The OpenPGP encryption protocol will help you keep your communications secure by emails. This is done by means of cryptographic algorithms that link 2 keys that are used by the transmitter and the receiver.
But this is not all, you can also encrypt files and storage disks. To carry out this task you need to know how it works OpenPGP.
You will find these data in the following paragraphs that you are going to read. We will explain what are the benefits of using OpenPGP and how you should install it on any device. Finally, we will tell you the difference between OpenPGP Y GPG.
What is OpenPGP and what is this tool for?
OpenPGP is an encryption protocol that is used to encrypt messages, files and to prove the authenticity of the sender by means of a digital signature. This is done through a private and a public key, which is shared with third parties and can be visible to everyone.
This tool was born in the same company that gave rise to the PGP program (for the acronym in English Pretty Good Privacy) in 1997. It is characterized by being compatible with mobiles with the operating system Android and iOS, so its use is widely accepted among people.
How does OpenPGP work and what are its main functions?
With OpenPGP you can encrypt a email, files, and even a full hard drive. In addition, it is possible to insert a digital signature so that the recipient can verify the authenticity of the message. It works by means of an asymmetric cryptography. That is to say, two keys are needed to decrypt the email or file.
For this, the public key is sent to the recipient so that he can use it and thus solve the encryption algorithms. You must bear in mind that both keys are related to each other by means of an algorithm special. A personal password must be chosen to access PGP and in this way keep the entire cryptographic system safe. This key can have a configurable length, reaching up to 8,912 bits.
What are the benefits of using OpenPGP? Why install it
Among the most important benefits of using OpenPGP are:
- Messages can be encrypted so that only be decoded by the recipient, which increases the security of emails.
- It is compatible with operating systems Android and ios so it can be used through known mail servers. For example, OpenKeychain and iPGMail
- It’s easy to useYou just have to download the mail clients and configure different options so that the encryption is done automatically. Furthermore, every time an encrypted message is received, it can be decrypted in just a few steps.
- Ideal for use on files stored in the cloud and on mobile devices, which are vulnerable places and susceptible to being attacked.
- No need to pay no additional membership to use OpenPGP.
Learn step by step how to install OpenPGP on any device
We will show you below how you should install OpenPGP on any device, no matter what operating system you have.
Let’s get started:
Windows
On your Windows computer you must do this step by step:
- Install the mail server Thunderbird.
- Once you have the mail client of Mozilla in you Windows you will have to open it.
- Sign in with your account and then go to tools menu.
- Choose Accessories. This will open the Add-on manager.
- Look for the Addon Enigmail and download it.
- Reboot Thunderbird so that the Enigmail setup wizard and in this way you can generate keys in your emails.
Download Thunderbird Windows
MacOS
When you want to install OpenPGP on your Mac you will have to follow this guide:
- Get down on the Mac Canary Mail. You can do this from the official page of the mail server or from the App Store.
- Login with your account iCloud, Gmail or any other server.
- Go to option More and get the encryption keys for the messages.
Linux
To install OpenPGP in a Linux environment you will have to follow these steps that we show you below:
- Open your Linux computer and download Claws Mail.
- Writes
sudo apt-get update. - Then enter the command
sudo apt-get install claws-mail-plugins.
OpenPGP vs GPG, which is better and how are they different?
Both OpenPGP and GnuPG are encryption standards that can be used for free, being GPG an open source derivation of OpenPGP. In addition, both protocols use asymmetric cryptographic keys, public and private, to decode messages or files. Depending on the application used, it will be convenient to use OpenPGP or GPG. This is in accordance with the volume of encryption and if it is to be carried out in a personal or business environment.