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author | Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org> | 2007-09-06 05:07:05 +0000 |
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committer | Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org> | 2007-09-06 05:07:05 +0000 |
commit | 4009494e10ff47635e0a1bb2c87ce55decf6bc2e (patch) | |
tree | fe9a9bf012faf2ae3af7c467af044bf1ee1bdd95 /doc/misc/pgg.texi | |
parent | 92f9b43f921d2c8841ae894e61762a38ae57b8e3 (diff) | |
download | emacs-4009494e10ff47635e0a1bb2c87ce55decf6bc2e.tar.gz |
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diff --git a/doc/misc/pgg.texi b/doc/misc/pgg.texi new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..6a175db4cb9 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/misc/pgg.texi @@ -0,0 +1,498 @@ +\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- + +@setfilename ../info/pgg + +@set VERSION 0.1 + + +@copying +This file describes PGG, an Emacs interface to various PGP implementations. + +Copyright @copyright{} 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software +Foundation, Inc. + +@quotation +Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document +under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or +any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no +Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover +Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled ``GNU +Free Documentation License.'' +@end quotation +@end copying + +@dircategory Emacs +@direntry +* PGG: (pgg). Emacs interface to various PGP implementations. +@end direntry + +@settitle PGG @value{VERSION} + + +@titlepage +@title PGG + +@author by Daiki Ueno +@page + +@vskip 0pt plus 1filll +@insertcopying +@end titlepage +@page + +@node Top +@top PGG +This manual describes PGG. PGG is an interface library between Emacs +and various tools for secure communication. PGG also provides a simple +user interface to encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify MIME messages. + +@menu +* Overview:: What PGG is. +* Prerequisites:: Complicated stuff you may have to do. +* How to use:: Getting started quickly. +* Architecture:: +* Parsing OpenPGP packets:: +* GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation. +* Function Index:: +* Variable Index:: +@end menu + +@node Overview +@chapter Overview + +PGG is an interface library between Emacs and various tools for secure +communication. Even though Mailcrypt has similar feature, it does not +deal with detached PGP messages, normally used in PGP/MIME +infrastructure. This was the main reason why I wrote the new library. + +PGP/MIME is an application of MIME Object Security Services (RFC1848). +The standard is documented in RFC2015. + +@node Prerequisites +@chapter Prerequisites + +PGG requires at least one implementation of privacy guard system. +This document assumes that you have already obtained and installed them +and that you are familiar with its basic functions. + +By default, PGG uses GnuPG. If you are new to such a system, I +recommend that you should look over the GNU Privacy Handbook (GPH) +which is available at @uref{http://www.gnupg.org/documentation/}. + +When using GnuPG, we recommend the use of the @code{gpg-agent} +program, which is distributed with versions 2.0 and later of GnuPG. +This is a daemon to manage private keys independently from any +protocol, and provides the most secure way to input and cache your +passphrases (@pxref{Caching passphrase}). By default, PGG will +attempt to use @code{gpg-agent} if it is running. @xref{Invoking +GPG-AGENT,,,gnupg,Using the GNU Privacy Guard}. + +PGG also supports Pretty Good Privacy version 2 or version 5. + +@node How to use +@chapter How to use + +The toplevel interface of this library is quite simple, and only +intended to use with public-key cryptographic operation. + +To use PGG, evaluate following expression at the beginning of your +application program. + +@lisp +(require 'pgg) +@end lisp + +If you want to check existence of pgg.el at runtime, instead you can +list autoload setting for desired functions as follows. + +@lisp +(autoload 'pgg-encrypt-region "pgg" + "Encrypt the current region." t) +(autoload 'pgg-encrypt-symmetric-region "pgg" + "Encrypt the current region with symmetric algorithm." t) +(autoload 'pgg-decrypt-region "pgg" + "Decrypt the current region." t) +(autoload 'pgg-sign-region "pgg" + "Sign the current region." t) +(autoload 'pgg-verify-region "pgg" + "Verify the current region." t) +(autoload 'pgg-insert-key "pgg" + "Insert the ASCII armored public key." t) +(autoload 'pgg-snarf-keys-region "pgg" + "Import public keys in the current region." t) +@end lisp + +@menu +* User Commands:: +* Selecting an implementation:: +* Caching passphrase:: +* Default user identity:: +@end menu + +@node User Commands +@section User Commands + +At this time you can use some cryptographic commands. The behavior of +these commands relies on a fashion of invocation because they are also +intended to be used as library functions. In case you don't have the +signer's public key, for example, the function @code{pgg-verify-region} +fails immediately, but if the function had been called interactively, it +would ask you to retrieve the signer's public key from the server. + +@deffn Command pgg-encrypt-region start end recipients &optional sign passphrase +Encrypt the current region between @var{start} and @var{end} for +@var{recipients}. When the function were called interactively, you +would be asked about the recipients. + +If encryption is successful, it replaces the current region contents (in +the accessible portion) with the resulting data. + +If optional argument @var{sign} is non-@code{nil}, the function is +request to do a combined sign and encrypt. This currently is +confirmed to work with GnuPG, but might not work with PGP or PGP5. + +If optional @var{passphrase} is @code{nil}, the passphrase will be +obtained from the passphrase cache or user. +@end deffn + +@deffn Command pgg-encrypt-symmetric-region &optional start end passphrase +Encrypt the current region between @var{start} and @var{end} using a +symmetric cipher. After invocation you are asked for a passphrase. + +If optional @var{passphrase} is @code{nil}, the passphrase will be +obtained from the passphrase cache or user. + +symmetric-cipher encryption is currently only implemented for GnuPG. +@end deffn + +@deffn Command pgg-decrypt-region start end &optional passphrase +Decrypt the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}. If +decryption is successful, it replaces the current region contents (in +the accessible portion) with the resulting data. + +If optional @var{passphrase} is @code{nil}, the passphrase will be +obtained from the passphrase cache or user. +@end deffn + +@deffn Command pgg-sign-region start end &optional cleartext passphrase +Make the signature from text between @var{start} and @var{end}. If the +optional third argument @var{cleartext} is non-@code{nil}, or the +function is called interactively, it does not create a detached +signature. In such a case, it replaces the current region contents (in +the accessible portion) with the resulting data. + +If optional @var{passphrase} is @code{nil}, the passphrase will be +obtained from the passphrase cache or user. +@end deffn + +@deffn Command pgg-verify-region start end &optional signature fetch +Verify the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}. If the +optional third argument @var{signature} is non-@code{nil}, it is treated +as the detached signature file of the current region. + +If the optional 4th argument @var{fetch} is non-@code{nil}, or the +function is called interactively, we attempt to fetch the signer's +public key from the key server. +@end deffn + +@deffn Command pgg-insert-key +Retrieve the user's public key and insert it as ASCII-armored format. +@end deffn + +@deffn Command pgg-snarf-keys-region start end +Collect public keys in the current region between @var{start} and +@var{end}, and add them into the user's keyring. +@end deffn + +@node Selecting an implementation +@section Selecting an implementation + +Since PGP has a long history and there are a number of PGP +implementations available today, the function which each one has differs +considerably. For example, if you are using GnuPG, you know you can +select cipher algorithm from 3DES, CAST5, BLOWFISH, and so on, but on +the other hand the version 2 of PGP only supports IDEA. + +Which implementation is used is controlled by the @code{pgg-scheme} +variable. If it is @code{nil} (the default), the value of the +@code{pgg-default-scheme} variable will be used instead. + +@defvar pgg-scheme +Force specify the scheme of PGP implementation. The value can be set to +@code{gpg}, @code{pgp}, and @code{pgp5}. The default is @code{nil}. +@end defvar + +@defvar pgg-default-scheme +The default scheme of PGP implementation. The value should be one of +@code{gpg}, @code{pgp}, and @code{pgp5}. The default is @code{gpg}. +@end defvar + +@node Caching passphrase +@section Caching passphrase + +When using GnuPG (gpg) as the PGP scheme, we recommend using a program +called @code{gpg-agent} for entering and caching +passphrases@footnote{Actually, @code{gpg-agent} does not cache +passphrases but private keys. On the other hand, from a user's point +of view, this technical difference isn't visible.}. + +@defvar pgg-gpg-use-agent +If non-@code{nil}, attempt to use @code{gpg-agent} whenever possible. +The default is @code{t}. If @code{gpg-agent} is not running, or GnuPG +is not the current PGP scheme, PGG's own passphrase-caching mechanism +is used (see below). +@end defvar + +To use @code{gpg-agent} with PGG, you must first ensure that +@code{gpg-agent} is running. For example, if you are running in the X +Window System, you can do this by putting the following line in your +@file{.xsession} file: + +@smallexample +eval "$(gpg-agent --daemon)" +@end smallexample + +For more details on invoking @code{gpg-agent}, @xref{Invoking +GPG-AGENT,,,gnupg,Using the GNU Privacy Guard}. + +Whenever you perform a PGG operation that requires a GnuPG passphrase, +GnuPG will contact @code{gpg-agent}, which prompts you for the +passphrase. Furthermore, @code{gpg-agent} ``caches'' the result, so +that subsequent uses will not require you to enter the passphrase +again. (This cache usually expires after a certain time has passed; +you can change this using the @code{--default-cache-ttl} option when +invoking @code{gpg-agent}.) + +If you are running in a X Window System environment, @code{gpg-agent} +prompts for a passphrase by opening a graphical window. However, if +you are running Emacs on a text terminal, @code{gpg-agent} has trouble +receiving input from the terminal, since it is being sent to Emacs. +One workaround for this problem is to run @code{gpg-agent} on a +different terminal from Emacs, with the @code{--keep-tty} option; this +tells @code{gpg-agent} use its own terminal to prompt for passphrases. + +When @code{gpg-agent} is not being used, PGG prompts for a passphrase +through Emacs. It also has its own passphrase caching mechanism, +which is controlled by the variable @code{pgg-cache-passphrase} (see +below). + +There is a security risk in handling passphrases through PGG rather +than @code{gpg-agent}. When you enter your passphrase into an Emacs +prompt, it is temporarily stored as a cleartext string in the memory +of the Emacs executable. If the executable memory is swapped to disk, +the root user can, in theory, extract the passphrase from the +swapfile. Furthermore, the swapfile containing the cleartext +passphrase might remain on the disk after the system is discarded or +stolen. @code{gpg-agent} avoids this problem by using certain tricks, +such as memory locking, which have not been implemented in Emacs. + +@defvar pgg-cache-passphrase +If non-@code{nil}, store passphrases. The default value of this +variable is @code{t}. If you are worried about security issues, +however, you could stop the caching of passphrases by setting this +variable to @code{nil}. +@end defvar + +@defvar pgg-passphrase-cache-expiry +Elapsed time for expiration in seconds. +@end defvar + +If your passphrase contains non-ASCII characters, you might need to +specify the coding system to be used to encode your passphrases, since +GnuPG treats them as a byte sequence, not as a character sequence. + +@defvar pgg-passphrase-coding-system +Coding system used to encode passphrase. +@end defvar + +@node Default user identity +@section Default user identity + +The PGP implementation is usually able to select the proper key to use +for signing and decryption, but if you have more than one key, you may +need to specify the key id to use. + +@defvar pgg-default-user-id +User ID of your default identity. It defaults to the value returned +by @samp{(user-login-name)}. You can customize this variable. +@end defvar + +@defvar pgg-gpg-user-id +User ID of the GnuPG default identity. It defaults to @samp{nil}. +This overrides @samp{pgg-default-user-id}. You can customize this +variable. +@end defvar + +@defvar pgg-pgp-user-id +User ID of the PGP 2.x/6.x default identity. It defaults to +@samp{nil}. This overrides @samp{pgg-default-user-id}. You can +customize this variable. +@end defvar + +@defvar pgg-pgp5-user-id +User ID of the PGP 5.x default identity. It defaults to @samp{nil}. +This overrides @samp{pgg-default-user-id}. You can customize this +variable. +@end defvar + +@node Architecture +@chapter Architecture + +PGG introduces the notion of a "scheme of PGP implementation" (used +interchangeably with "scheme" in this document). This term refers to a +singleton object wrapped with the luna object system. + +Since PGG was designed for accessing and developing PGP functionality, +the architecture had to be designed not just for interoperability but +also for extensiblity. In this chapter we explore the architecture +while finding out how to write the PGG backend. + +@menu +* Initializing:: +* Backend methods:: +* Getting output:: +@end menu + +@node Initializing +@section Initializing + +A scheme must be initialized before it is used. +It had better guarantee to keep only one instance of a scheme. + +The following code is snipped out of @file{pgg-gpg.el}. Once an +instance of @code{pgg-gpg} scheme is initialized, it's stored to the +variable @code{pgg-scheme-gpg-instance} and will be reused from now on. + +@lisp +(defvar pgg-scheme-gpg-instance nil) + +(defun pgg-make-scheme-gpg () + (or pgg-scheme-gpg-instance + (setq pgg-scheme-gpg-instance + (luna-make-entity 'pgg-scheme-gpg)))) +@end lisp + +The name of the function must follow the +regulation---@code{pgg-make-scheme-} follows the backend name. + +@node Backend methods +@section Backend methods + +In each backend, these methods must be present. The output of these +methods is stored in special buffers (@ref{Getting output}), so that +these methods must tell the status of the execution. + +@deffn Method pgg-scheme-lookup-key scheme string &optional type +Return keys associated with @var{string}. If the optional third +argument @var{type} is non-@code{nil}, it searches from the secret +keyrings. +@end deffn + +@deffn Method pgg-scheme-encrypt-region scheme start end recipients &optional sign passphrase +Encrypt the current region between @var{start} and @var{end} for +@var{recipients}. If @var{sign} is non-@code{nil}, do a combined sign +and encrypt. If encryption is successful, it returns @code{t}, +otherwise @code{nil}. +@end deffn + +@deffn Method pgg-scheme-encrypt-symmetric-region scheme start end &optional passphrase +Encrypt the current region between @var{start} and @var{end} using a +symmetric cipher and a passphrases. If encryption is successful, it +returns @code{t}, otherwise @code{nil}. This function is currently only +implemented for GnuPG. +@end deffn + +@deffn Method pgg-scheme-decrypt-region scheme start end &optional passphrase +Decrypt the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}. If +decryption is successful, it returns @code{t}, otherwise @code{nil}. +@end deffn + +@deffn Method pgg-scheme-sign-region scheme start end &optional cleartext passphrase +Make the signature from text between @var{start} and @var{end}. If the +optional third argument @var{cleartext} is non-@code{nil}, it does not +create a detached signature. If signing is successful, it returns +@code{t}, otherwise @code{nil}. +@end deffn + +@deffn Method pgg-scheme-verify-region scheme start end &optional signature +Verify the current region between @var{start} and @var{end}. If the +optional third argument @var{signature} is non-@code{nil}, it is treated +as the detached signature of the current region. If the signature is +successfully verified, it returns @code{t}, otherwise @code{nil}. +@end deffn + +@deffn Method pgg-scheme-insert-key scheme +Retrieve the user's public key and insert it as ASCII-armored format. +On success, it returns @code{t}, otherwise @code{nil}. +@end deffn + +@deffn Method pgg-scheme-snarf-keys-region scheme start end +Collect public keys in the current region between @var{start} and +@var{end}, and add them into the user's keyring. +On success, it returns @code{t}, otherwise @code{nil}. +@end deffn + +@node Getting output +@section Getting output + +The output of the backend methods (@ref{Backend methods}) is stored in +special buffers, so that these methods must tell the status of the +execution. + +@defvar pgg-errors-buffer +The standard error output of the execution of the PGP command is stored +here. +@end defvar + +@defvar pgg-output-buffer +The standard output of the execution of the PGP command is stored here. +@end defvar + +@defvar pgg-status-buffer +The rest of status information of the execution of the PGP command is +stored here. +@end defvar + +@node Parsing OpenPGP packets +@chapter Parsing OpenPGP packets + +The format of OpenPGP messages is maintained in order to publish all +necessary information needed to develop interoperable applications. +The standard is documented in RFC 2440. + +PGG has its own parser for the OpenPGP packets. + +@defun pgg-parse-armor string +List the sequence of packets in @var{string}. +@end defun + +@defun pgg-parse-armor-region start end +List the sequence of packets in the current region between @var{start} +and @var{end}. +@end defun + +@defvar pgg-ignore-packet-checksum +If non-@code{nil}, don't check the checksum of the packets. +@end defvar + +@node GNU Free Documentation License +@appendix GNU Free Documentation License +@include doclicense.texi + +@node Function Index +@unnumbered Function Index +@printindex fn + +@node Variable Index +@unnumbered Variable Index +@printindex vr + +@summarycontents +@contents +@bye + +@c End: + +@ignore + arch-tag: 0c205838-34b9-41a5-b9d7-49ae57ccac85 +@end ignore |