• Gpg4win
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Last updated at 2017-11-22 07:15:09

Gpg4win Wishlist

This page is intended for feature ideas and descriptions that could be implemented in the future. Linked from Wishlist, also see ImprovingSecurity

Crypto in general

x509: access windows certstores

Windows already has a "keystore" for x509 certificates, for some settings it would be good if this store could be read in from Gpg4win (the components dirmngr and gpgsm).

Won't happen because Microsoft controls this store and may add new certificates without notice. -- Werner Koch 2015-11-27 14:21:53

I think this might be added as an Option. While it is correct that Microsoft controls this store this is basically the baseline system trust so you might also want to use it for certificates as attacks are already possible when an attacker controls such a certificate you won't lower security but you would improve usability. -- Andre Heinecke

long shot email idea: encrypt as message/rfc822

The headers of emails may contain more information than many people would like to reveal. A standard conforming method to send these emails is to just attach the full email as message/rfc822 type and encrypt the result. Email client with MIME support will already display it. So they only missing link is to add a convention that the subject line and reciepients of the attached email will be used and display when an email is read. Would be nice to try this concept and implement it in Free Software clients like mutt, Kontact Mail, claws, (a fork of) Thunderbird.

add GnuPG as "cryptographic service provider" (CSP) and MIME/filter

see https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa380245.aspx, https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb931380.aspx. Needs more evaluation. Could possibly enable other application to access some GnuPG features.

Sorry, this is BS. We can't provide an alternative to the platforms standard encryption facilities by making our own a part of it. The overall goal is to avoid the use of proprietary code as far as possible. BTW, we actually make use of the CSP to mix in some random into our own RNG; this might be helpful but it won't harm. -- Werner Koch 2015-11-27 14:21:53

GPA

Make it easier to create of keys larger than 3072 bits?

Some people wish that Gpg4win/GPA should make it easier to create RSA keys with more than 3072bits, especially 4096 bit keys that seem to be popular for new certs in some circles. If so, it would be done in the advanced configuration "create new key" input GUI. Others believe that 2048 bit is a sane default, for the discussion see LargeKeys.

Nope. A GUI should actually not have a way to tweak parameters. This is for expert users with enough knowledge and training to evaluate their security needs. A part of that training should be the use of the command line. -- Werner Koch 2015-11-27 14:25:09

Kleopatra

Ability to append signatures to an existing .sig or .asc file

When multiple users need to sign a single file with a detached signature file, if the signature file exists, they should be able to append their signature to the current one without completely Overwriting the file.

Better certificate selection dialog

The selection dialog could be improved. The default view should be very simple, but showing something that motivates people to look into the second and third layer of information. Ideally the display of the first two layers should be integrated in the email application.

1. Layer: Just a graded information how well the fit of certificates is.
2. Layer: Showing the accumulated information per email address.
3. Layer: Showing the default information per email, address like encryption method, last contact via the certification, trustlevel, grade of algorithms.
4. Hide untrusted (expired) keys by default and only show them on request.

Report hints

Trying to import a certificate with an MD5 has signed user id fails because "gpg: Note: signatures using the MD5 algorithm are rejected", it seems this "note" is not displayed, but it should so the user can diagnose this case. post on users-list

Clipboard: Integrated Sign&Encrypt support

User may want to use the clipboard for encrypting and signing text (as it is possible with files) to be able to secure confidentiality and integrity. For a description of user problems with Gpg4win 2.2.4 see https://wald.intevation.org/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1488&forum_id=21&group_id=11.

Clipboard: Support through command line argument

You can define system wide shortcuts on Windows that start a program with some command line arguments. This could be used to create a shortcut to encrypt / decrypt your clipboard. Ideally these shortcuts would be configurable in Kleopatra itself. But it might be a cool feature for advanced users that we could document in the compendium. The time needed to implement this would be less then a day as it would be just adding some command line arguments. And a workflow that includes shortcuts to encrypt / decrypt could be useful.

Clipboard: Add support for files

Currently kleopatra only offers the clipboard options if text is in the clipboard. While tecnically this is currently necessary (as the jobs for "non-mime" mails are used in the clipboard implementation) technically there should be no reason why this shouln'd work with files too.

Support for secret keys in a different location for GpgOL and GpgEX

People may want to save their secret keys or their complete crypto setup on removable devices. While Gpg4win already supports creating a "portable" version, this version does not support GpgOL and GpgEX and it would be a plus to have the properly installed version read only the secret keys from the removable filesystem device. It is already possible using options for keyring or the GNUPGHOME environment variable, however if many people want to use this, guided support from a GUI would be an improvement.

See wald thread 1656

GpgOl

This list relates to GpgOL 2.0 as it will be part of Gpg4win-3.0 with full mime support etc.

Key creation

For a better initial User experience GpgOL could have some more Features regarding key creation:

Initial Key creation

If Outlook is started with GpgOL active and there are no secret keys for any of the configured accounts GpgOL should detect that and offer to generate keys, taking the name and e-mail from the account settings.

Backup nagging

If GpgOL has created a key and it is used to encrypt for some time e.g. 10 encryption GpgOL should start to nag the user to make a backup and offer to print / export the secret key. As long as the user explicitly confirmed that a backup was made. GpgOL should make it clear that you can't read your mails anymore if you loose the key or the password.

Key creation after account setup

If a new account is added and there is no private key for an account GpgOL should offer to create one.

WKS-Support

GpgOL should support publishing a key through a Web Key Service.

Easier default configuration

The default configuration or at least a setting in GpgOL should affect trust model (tofu+pgp), auto-key-locate and auto-key-retrieve.

Improved change handling

Currently changes to categories or to flag a message is not supported while the message is in a decrypted state. There might be solutions to that which need to be investigated and tried out.

Show contents during signature verification

While verifying a signature GpgOL should already show the unverified content of the message. This is especially important if auto-key-retrieve is enabled and key retrieval takes some time.

Encryption without Kleopatra or GPA

GpgOL currently only needs Kleopatra on Encryption for the Certificate selection dialog. GpgOL could implement certificate selection itself and so get rid of the dependency to Kleopatra or GPA.

This would have several advantages:

• Faster
• GpgOL would have full control over the encryption process
  • Better maintainability
  • GpgOL could save used keys e.g. through the addressbook
• Showing the certificate selection as Modal Window withouth Window Management tricks

Address book integration

It should be possible in the addressbook to configure encryption keys and preferences.

Minimal integration

An Idea for a simple minimal integration that would allow Address book integration could be to just use Attachments on Contacts. E.g. if a Contact has an attached file with name encryption-key this key could be imported and used for that Contact automatically.

Opportunistic encryption

GpgOL should offer opportunistic encryption (toggle encrypt/sign) if there are valid keys for all recipients.

Saving decrypted copies

It could be an option to save a decrypted copy of a mail or multiple mails in a different folder.

Pinentry

• Improve the native Windows passphrase which is part of the vanilla installer. For example it could be tied to the Windows taskbar, so that a user knows where to look for it. (not ideal because another pinentry-variant to maintain)
  • Or create a static pinentry-qt4 binary that does not depend on the Qt DLL's and could be included in the vanilla / light installers.

GpgEX

• Ribbon UI for Windows 8 / Context integration. It would be nice if GpgEX would show Ribbon UI actions depending on the Explorer context.
• Shell extension for encrypted tarballs The general idea is that an encrypted tarball could be accessed as a Windows Shell data source. Something in a bit similar to what windows does with ".zip" folders. This would include drag & drop support to decrypt / encrypt and could probably even work transparently for some applications. Could be a lightweight alternative (with a platform independent data storage) to a virtual disk driver for a fully fletched encrypted disk. For an Example see The Tarfolder extension

Website / Documentation

• link the wiki (more prominently).
• Documentation: More details on adding more IDs, e.g. that Add Id only works if you have the privat certificate.
• HTML Documentation: Make it easier to click it, right now, it is way down on the page and below the download button.
• Reimplement an EmailExercisesRobot like adele to be Free Software and to handle OpenPGP/MIME. (E.g. by using Python3 and pyme/pygpgme) See old idea sketches from 2009.
• Improve the style in which "NEWS" are writting to be displayed by the website and the announcement, it should be both
  1. Give the refences to the issues so that interested people can go deeper. Like an issue number or a CVE or similiar.
  2. More written from the point of view of the users. So what does this particular entry mean for the users? What changes for them
  3. Werner commented about this point: Detailed information should be looked up in the GIT which has links to CVE ids, Debian and GnuPG bug ids.
• Screenshots: English ones. Windows 8.1. Explicitely state permissions like CC-BY.
• A good FAQ.

Explain the processes on Windows

.. so that people know what processes run there and why they are running. Best way would be a diagram. (For example see this wald post where a more explanation would be useful.).

Howto to make x509 root certificates trusted

Similiar to the hints linked from X.509, but specific for a modern Gpg4win. (Will probably need an update once GnuPG 2.1 is packaged.)

General

Installer

• The installer should only suggest a restart as a very last resort when it is impossible to unlock all files by killing the relevant processes.
• A launch certificate manager (together with a firststart wizard in the certificate manacher) as an Option after installation would be nice.
• http://lists.wald.intevation.org/pipermail/gpg4win-users-en/2014-July/000988.html "Plea for GPG4Win vanilla installation step reduction"
• .. should work without Administration rights.
• .. should work when installed as Admin, but run as User. (possible defekt issue1801
• GpgEX should be unloaded during installation. To avoid restarts regarding that.

Improved Encoding handling

• Test / fix filename problems for gpgEx with Unicode characters (e.g. issue1324)
• Proactively hunt encoding Problems and tackle them. (issue1691)

Comprehensive Video Tutorials

It would be nice to have a set of clear and short Video tutorials that explain a single use case. With the idea that you can link to those if you want to send someone a short "User friendly" explanation how they can securely communicate with you. Some ideas:

• How to generate an OpenPGP Key and distribute your public key.
• How to encrypt/sign files
• How to handle encrypted and signed files
• How to use the rudimentary Outlook 2010 / 2013 support
• Working with encrypted Text and the Clipboard.

Or Webinars

It seems some people would benefit from an interactive walkthrough to some of the usually stages. Or an interactive question and answer session with screencast (== webinar/webworkshop? :) )

Remove necessity to reboot in the installer

The Gpg4win installer should get a proper handling of running processes and make sure that everything is killed correctly when updating / uninstalling so that the Windows 98'ish "Reboot Now" will usally not anymore happen. (May be a bad idea if we need to close the file explorer.)

Display the GnuPG engine logo more prominently

There are probably few places where the GnuPG logo should be visible in addition in Gpg4win. The idea behind this is that GnuPG can do many things and Gpg4win should point out that it is fully included and strengthen GnuPG's recognition.

Ready for distributions via app-store or digital distribution platforms?

Digital distributions platforms like Steam or the Windows v>=8.1 app-store can help with

• Updates, they may notify the user of new versions.
• Trusted downloads. Many users already trust a platform or software from the same vendor, e.g. Microsoft.
• Finding Gpg4win when searching for crypto or trust enabling applications
• Payments, if a user already has paid via a distribution platform, another payment for Gpg4win would be a small step. Users are conceptionally the best source of funding for Gpg4win. Download versions without the advantages could still be gratis.

It makes sense to check what would need to be done to distribute Gpg4win over wide spread digital distribution platforms. This usually includes a technical, a financial and a licensing/condition part that need to be clarified.

Support or technical preconditions for supporting Windows 10 Mail.app

As many users get exposed to the Mail.app coming with Windows 10 operating systems, it would be cool to see if it could be supported with MIME aware crypto mail. If we cannot support this mail app, we could list the technical preconditions so that maybe the mail app developers will make this possible in the future,

Note aheinecke 2017.01.09

There is no API for the windows Mail.app so plugins are impossible. One way could be to maintain and improve the Gpgrelay that does symantec style pgp mime as a proxy, but which is unmaintained. Could work in that scenario with mail app and other windows muas.

Gpgrelay

Gpgrelay is a Mail proxy Application that does PGP crypto in transit. While this has some caveats it is a generic solution for PGP crypto mails regardless of the Mail User Agent. Gpgrelay appears to be unmaintained and does not work with Gnupg 2.1. Gpg4win could take over maintenance of it and include it in the installer / document it and improve the User Interface of it.