new helper program for configuration import / export

[Hauke Laging]

Hello,

I am often asked whether (and how) it is possible to use OpenPGP on 
several systems with the same keys. You are probably aware that this is 
also asked here, not often but regularly. And then the "copy everything 
except random_seed" fun begins again.

I just noticed how strange it is that there is no function for an easy 
export (and import) of the whole configuration (including the key 
rings). Strange because this is on the one hand vital as it is not just 
for configuration and key synchronization but the same for backup and on 
the other hand contains risks (random_seed; having secring.gpg with 
rather weak passphrases on a cleartext backup volume). And is so 
extremely easy to solve.

Thus I would like to emphaticly suggest rather not to extend gpg but to 
add a very small helper program to the GnuPG suite. There is already 
gpg-zip. It may be enough to write a wrapper around that. The result 
shall be a program with only two commands:

a) save the complete configuration (optionally protexted with a 
passphrase) to a single file

gpg-backup --with-passphrase --save /path/to/targetfile


b) restore the complete configuration from a single file (with the 
option to overwrite or import)

gpg-backup --overwrite --restore /path/to/sourcefile


This could be easily added to the GUIs as they would just need a new 
menu entry and a file dialog. Doesn't makse sense that they invent their 
own backup / sync features.


I could do this myself – but as a script only (which would not be 
portable). But if it helps then I would write that so that there is 
something to lookt at what the result would look like and play with.


Hauke
-- 
Crypto für alle: http://www.openpgp-schulungen.de/fuer/unterstuetzer/
http://userbase.kde.org/Concepts/OpenPGP_Help_Spread
OpenPGP: 7D82 FB9F D25A 2CE4 5241 6C37 BF4B 8EEF 1A57 1DF5
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