X-Git-Url: http://git.chise.org/gitweb/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=README;h=30f6f0102526367247b7ec6f054b4d99d834eff4;hb=24c376fab8b0785deeb6e1df796624a035090b20;hp=ffe7c594d8a702cde8a3790011c07a4a8ef144c1;hpb=2823337840bdb649749f2a7934072770885f526a;p=elisp%2Fepg.git diff --git a/README b/README index ffe7c59..30f6f01 100644 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -1,29 +1,97 @@ * What's this? -EasyPG is yet another GnuPG interface for Emacs. It consists of two -parts: transparent file encryption utility and easy-to-use elisp -library to interact with GnuPG. +EasyPG is a GnuPG interface for Emacs. It has two aspects: convenient +tools which allow to use GnuPG from Emacs (EasyPG Assistant), and a +fully functional interface library to GnuPG (EasyPG Library.) + +* Requirements + +** GNU Emacs 21.4 or XEmacs 21.4 + +** GnuPG 1.4.3 * Quick start -(0) Put (require 'epg-file) in your ~/.emacs.el +** Installation + + $ ./configure + $ sudo make install + +Add the following line to your ~/.emacs + + (require 'epa-setup) + +Then you can browse your keyring by `M-x epa-list-keys'. In addition, +you can do some cryptographic operations on dired. + + M-x dired + (mark some files) + : e (or M-x epa-dired-do-encrypt) + (select recipients by 'm' and click [OK]) + +* MUA Integration + +The EasyPG Library can be used in combination with various MUA (Mail +User Agents.) + +** CVS version of Gnus + +CVS version of Gnus supports EasyPG natively, simply put the following +line into your ~/.emacs. + + (setq mml2015-use 'epg) + +Other options which affect on the binding are + + mml2015-signers + mml2015-encrypt-to-self + mml2015-cache-passphrase + mml2015-passphrase-cache-expiry + mml2015-verbose + +NOTE: You need not to install pgg-epg.el in this case. + +** PGG based MUA + +PGG is somewhat outdated PGP library used by old Gnus, MH-E, etc. + +There is a PGG backend using EasyPG called pgg-epg.el. However, +EasyPG API is a superset of PGG, so pgg-epg.el just emulates the old +behavior of pgg.el. Major features which PGG lacks are + +- Key selection user interface +- Diagnosis interface to the verify operation +- Web of trust +- S/MIME using gpgsm + +** SEMI based MUA + +SEMI is the MIME library used by Wanderlust, cmail, T-gnus, etc. + +There is an EasyPG capable SEMI library called EMIKO-EasyPG. It can +be downloaded from the same site of the EasyPG distribution point. + +* Security + +There are security pitfalls around Emacs. -(1) Restart emacs +** Passphrase may leak to a temporary file. -(2) C-x C-f ~/test.gpg +The function call-process-region writes data in region to a temporary +file. If your PGP library used this function, your passphrases would +leak to the filesystem. -* Advantages over other competitors +The EasyPG Library does not use call-process-region to communicate +with a gpg subprocess. -** EasyPG avoides potential security flaws of Emacs. +** Passphrase may be stolen from a core file. -*** `call-process-region' writes data in region to a temporary file. -PGG and gpg.el use `call-process-region' to communicate with a -subprocess "gpg". So, your passphrases may leak to the filesystem. +If Emacs crashes and dumps core, Lisp strings in memory are also +dumped within the core file. read-passwd function clears passphrase +strings by (fillarray string 0) to avoid this risk. However, Emacs +performs compaction in gc_sweep phase. If GC happens before fillarray, +passphrase strings may be moved elsewhere in memory. Therefore, +passphrase caching in elisp is generally a bad idea. -*** There is no way to clear strings safely. -To prevent passphrases from been stealing from cores, `read-passwd' -function clears passphrase strings by `(fillarray string 0)'. -However, it is not enough. Emacs does compaction of small strings in -GC sweep phase. If GC happens before `fillarray', passphrase strings -may be copied elsewhere in the memory. PGG and gpg.el enables -passphrase caching by default. +The EasyPG Library dares to disable passphrase caching. Fortunately, +there is more secure way to cache passphrases - use gpg-agent.