10.1 Generating a New Key Pair
To be able to exchange encrypted messages with other users, first generate
your own key pair. One part of it—the public
key—is distributed to your communication partners, who can
use it to encrypt the files or e-mail messages they send. The other part of
the key pair—the private key—is used to
decrypt the encrypted contents.
IMPORTANT: Private Key versus Public Key
The public key is intended for the public and should be distributed to all
your communication partners. However, only you should have access to the
private key. Do not grant other users access to this data.
Start KGpg from the main menu or press
F2
and enter kgpg. When
you start the program for the first time, an assistant appears to guide you
through the configuration. Follow the instructions up to the point where you
are prompted to create a key. Enter a name, an e-mail address, and,
optionally, a comment. If you do not like the default settings provided,
also set the expiration time for the key, the key size, and the encryption
algorithm used. See Figure 10-1.
When you start KGpg in later sessions, only a small icon with a padlock
appears in the system tray. Click that icon to display the main
KGpg window on your desktop.
Confirm your settings with . The next dialog prompts
you to enter a password twice. The relative strength of your chosen password
is measured and displayed by the . The program then generates the key pair and displays a
summary. It is a good idea to save or print a revocation certificate right
away. Such a certificate is needed if you forget the password for your
private key so need to revoke it. After you confirm with
, KGpg displays its main window. See Figure 10-2.
