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Several months ago I wrote a series on DIY email encryption. One of the steps in this process was installing Gnu Privacy Guard (GPG). This is the free, open-source program that actually manages the cryptographic functions of encrypting your emails. Fortunately, if you have GPG installed, you also have a powerful tool for encrypting files locally. Mac GPG file encryption is really simple to use and provides really strong protection for your data-at-rest.
Encrypting with Mac GPG File Encryption
There are mulitple ways to encrypt a file with GPG, including using your private key. This post is going to focus on the simplest and easiest method: symmetric key encryption.
Step 1: Install GPG. The first step (if you don’t already have it) is to download and install GPG. If you run Linux you probably already have it built-in. If you use Windows, GPG4Win from https://www.gpg4win.org/. If you are on Mac, download the GPG Suite from https://gpgtools.org/.
Step 2: Open Terminal. GPG doesn’t come with a front-end. This means there is not graphical user interface (GUI). All functions are run from the Terminal. Again, if you are on Linux you are alreadly familiar with using Terminal. If you are a Mac user you may need some help opening the Terminal. Open Launchpad and click “Other”. Click “Terminal”. Launchpad will close and a Terminal window will open.
A GnuPG front end for Mac OS X. Objective-C LGPL-2.1 3 13 0 1 Updated Oct 16, 2012. GPGPreferencesold Edit GnuPG's options file with a GUI preference pane Objective-C 0 3 0 0 Updated Jan 31, 2011. GPGMailSpotlight OSX mdimporter for OpenPGP messages C 2. Getting started. We help you to use Gpg4win. Learn the basics about Gpg4win and get in the world of cryptography. The best point to start is with the illustrative Gpg4win Compendium.
Step 3: Encrypt. Once the Terminal is open, enter the following command (NOTE: the file pathway in italics is my example. Replace this with the file that you wish to encrypt):
- gpg -c C:UsersadminDekstopexample file.pdf
Entering the file pathway can be simplified through the following procedure:
- Type “gpg -c “,
- The drag the file you want encrypted onto the Terminal window. The file pathway will automatically populate.
Next, press Enter. You will be prompted to enter a password twice. When you have entered the password, an encrypted copy of the file will be placed in the same folder as the original.
Decrypting With Mac GPG File Encryption
To decrypt a file protected by GPG, simply double-click the file. You will be prompted to enter your password. An unencrypted version of the file will be written to the same directory location as the encrypted version.
Gpg For Windows
GPG offers extremely robust file encryption in an easy-to-use package. I also like that GPG is dual-use; if you’re running your own encrypted email, you already have it installed.
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Download
Note that you may also download the GNU Privacy Guard from a mirrorsite close to you. See our list of mirrors. The table belowprovides links to the location of the files on the primary serveronly.
Source code releases
These are the canonical release forms of GnuPG. To use them youneed to build the binary version from the provided source code.For Unix systems this is the standard way of installing software.For GNU/Linux distributions are commonly used (e.g. Debian, Fedora,RedHat, or Ubuntu) which may already come with a directlyinstallable packages. However, these version may be older so thatbuilding from the source is often also a good choice. Someknowledge on how to compile and install software is required.
The table lists the different GnuPG packages, followed by requiredlibraries, required tools, optional software, and legacy versionsof GnuPG. For end-of-life dates see further down.
Name | Version | Date | Size | Tarball | Signature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GnuPG | 2.2.23 | 2020-09-03 | 6933k | download | download |
Libgpg-error | 1.39 | 2020-08-24 | 939k | download | download |
Libgcrypt | 1.8.7 | 2020-10-23 | 2915k | download | download |
Libksba | 1.4.0 | 2020-05-19 | 636k | download | download |
Libassuan | 2.5.4 | 2020-10-23 | 560k | download | download |
ntbTLS | 0.2.0 | 2020-08-27 | 340k | download | download |
nPth | 1.6 | 2018-07-16 | 293k | download | download |
Pinentry | 1.1.0 | 2017-12-03 | 456k | download | download |
GPGME | 1.14.0 | 2020-07-16 | 1639k | download | download |
Scute | 1.6.0 | 2019-09-11 | 985k | download | download |
GPA | 0.10.0 | 2018-10-16 | 745k | download | download |
GnuPG 1.4 | 1.4.23 | 2018-06-11 | 3661k | download | download |
GnuPG distributions are signed. It is wise and more secure to check out for their integrity.
Remarks:
- Pinentry is a collection of passphrase entry dialogs which isrequired for almost all usages of GnuPG.
- GPGME is the standard library to access GnuPG functions fromprogramming languages.
- Scute is a PKCS#11 provider on top of GnuPG.
- GPA is a graphical frontend to GnuPG.
- GnuPG 1.4 is the old, single binary version which still supportthe unsafe PGP-2 keys. This branch has no dependencies on theabove listed libraries or the Pinentry. However, it lacks manymodern features and will receive only important updates.
GnuPG binary releases
In general we do not distribute binary releases but leave that tothe common Linux distributions. However, for some operatingsystems we list pointers to readily installable releases. Wecannot guarantee that the versions offered there are current. Notealso that some of them apply security patches on top of thestandard versions but keep the original version number.
OS | Where | Description |
---|---|---|
Windows | Gpg4win | Full featured Windows version of GnuPG |
Simple installer for the current GnuPG | ||
Simple installer for GnuPG 1.4 | ||
OS X | Mac GPG | Installer from the gpgtools project |
GnuPG for OS X | Installer for GnuPG | |
Debian | Debian site | GnuPG is part of Debian |
RPM | rpmfind | RPM packages for different OS |
Android | Guardian project | Provides a GnuPG framework |
VMS | antinode.info | A port of GnuPG 1.4 to OpenVMS |
RISC OS | home page | A port of GnuPG to RISC OS |
End-of-life announcements
We announce the end-of-life date for a current stable version atthe time a new stable version is released. We maintain oldbranches for at least two years. For GnuPG 2.2 we consider 2.1.0as the birth of this new stable branch. For the other packages wedon't maintain branches and thus there is no end-of-life; alwaysuse the latest version.
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Package | Ver. | End-of-life | Birth |
---|---|---|---|
GnuPG | 2002-09-07 | 1999-09-07 | |
2005-01-01 | 2002-09-21 | ||
1.4 | none (1) | 2004-12-16 | |
2017-12-31 | 2006-11-11 | ||
2.2 | tba | 2014-11-06 | |
Libgcrypt | 2016-12-31 | 2011-06-29 | |
2017-06-30 | 2013-12-16 | ||
2019-06-30 | 2016-04-15 | ||
1.8 | tba | 2017-07-18 |
Gpg Tool For Mac Osx
- tba: To be announced.
- (1): Legacy version; see remarks above.