload my key to the server, but I'm not sure what server it goes to or how/where to retrieve it or where to send someone else to retrieve it.

   I need to find this info (but for my own key)

   -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
   Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux)

   mQGiBE98NE4RBAC1Vrmrzfl0RHajdrjPlOtwJrMHaxl/pAN9b63xJSBJIrI4+o2D
   wWu7hncL29XHYOw7D2f44Prlte/dxREG7CiPH0LEG5oO7oAdFt3A4xGMsQq0s8ow
   YqdXlOpnWO6KlDOjn9AP93+k12WjyaOqgeyDLrvkIkUTGOb/ANvNYLlxFwCgpENr
   a4+vS/RSruvMxGZiwMBASPsD/jDFxgI1DL2HM3IMcbYgwAhGGEEYYjoMzTVAfJP2
   VqCR5OMSzENqrGVitpNOl1FhOoB70jKEEPRPPrJleCQLl+OpWQxWf7onmdVGqDcj
   sS8iJJS459wBTZT+41cwlQ7UDYSgg+qcFIaFJEzba4TAPzWBLbMY5YRg+6rJ4lKo
   xxjjBACjuIsd4t59GN1dSAvIAyAULnye1TMqWd3dQJqPf2Iu0H4a4WCYj/rV3xoN
   /6xUFekMtmix/iHQcHtYnf2VanjeM0V9W1M0NuyH2GPeIS1KVb7RvgGsDr9+CQZY
   IVbLJU+gAmPJRDezG6w9N7pUjrmJNX/5P/Z2ruoE1A8w2xP/XrQpSmltIERhdmlk
   c29uIChsYXRlc3QpIDxqaW1AaW5kb21pdHVzLm5ldD6IYAQTEQIAIAUCT3w0TgIb
   IwYLCQgHAwIEFQIIAwQWAgMBAh4BAheAAAoJEMAXTSYKbryvKE0AoIRv2r9Hzxbi
   fB6Kv82VJ3U7dC8lAJ4x9GuJ17SLlzmn54+6P9NRx2d2XohGBBMRAgAGBQJPfFrN
   AAoJEFnZFv0SQwUiLDgAnivn76IMn21v75mo7PDkN0HcmEw7AJ9pID3JyQ4beZSW
   HpNxh9xnPHb2F4hGBBARAgAGBQJPfL6DAAoJED3CmLvBoohdO0AAn1gRsyZdkMTa
   +gRxR6uYCF2gZN1lAJ490TqM7aF4RcJTK2JT38VR8BmiebkEDQRPfDROEBAA7PfE
   eKetKQLvcgE8bvEWfi07OgbslutNP2QyjRzUHCPxjl6J7et1VylxCujVoJoSD8jk
   mu3JPOPj2Ne8gA2qZqbQeOGHgZs2DcKe/ebF8qibj4PSkSNKoy9pc/pIUMNbHQZ9
   0fuO6vlgCRFQXDakl+YwpvawKU/Lfy/amjdt1FSgcpoQW95tj42Rx7wc9uH9Ktj4
   +VrMqLxN9p6RaHLkyK0ePFNGkIw+rohCspiFKP2nOp4dD1jLliDZrEI5gzM3AX7K
   m+2ab19FvjGAFAI3dGhoTXMZ0ksGoOKyu2v9pQJwc9hd6mXmzihzHbXT4FwmAQUy
   gGhE2L0+Oz3doCJueU6sj4OrMcEfcmJxYSv268IgG522lAJOqzJ/CO1PSuous7JF
   py74Vb6bycAiaxCM7mclD4rXrtKgTutJSno0pO3FWLq/NYAwJLqqwtBn0pHT9MCd
   0v6+fJVNAtR76/LvBuhypzSXOMSVilRTbd/OMPa0JqD7pcMHvU92+CRy1rcvwf0S
   hozxAyN/CWXybSl5WFl91oPw5Byb5iaIBzk6piXvZoPXiW7rv8o0xgghvJSQXMAX
   VqXW+NMfSUS0KFFOtMaT9XMVbTOcxEUci6fUo0DCoMgOzxjadcVt8/+szIH+8AZk
   1ybsVd1RT1+hVtC3W3u1JZtZBVDJtOnk5RuCEKcAAwUP/0HTPyi6DSEkP59A93o5
   r9Xky7ArF9E1M4i6TCYbzhw8a33A1+QGedWYEW2jLmlwSFhqcc0SaoZ2YjpdJWyC
   Eb8vEYj1pK8FWrPzYzzWU4pPdGlpUCWSWymHg6uvcqy2vqveQxWFAqisT7FTqW2r
   74a0hy7/g0e8JTMvWKe6NZwG5XY+bHzp84jTQ/DpljG9AmpHU/HzSjgAVSrj6DIh
   kqJfDRMEFvmaDhDTaPWKFWtcP09hAmKsY+A+OctO04f7SCTObJYUp/x8NgJQvuYP
   MjFxhzJdRvf7oF4yVrewto8h2XpGcnWsc1NtwAxS4OH+Om0qZxgXnJ7cSJ/NcBv5
   9BE9Bv/2CWkzadRyntUS/yIwDJ5sUaMMiaE5fc/JHgF92+i6HjrdJWAa7DhIEaQv
   Xnnr6FInsLi/VLvtAuXnFvgzsOLesI9nKXa37ynRnasy+q5JWmT2s48Zamp4zLl/
   6int++bAt3qsMlp7MkVBRIfQ3ow9Z/hKUZS1EPY4gAiaPJfaUIShm1Ptp75NoLrf
   XD85Y/AnQQOoCQjXMwe4sCJc0a7PokkeHgRdngHOxzIn/73EBVVsHNidVa62188v
   xTERMwbRvVXlUTb81E0sA7h8FTUe4LBaH+L2oRzxq0pOelE3y4C79zBcvxfaNytC
   GjYakmXJu06bXjvlMxDi+LbmiEkEGBECAAkFAk98NE4CGwwACgkQwBdNJgpuvK/i
   TgCePKQa6Ws+riLYXgZjwMmTI5eCpycAnRtpwOTRzpYHotvmx1RcvPNabePb
   =3uty
   -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

   People need my public key block in order for us to get anywhere so I just have to know how to give it to them. When I export my key it just goes to my desktop and if I click it Adobe Flash wants to open it.

   I'm more than happy to contribute money. I've done so for several open source programmers in the past, but I need to know that everything is up and working first.

   Thanks for your help,

   Josh

   • Edit

3. Support Staff 3 Posted by Luke Le on 03 Jul, 2012 07:59 PM

   

   Ah ok, it looks like I misunderstood your question at first.

   There are two possible ways to share the public keys and you've described both, so we're halfway there.

   If you publish it on a keyserver the other user will be able to fetch it from a keyserver. The keys are synchronized among a few GPG keyservers so it will be available on all of those after some time. But this may take a while. If you check GPG Keychain Access's preferences you'll see what keyserver you're using and could tell that to the other person so they can immediately fetch the key from that server.

   The second method is to use the exported file. The exported file is a simple text file containing the public key in the form you've posted. I believe Flash uses the same .asc extension for their Flash Action Script files, that might 'cause the confusion for OS X.
   If you send that file to another person though, they'll be able to import it with some tool of their choice, or you can simply copy the text out of that file and send it to the other person.

   The sharing process of GPG keys is one of the most cumbersome thing at the moment and it will be the next topic we'll focus on to make it as easy as possible.

   I hope this makes it a little bit clearer.

   • Edit

4. Support Staff 4 Posted by Steve on 04 Jul, 2012 03:51 PM

   

   Hey Josh,
   I just updated the Quickstart Guide with the missing info about uploading your key. Feel free to re-read.

   Does this and Luke's reply answer your question?

   All the best,
   steve

   ---

   Please consider a donation. We do all this in our spare time.

   • Edit

5. 5 Posted by josh on 05 Jul, 2012 06:09 PM

   

   Thank you. Luke's response got me what I need. The adobe flash association worked fine, it just confused me at first.

   Thanks to the both of you!! I will contribute a donation this weekend after payday. Thanks!!

   • Edit

6. Support Staff 6 Posted by Steve on 05 Jul, 2012 07:18 PM

   

   Great. Glad we were able to solve this. Feel free to open a new discussion should you need further assistance.

   Cheers,
   steve

   • Edit

7. Steve closed this discussion on 05 Jul, 2012 07:18 PM.