Mailing List Archive

On 25 Aug, Joerg.Peter@sachsenlb.de wrote:
>
> Could someone tell the differense between pgp -es and pgp -as ...
> My problem we can encrypt mail using pgp -a, pgp -s and pgp -as.
> As soon as we use the -e option it does not work. The key we want to
> use is a DH/DSS key
>
> What is the problem ?

I don't know enough of the details to tell you why it is unable to
encrypt the message, but I can give the difference between -as and -es.

The -as is only signing the file and ascii armoring it. That is,
signing the file does not encrypt it, but it does convert it into a pgp
packet with the signature. The -a converts this pgp packet into a text
file that can be sent through email. (basically a version of base64).

The -es would be to encrypt and sign it. I would think you really
want -aes to cause it to also be ascii armored. Here we are making it
where only the specific user can decrypt the message.

gpg -eas -r Joerg.Peter@sachsenlb.de briggschess.pgn

This command will encrypt it to you, signing it with my own key, and
ascii armoring it so I can send the message in an email.

The output will start with the line either way:
> -----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----

If you don't encrypt it, however, anyone with gpg can read it without a
password.

-walter