Add 2012 to FSF copyright years for Emacs files
[bpt/emacs.git] / doc / misc / epa.texi
CommitLineData
c154c0be
MO
1\input texinfo @c -*- mode: texinfo -*-
2@c %**start of header
3@setfilename ../../info/epa
4@settitle EasyPG Assistant User's Manual
5@c %**end of header
6
7@set VERSION 1.0.0
8
9@copying
5dc584b5 10This file describes EasyPG Assistant @value{VERSION}.
c154c0be 11
acaf905b 12Copyright @copyright{} 2007-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
c154c0be
MO
13
14@quotation
15Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
6a2c4aec 16under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
c154c0be 17any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
cd5c05d2
GM
18Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
19and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the license
20is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''
21in the Emacs manual.
22
23(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have the freedom to copy and
24modify this GNU manual. Buying copies from the FSF supports it in
25developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
485da892
GM
26
27This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
28Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
29separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
30license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
c154c0be
MO
31@end quotation
32@end copying
33
0c973505 34@dircategory Emacs misc features
c154c0be 35@direntry
62e034c2 36* EasyPG Assistant: (epa). An Emacs user interface to GNU Privacy Guard.
c154c0be
MO
37@end direntry
38
c154c0be
MO
39@titlepage
40@title EasyPG Assistant
41
42@author by Daiki Ueno
43@page
44
45@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
46@insertcopying
47@end titlepage
c154c0be 48
5dc584b5 49@contents
c154c0be
MO
50
51@node Top
52@top EasyPG Assistant user's manual
53
54EasyPG Assistant is an Emacs user interface to GNU Privacy Guard
55(GnuPG, @pxref{Top, , Top, gnupg, Using the GNU Privacy Guard}).
56
57EasyPG Assistant is a part of the package called EasyPG, an all-in-one
58GnuPG interface for Emacs. EasyPG also contains the library interface
59called EasyPG Library.
60
5dc584b5
KB
61@ifnottex
62@insertcopying
63@end ifnottex
c154c0be
MO
64
65@menu
66* Overview::
67* Quick start::
b9476c04 68* Commands::
65f54520 69* Caching Passphrases::
b9476c04 70* Bug Reports::
c154c0be
MO
71@end menu
72
73@node Overview
74@chapter Overview
75
76EasyPG Assistant provides the following features.
77
78@itemize @bullet
34a3c587 79@item Key management.
c154c0be
MO
80@item Cryptographic operations on regions.
81@item Cryptographic operations on files.
82@item Dired integration.
83@item Mail-mode integration.
84@item Automatic encryption/decryption of *.gpg files.
85@end itemize
86
87@node Quick start
88@chapter Quick start
89
5a8d03e9 90EasyPG Assistant commands are prefixed by @samp{epa-}. For example,
c154c0be
MO
91
92@itemize @bullet
93@item To browse your keyring, type @kbd{M-x epa-list-keys}
94
95@item To create a cleartext signature of the region, type @kbd{M-x epa-sign-region}
5a8d03e9
MO
96
97@item To encrypt a file, type @kbd{M-x epa-encrypt-file}
c154c0be
MO
98@end itemize
99
5a8d03e9
MO
100EasyPG Assistant provides several cryptographic features which can be
101integrated into other Emacs functionalities. For example, automatic
102encryption/decryption of @samp{*.gpg} files.
103
c154c0be
MO
104@node Commands
105@chapter Commands
106
107This chapter introduces various commands for typical use cases.
108
109@menu
110* Key management::
111* Cryptographic operations on regions::
112* Cryptographic operations on files::
113* Dired integration::
114* Mail-mode integration::
115* Encrypting/decrypting *.gpg files::
116@end menu
117
118@node Key management
119@section Key management
120Probably the first step of using EasyPG Assistant is to browse your
121keyring. @kbd{M-x epa-list-keys} is corresponding to @samp{gpg
122--list-keys} from the command line.
123
124@deffn Command epa-list-keys name mode
125Show all keys matched with @var{name} from the public keyring.
126@end deffn
127
128@noindent
129The output looks as follows.
130
131@example
132 u A5B6B2D4B15813FE Daiki Ueno <ueno@@unixuser.org>
133@end example
134
135@noindent
136A character on the leftmost column indicates the trust level of the
137key. If it is @samp{u}, the key is marked as ultimately trusted. The
138second column is the key ID, and the rest is the user ID.
139
140You can move over entries by @key{TAB}. If you type @key{RET} or
141click button1 on an entry, you will see more detailed information
142about the key you selected.
143
144@example
145 u Daiki Ueno <ueno@@unixuser.org>
146 u A5B6B2D4B15813FE 1024bits DSA
b1fbbb32
GM
147 Created: 2001-10-09
148 Expires: 2007-09-04
149 Capabilities: sign certify
150 Fingerprint: 8003 7CD0 0F1A 9400 03CA 50AA A5B6 B2D4 B158 13FE
c154c0be 151 u 4447461B2A9BEA2D 2048bits ELGAMAL_E
b1fbbb32
GM
152 Created: 2001-10-09
153 Expires: 2007-09-04
154 Capabilities: encrypt
155 Fingerprint: 9003 D76B 73B7 4A8A E588 10AF 4447 461B 2A9B EA2D
c154c0be
MO
156@end example
157
158@noindent
159To browse your private keyring, use @kbd{M-x epa-list-secret-keys}.
160
161@deffn Command epa-list-secret-keys name
162Show all keys matched with @var{name} from the private keyring.
163@end deffn
164
165@noindent
166In @samp{*Keys*} buffer, several commands are available. The common
167use case is to export some keys to a file. To do that, type @kbd{m}
168to select keys, type @kbd{o}, and then supply the filename.
169
170Below are other commands related to key management. Some of them take
171a file as input/output, and others take the current region.
172
173@deffn Command epa-insert-keys keys
174Insert selected @var{keys} after the point. It will let you select
175keys before insertion. By default, it will encode keys in the OpenPGP
176armor format.
177@end deffn
178
179@deffn Command epa-import-keys file
180Import keys from @var{file} to your keyring.
181@end deffn
182
183@deffn Command epa-import-keys-region start end
184Import keys from the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}
185to your keyring.
186@end deffn
187
188@deffn Command epa-import-armor-in-region start end
189Import keys in the OpenPGP armor format in the current region between
190@var{start} and @var{end}. The difference from
191@code{epa-import-keys-region} is that
192@code{epa-import-armor-in-region} searches armors in the region and
193applies @code{epa-import-keys-region} to each of them.
194@end deffn
195
196@deffn Command epa-delete-keys allow-secret
197Delete selected keys. If @var{allow-secret} is non-@code{nil}, it
198also delete the secret keys.
199@end deffn
200
201@node Cryptographic operations on regions
202@section Cryptographic operations on regions
203
204@deffn Command epa-decrypt-region start end
205Decrypt the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}. It
206replaces the region with the decrypted text.
207@end deffn
208
209@deffn Command epa-decrypt-armor-in-region start end
210Decrypt OpenPGP armors in the current region between @var{start} and
211@var{end}. The difference from @code{epa-decrypt-region} is that
212@code{epa-decrypt-armor-in-region} searches armors in the region
213and applies @code{epa-decrypt-region} to each of them. That is, this
214command does not alter the original text around armors.
215@end deffn
216
217@deffn Command epa-verify-region start end
218Verify the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}. It sends
219the verification result to the minibuffer or a popup window. It
220replaces the region with the signed text.
221@end deffn
222
223@deffn Command epa-verify-cleartext-in-region
224Verify OpenPGP cleartext blocks in the current region between
225@var{start} and @var{end}. The difference from
226@code{epa-verify-region} is that @code{epa-verify-cleartext-in-region}
227searches OpenPGP cleartext blocks in the region and applies
228@code{epa-verify-region} to each of them. That is, this command does
229not alter the original text around OpenPGP cleartext blocks.
230@end deffn
231
232@deffn Command epa-sign-region start end signers type
233Sign the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}. By
234default, it creates a cleartext signature. If a prefix argument is
235given, it will let you select signing keys, and then a signature
236type.
237@end deffn
238
239@deffn Command epa-encrypt-region start end recipients sign signers
240Encrypt the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}. It will
241let you select recipients. If a prefix argument is given, it will
242also ask you whether or not to sign the text before encryption and if
243you answered yes, it will let you select the signing keys.
244@end deffn
245
246@node Cryptographic operations on files
247@section Cryptographic operations on files
248
249@deffn Command epa-decrypt-file file
250Decrypt @var{file}.
251@end deffn
252
253@deffn Command epa-verify-file file
254Verify @var{file}.
255@end deffn
256
257@deffn Command epa-sign-file file signers type
258Sign @var{file}. If a prefix argument is given, it will let you
259select signing keys, and then a signature type.
260@end deffn
261
262@deffn Command epa-encrypt-file file recipients
263Encrypt @var{file}. It will let you select recipients.
264@end deffn
265
266@node Dired integration
267@section Dired integration
268
269EasyPG Assistant extends Dired Mode for GNU Emacs to allow users to
270easily do cryptographic operations on files. For example,
271
272@example
273M-x dired
274(mark some files)
275: e (or M-x epa-dired-do-encrypt)
276(select recipients by 'm' and click [OK])
277@end example
278
279@noindent
280The following keys are assigned.
281
282@table @kbd
283@item : d
284@kindex @kbd{: d}
285@findex epa-dired-do-decrypt
286Decrypt marked files.
287
288@item : v
289@kindex @kbd{: v}
290@findex epa-dired-do-verify
291Verify marked files.
292
293@item : s
294@kindex @kbd{: s}
295@findex epa-dired-do-sign
296Sign marked files.
297
298@item : e
299@kindex @kbd{: e}
300@findex epa-dired-do-encrypt
301Encrypt marked files.
302
303@end table
304
305@node Mail-mode integration
306@section Mail-mode integration
307
3b7ab45f 308EasyPG Assistant provides a minor mode @code{epa-mail-mode} to help
c05c2b9b
DU
309user compose inline OpenPGP messages. Inline OpenPGP is a traditional
310style of sending signed/encrypted emails by embedding raw OpenPGP
311blobs inside a message body, not using modern MIME format.
3b7ab45f 312
c05c2b9b 313NOTE: Inline OpenPGP is not recommended and you should consider to use
c154c0be
MO
314PGP/MIME. See
315@uref{http://josefsson.org/inline-openpgp-considered-harmful.html,
c05c2b9b 316Inline OpenPGP in E-mail is bad@comma{} Mm'kay?}.
c154c0be
MO
317
318@noindent
0f215bca
DU
319Once @code{epa-mail-mode} is enabled, the following keys are assigned.
320You can do it by @kbd{C-u 1 M-x epa-mail-mode} or through the Customize
321interface. Try @kbd{M-x customize-variable epa-global-mail-mode}.
c154c0be
MO
322
323@table @kbd
d85d3b3a
DU
324@item C-c C-e C-d and C-c C-e d
325@kindex @kbd{C-c C-e C-d}
c154c0be
MO
326@kindex @kbd{C-c C-e d}
327@findex epa-mail-decrypt
328Decrypt OpenPGP armors in the current buffer.
329
d85d3b3a
DU
330@item C-c C-e C-v and C-c C-e v
331@kindex @kbd{C-c C-e C-v}
c154c0be
MO
332@kindex @kbd{C-c C-e v}
333@findex epa-mail-verify
334Verify OpenPGP cleartext signed messages in the current buffer.
335
d85d3b3a
DU
336@item C-c C-e C-s and C-c C-e s
337@kindex @kbd{C-c C-e C-s}
c154c0be
MO
338@kindex @kbd{C-c C-e s}
339@findex epa-mail-sign
340Compose a signed message from the current buffer.
341
d85d3b3a
DU
342@item C-c C-e C-e and C-c C-e e
343@kindex @kbd{C-c C-e C-e}
c154c0be
MO
344@kindex @kbd{C-c C-e e}
345@findex epa-mail-encrypt
346Compose an encrypted message from the current buffer.
7a603b73
DU
347By default it tries to build the recipient list from @samp{to},
348@samp{cc}, and @samp{bcc} fields of the mail header. To include your
349key in the recipient list, use @samp{encrypt-to} option in
350@file{~/.gnupg/gpg.conf}.
c154c0be
MO
351
352@end table
353
354@node Encrypting/decrypting *.gpg files
355@section Encrypting/decrypting *.gpg files
8b358e90
DU
356By default, every file whose name ends with @samp{.gpg} will be
357treated as encrypted. That is, when you open such a file, the
358decrypted text is inserted in the buffer rather than encrypted one.
359Similarly, when you save the buffer to a @samp{foo.gpg} file,
360encrypted data is written.
c154c0be 361
8b358e90
DU
362The file name pattern for encrypted files can be controlled by
363@var{epa-file-name-regexp}.
364
365@defvar epa-file-name-regexp
366Regexp which matches filenames treated as encrypted.
367@end defvar
368
369You can disable this behavior with @kbd{M-x epa-file-disable}, and
370then get it back with @kbd{M-x epa-file-enable}.
c154c0be
MO
371
372@deffn Command epa-file-disable
373Disable automatic encryption/decryption of *.gpg files.
374@end deffn
375
376@deffn Command epa-file-enable
377Enable automatic encryption/decryption of *.gpg files.
378@end deffn
379
380@noindent
8b358e90
DU
381By default, @code{epa-file} will try to use symmetric encryption, aka
382password-based encryption. If you want to use public key encryption
383instead, do @kbd{M-x epa-file-select-keys}, which will pops up the key
384selection dialog.
385
386@deffn Command epa-file-select-keys
387Select recipient keys to encrypt the currently visiting file with
388public key encryption.
389@end deffn
390
391You can also change the default behavior with the variable
392@var{epa-file-select-keys}.
393
394@defvar epa-file-select-keys
395Control whether or not to pop up the key selection dialog.
396@end defvar
397
398For frequently visited files, it might be a good idea to tell Emacs
399which encryption method should be used through @xref{File Variables, ,
400, emacs, the Emacs Manual}. Use the @code{epa-file-encrypt-to} local
401variable for this.
c154c0be
MO
402@vindex epa-file-encrypt-to
403
8b358e90
DU
404For example, if you want an Elisp file should be encrypted with a
405public key associated with an email address @samp{ueno@@unixuser.org},
406add the following line to the beginning of the file.
407
c154c0be
MO
408@cartouche
409@lisp
410;; -*- epa-file-encrypt-to: ("ueno@@unixuser.org") -*-
411@end lisp
412@end cartouche
413
8b358e90
DU
414Instead, if you want the file always (regardless of the value of the
415@code{epa-file-select-keys} variable) encrypted with symmetric
416encryption, change the line as follows.
2c6c404a 417
8b358e90
DU
418@cartouche
419@lisp
420;; -*- epa-file-encrypt-to: nil -*-
421@end lisp
422@end cartouche
2c6c404a 423
c154c0be
MO
424Other variables which control the automatic encryption/decryption
425behavior are below.
426
427@defvar epa-file-cache-passphrase-for-symmetric-encryption
428If non-@code{nil}, cache passphrase for symmetric encryption. The
429default value is @code{nil}.
430@end defvar
431
432@defvar epa-file-inhibit-auto-save
433If non-@code{nil}, disable auto-saving when opening an encrypted file.
434The default value is @code{t}.
435@end defvar
436
65f54520
DU
437@node Caching Passphrases
438@chapter Caching Passphrases
439
440Typing passphrases is an irritating task if you frequently open and
441close the same file. GnuPG and EasyPG Assistant provide mechanisms to
442remember your passphrases. However, the configuration is a bit
443confusing since it depends on your GnuPG installation (GnuPG version 1 or
444GnuPG version 2), encryption method (symmetric or public key), and whether or
445not you want to use gpg-agent. Here are some questions:
446
447@enumerate
448@item Do you use GnuPG version 2 instead of GnuPG version 1?
449@item Do you use symmetric encryption rather than public key encryption?
450@item Do you want to use gpg-agent?
451@end enumerate
452
453Here are configurations depending on your answers:
454
455@multitable {111} {222} {333} {configuration configuration configuration}
456@item @b{1} @tab @b{2} @tab @b{3} @tab Configuration
98e2b864 457@item Yes @tab Yes @tab Yes @tab Set up gpg-agent.
65f54520 458@item Yes @tab Yes @tab No @tab You can't, without gpg-agent.
98e2b864 459@item Yes @tab No @tab Yes @tab Set up gpg-agent.
65f54520
DU
460@item Yes @tab No @tab No @tab You can't, without gpg-agent.
461@item No @tab Yes @tab Yes @tab Set up elisp passphrase cache.
462@item No @tab Yes @tab No @tab Set up elisp passphrase cache.
98e2b864 463@item No @tab No @tab Yes @tab Set up gpg-agent.
65f54520
DU
464@item No @tab No @tab No @tab You can't, without gpg-agent.
465@end multitable
466
98e2b864 467To set up gpg-agent, follow the instruction in GnuPG manual.
65f54520
DU
468@pxref{Invoking GPG-AGENT, , Invoking GPG-AGENT, gnupg}.
469
470To set up elisp passphrase cache, set
471@code{epa-file-cache-passphrase-for-symmetric-encryption}.
472@xref{Encrypting/decrypting *.gpg files}.
473
b9476c04
DU
474@node Bug Reports
475@chapter Bug Reports
476
477Bugs and problems with EasyPG Assistant are actively worked on by the
478Emacs development team. Feature requests and suggestions are also
479more than welcome. Use @kbd{M-x report-emacs-bug}, @pxref{Bugs, ,
480Bugs, emacs, Reporting Bugs}.
481
482When submitting a bug report, please try to describe in excruciating
483detail the steps required to reproduce the problem. Also try to
484collect necessary information to fix the bug, such as:
485
486@itemize @bullet
487@item the GnuPG version. Send the output of @samp{gpg --version}.
488@item the GnuPG configuration. Send the contents of @file{~/.gnupg/gpg.conf}.
489@end itemize
490
491Before reporting the bug, you should set @code{epg-debug} in the
492@file{~/.emacs} file and repeat the bug. Then, include the contents
493of the @samp{ *epg-debug*} buffer. Note that the first letter of the
494buffer name is a whitespace.
495
c154c0be
MO
496@bye
497
498@c End: