Unable to decrypt/verify from own machine

[Laurent Jumet]

Hello 20 !

20 Ton Squirrel <andy_croft at npd.com> wrote:


> The Setup
> I run Windows XP using GnuPG version 1.4.10.

> A client and I have exchanged our keys.  I successfully imported his key and
> attempted to encrypt a file to send him.  My command line is as follows:

> gpg --passphrase mypassphrase --compress-algo 1 --cipher-algo cast5 -u
> me at myemail.com -r client at hisemail.com -o
> C:\user\encryption\out\targetFile.xls.gpg -se
> C:\user\encryption\in\targetFile.xls

> The Problem
> When trying to decrypt or verify the encrypted file, I get the following
> error:
> No secret key available Keyring does not have the secret key
> (0xA352B4E9003B38FA) needed to decrypt this message.

> My key's ID is 1F1EA8F8 and the client's ID is 5872AF6A.  I have no idea why
> it would be asking for A352B4E9003B38FA.

> This is likely a beginner's mistake, but I'm at a loss!

    First of all, you shouldn't put the PASSPHRASE on the command line; GPG will prompt you.

    "--compress-algo 1" means you'd like ZIP ?
    In this case you should use either "--compress-algo Z1" or "--compress-algo ZIP" but not "1".
    May be you are confusing with "--compress-level N" or better "-Z N" where "N" defaults to "6" if you don't use this parameter.

    Are you aiming to decrypt your own message? If yes, you must encrypt the file both to *you* and the receipient, and add "-r me at myemail.com"

    So:

GPG -se --compress-algo ZIP --cipher-algo CAST5 -u me at myemail.com -r client at hisemail.com -r me at myemail.com -o C:\user\encryption\out\targetFile.xls.gpg C:\user\encryption\in\targetFile.xls


    Of course, you should put in your gpg.conf most of your preferences; not on the command line:

My GPG.CONF :

default-key 0xCFAF704C
default-recipient-self
encrypt-to 0xCFAF704C
keyserver x-hkp://blackhole.pca.dfn.de
keyserver-options auto-key-retrieve
sig-keyserver-url http://www.pointdechat.net/0xCFAF704C.asc
photo-viewer c:\program files\gpgshell\gpgview.exe %i /title 0x%k
load-extension c:\lib\gnupg\idea.dll
default-preference-list S7 S11 S12 S13 S1 S10 S3 S4 S2 S9 S8 H3 H8 H9 H10 H11 H2 H1 Z1 Z2 Z3 Z0
personal-cipher-preferences S7 S11 S12 S13 S1 S10 S3 S4 S2 S9 S8
personal-digest-preferences H3 H8 H9 H10 H11 H2 H1
personal-compress-preferences Z1 Z2 Z3 Z0
keyid-format 0xSHORT
no-greeting
no-mdc-warning
armor


-- 
Laurent Jumet
      KeyID: 0xCFAF704C