Using PGP from Windows Explorer
You can encrypt and sign or decrypt and verify files such as word processing documents,
spreadsheets and video clips directly from Windows Explorer. If you are not using an email
application such as Qualcomm Eudora, which supports the PGP/MIME standard, or an
application such as Exchange or Outlook that doesn’t require PGP to encrypt or sign
files, you must use this method to attach files that you want to send along with your
email messages. You might also want to encrypt and decrypt files that you store on your
own computer to prevent others from accessing them.
To access PGP functions from Windows Explorer,
choose the appropriate option from the PGP submenu of the File menu. The options that
appear depend on the current state of the file you have selected. If the file has not yet
been encrypted or signed, then the options for performing these functions appear on the
menu. If the file is already encrypted or signed, then options for decrypting and
verifying the contents of the file are displayed.
Using PGPtools
If you are using an email application that is not supported by the plug-ins, or if you
want to perform PGP functions from within other applications, you can encrypt and sign,
decrypt and verify, or securely wipe messages and files directly from PGPtools. You can
open PGPtools by:
• Clicking
Start-->Programs-->PGP-->PGPtools, Or
• Clicking the PGPtools icon on the System tray When PGPtools opens, you can begin
your encryption tasks.
If you are working with text or files, you can encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify by
selecting the text or file and then dragging it onto the appropriate button in PGPtools.
If you are working with files, click on the appropriate button in PGPtools to choose a
file or select the Clipboard.
When you decrypt a file, a Save As dialog box appears and PGP creates a new plaintext file
with a .txt suffix; the decrypted file has a .txt.pgp suffix.
Using PGP within supported email
applications
One of the most convenient ways to use PGP is through one of the popular email
applications supported by the PGP plug-ins. With these plug-ins, you can encrypt and sign
if your version of PGP supports the PGP email plug-ins, as well as decrypt and verify your
messages while you are composing and reading your mail with a simple click of a button.
If you are using an email application that is
not supported by the plug-ins, you can easily encrypt the text of the message using
PGPtray. In addition, if you need to encrypt or decrypt files, you can do so directly from
the Windows Clipboard or by choosing the appropriate PGP menu option in Windows Explorer.
You can also use PGP to encrypt and sign files on the hard disk of your computer for
secure storage, to securely wipe files from your hard disk and to wipe free disk space so
that sensitive data can’t be retrieved with disk recovery software. If you have one
of these popular email application supported by the PGP plug-ins, you can access the
necessary PGP functions by clicking the appropriate buttons in your application’s
toolbar:
• Qualcomm Eudora
• Microsoft Exchange
•Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Outlook Express
• Lotus Notes (available separately)
• Novell Groupwise (available separately)
For example, you click the envelope and lock icon to indicate that you want to encrypt
your message and the pen and paper to indicate that you want to sign your message. Some
applications also have an icon of both a lock and quill, which lets you do both at once.
When you receive email from another PGP user, you decrypt the message and verify the
person’s digital signature by clicking the opened lock and envelope, or by selecting
Decrypt/Verify ( ) from PGPtools. You can also access the PGPkeys window at any time while
composing or
retrieving your mail by clicking the PGPkeys button in some plug-ins.
Selecting recipients for encrypted files
or email
When you send email to someone whose email application is supported by the PGP plug-ins,
the recipient’s email address determines which keys to use when encrypting the
contents. However, if you enter a user name or email address that does not correspond to
any of the keys on your public keyring, or if you are encrypting from PGPtray or from
PGPtools, you must manually select the recipient’s public key from the PGP Key
Selection dialog box.
To select a recipient’s public key, drag
the icon representing the key into the Recipients list box and then click OK.
Taking
shortcuts
Although you will find that PGP is quite easy to use, a number of shortcuts are available
to help you accomplish your encryption tasks even quicker. For example, you while you are
managing your keys in the PGPkeys window, you can press the right mouse button to perform
all the necessary PGP functions rather than accessing them from the menu bar. You can also
drag a file containing a key into the PGPkeys window to add it to your keyring.
Keyboard shortcuts are also available for most menu operations. These keyboard shortcuts
are shown on all the PGP menus, and other shortcuts are described in context throughout
this manual.
