gpg key

[chazb]

What is a, gpg key and what is it used for?

[littlehuman]

GPG is a free implementation of the OpenPGP standard and allows you to encrypt and sign your data.
If you are not familiar with GPG/PGP and public/private keys, you can watch a very good explanation video at A Pretty Good Introduction to Pretty Good Privacy, including tutorials with gpg

Regarding GPG itself, you can find all documentation at https://gnupg.org

[Cosmo.]

The question indicates, that you do not actively use it. So for you there is most likely only one, but essential usage for a gpg-key. The package management uses it to verify the authenticity of the packages, which you install or update from the sources in the web. You should not touch this, otherwise you package management will break and you will have a hard time to repair it (or you have to install Mint anew, if you cannot repair it).

[chazb]

I down loaded the Opera browser about a year ago, and when I updated it using the terminal always at the end of the update, there was a comment about Opera not having a public key. So, I still have Opera; how would I go about getting it a key? Is there a difference between a pub key and a GPG key?

I am beginning to get a handle on this key, business. And am getting the idea that I should get a 'private key', though for whatI am not quite certain.

[Cosmo.]

A gpg key can be a key pair, consisting out of a private (aka secret) key and a public key or a public key only. I don't use Opera and don't know. for which purpose it uses a key.

[phd21]

Hi "chazb",

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

You can use GPG / PGP keys for many things, including secure encrypted email, messaging applications, encrypted files and folders, and verifying if your downloads are accurate, like Linux Mint downloads are the ones from Linux Mint. For people, you would normally create a key pair consisting of a private and public key, and the public key is what you give to other people.

Manual setup Opera APT repository setup instructions
https://deb.opera.com/manual.html

"If you install an Opera .deb package, our repository is automatically configured for updates."

If you are getting a GPG error because of Opera updates, run the command below, or reinstall their software from the website which uses a "deb" file. You can copy and paste the line below.

Code: Select all

wget -qO- https://deb.opera.com/archive.key | sudo apt-key add -

GPG is already installed in all Linux Mint systems as the Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager (SPM) and Update Manager, etc... uses it to verify software sources. If you install a GPG / PGP encryption application like "Passwords and Keys" (seahorse) which may already be in your menus, or "GPA", KGpg, or Kleopatra, etc... then you can create and manage keys from your desktop. This can also be done from the console terminal command prompt. I always install or make sure that "Passwords and Keys" (seahorse) and GPA are installed. There is also an application software package (APT) key manager as well, called "gak" anyone can install.


To "Charlie " or anyone else, Facebook is usually not a secure means of communications through their website or through their desktop communication applications.

I did not know that they can now use GPG/PGP keys, so thanks Charlie for pointing that out. But, I found this link below. I still cannot tell if adding your GPG/PGP public key would help with securing their multimedia messenger chat (text, audio, or video)???
Unhackable: Beef up your Facebook security in 3 easy steps
https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/encrypt ... fications/

Facebook Finishes Its "Secret Conversations" Encryption Rollout to Messenger Users | WIRED
https://www.wired.com/2016/10/facebook- ... pdate-now/

Facebook Messenger Privacy: Everything You Need to Know
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook- ... r-privacy/


Hope this helps ...