Insecure memory error -GnuPG on HPUX

[Michael Roth]

On Wed, 22 Sep 1999, Kim Harris wrote:

> gpg: Warning: using insecure memory!  

This message tells you, that GnuPG can't lock memory pages to prevent
paging for secret data. Quote from the GnuPG manpage:

       On many  systems  this  program  should  be  installed  as
       setuid(root).  This  is  necessary  to  lock memory pages.
       Locking memory pages prevents the  operating  system  from
       writing  memory  pages to disk. If you get no warning mes­
       sage about insecure memory your operating system  supports
       locking  without being root. The program drops root privi­
       leges as soon as locked memory is allocated.

Because your OS doesn't support locking without being setuid(root) you
will see this message. Their are two was to get rid of this message:

 1.) Install GnuPG setuid(root). This will make GnuPG more secure.

 2.) Use the option --no-secmem-warning. You can use this option in
     your config file. Please note: The danger will remain that the OS
     could page secret data to the swap partition!


> I can't find any reference to it in the docs unless it is to
> do with memory guard. The configure was run with 
> --enable-m-guard
> but that doesn't make any difference. 

--enable-m-guard are only for developers. This ist to help finding memory
leaks and errors. This configure option is not for end users.


cu
		Michael