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Questions to the signature

2020-05-11
2020-05-12
  • - 2020-05-11

    Hello,

    How does the signature technical works? As the encryption with
    pgp(asyemtric encryption)?
    How save is this signature?
    Is it possible to change my signature on Linux/thunderbird? And how?
    Which data does the signature needs? pup key from pgp?
    Does it need the same pgp key as the encryption for my email?

    regards

     
    • Rob

      Rob - 2020-05-11

      How does the signature technical works? As the encryption with
      pgp(asyemtric encryption)?

      Full details can be found in RFC4880:

      https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880

      But if you want a short answer, then yes, it works the same as with PGP.

      How save is this signature?

      It's impossible to say without knowing what your threat model is. I can
      say that the sort of signatures Enigmail is commonly used to generate
      (2048-bit RSA) is believed safe until 2030, and that everything from
      Amazon to DNS roots uses it.

      Is it possible to change my signature on Linux/thunderbird? And how?

      Change it, how?

      Which data does the signature needs? pup key from pgp?

      To sign a message requires your private key. For someone to verify a
      signature requires a copy of your public key.

      Does it need the same pgp key as the encryption for my email?

      No, and in fact different keys are used for signing and encryption.

       
    • Neil Donovan

      Neil Donovan - 2020-05-12

      On 5/11/2020 10:30 AM, feldmann_markus@users.sourceforge.net wrote:

      Is it possible to change my signature on Linux/thunderbird? And how

      Let me add this to another response you got from Rob.  If you think is a
      fixed thing (like a handwritten signature), it isn't, so you don't
      "change it".  A signature is the large value that is the output of some
      calculations involving the value of your private key and the value of
      the information being signed.  Your signatures change with each
      different message (or file) you sign.

       
  • - 2020-05-12

    I noticed in Linux/Thunderbird/Enigmail i have no option to select the pup-key i want for signing?! Is this correct?

    Currently i have only 2 gnupgp keys(manually generated)!

    Which does Thunderbird/Enigmail use for signing? Randomly?
    Or first key in file directory list?

     

    Last edit: 2020-05-12
  • Patrick Brunschwig

    You can select the key in the Account Settings under OpenPGP Security.

     

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