OpenPGP Encryption

Feature Summary

OpenPGP Encryption lets the GSatTrack tracking portal encrypt and sign alert messages sent to email contacts, using the OpenPGP (Pretty Good Privacy) standard. This keeps sensitive alerts confidential and readable only by the intended recipients.

How to Use

Set Up OpenPGP on Your Computer and Mail Client:
- Follow these guides to set up OpenPGP with Mozilla Thunderbird:
  - Enigmail Quickstart Guide
  - Mozilla Thunderbird OpenPGP Guide
Configure OpenPGP with the Portal:
- Ensure the portal is configured for encryption. If the OpenPGP key field is not visible in the Contacts details, please contact GSatTrack support.
- Input the Contact’s OpenPGP Public Key (ASCII armored) into the portal:
  - Export Your Public Key from Kleopatra:
    - Open Kleopatra, select your certificate from the “My Certificates” list, and click the “Export Certificates” button.
    - Save the .asc certificate file to an easily accessible location.
    - Open the .asc certificate file with a text editor (e.g., Notepad).
Assign Your Public Key to the Email Contact:
- Log in to the portal and navigate to the Alerts -> Contacts section.
- At the bottom of the Create/Edit Contact form, find the field for the OpenPGP Public Key for the contact.
- Paste the contents of your .asc file into this field.
Add the Portal’s OpenPGP Public Key to Your Keyring:
- Download the OpenPGP Public Key for the portal from the Create/Edit Contact form.
- Save the .asc certificate file to an easily accessible location.
- In Kleopatra, click the “Import Certificates” button and import the .asc file you downloaded from the portal.
Trusting the Sender’s Key:
- When viewing a decrypted message in Thunderbird, click the "Details" dropdown and choose “Set Owner’s Trust of Sender’s Key…” and select “I trust ultimately.”

Additional Information

The GSatTrack tracking portal fully supports OpenPGP, allowing for the encryption of alert messages sent to email contacts. To successfully implement OpenPGP, users must set up the encryption on their computer and mail client, ensuring compatibility with the portal.

For OpenPGP to function correctly with a contact’s mail client, the following steps must be completed:

The portal must be properly configured for encryption.
The contact’s OpenPGP Public Key must be entered into the portal.
Users need to export their public key from Kleopatra and assign it to their email contacts in the portal.

Additionally, it is recommended to add the portal’s OpenPGP Public Key to your keyring in order to verify email signatures, enhancing the security of your communications.

Key Features

Secure Communication — encrypt alert messages so only intended recipients can read them.
Public Key Infrastructure — use contact public keys for message encryption and signing.
Email Client Integration — works with OpenPGP-capable clients such as Thunderbird.
Trust Management — set trust levels for public keys to verify senders.

Use Cases

Confidential Alerts — send sensitive alerts that only the intended contact can read.
Secure Asset Management — protect communications tied to asset management activities.
Regulatory Compliance — meet data protection and privacy requirements through encryption.