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Does Thunderbird share or get PGP keys from the GPG4Win keystore?

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  • Last reply by tromlet

tromlet
tromlet
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So, recently my keys expired, and I extended the expiry data via Kleopatra, a nice interface that comes with the GPG4Win suite - and I exported those keys out to the keys.openpgp.org keyservers. When I search for those keys at openpgp.org, they have the proper, updated expiry dates - and they show as that in Kleopatra - but when I see those keys (and all the exact same imported third-party public keys I've pulled into Kleopatra), they have the old expiry dates, and I cannot sign or encrypt emails. It's quite annoying.

What gives?

Also, what keyserver does Thunderbird use?!?

So, recently my keys expired, and I extended the expiry data via Kleopatra, a nice interface that comes with the GPG4Win suite - and I exported those keys out to the keys.openpgp.org keyservers. When I search for those keys at openpgp.org, they have the proper, updated expiry dates - and they show as that in Kleopatra - but when I see those keys (and all the exact same imported third-party public keys I've pulled into Kleopatra), they have the old expiry dates, and I cannot sign or encrypt emails. It's quite annoying. What gives? Also, what keyserver does Thunderbird use?!?

Chosen solution

I figured it out.

This is what the issue I had was. Frustratingly, Kleopatra WILL change the expiration date of your *PRIVATE* key - the public key will still languish with the old date.

To change this within Kleopatra, perform the following:

1. Double left-click the key you're trying to update 2. Left-click the "More Details..." button 3. Right-click the key which features "Encrypt" under the "Usage" column 4. Left-click "Change End of Validity Period..." 5. Change the expiration date to your liking (I matched the expiration date of my public key to be the same as the expiration date of my private key) 6. Left-click the "OK" button.

At that point, you should be able to export your public and private keys from Kleopatra and import them into Thunderbird, and Thunderbird should reflect the proper expiration date again, and should be usable.

The keyserver Thunderbird uses is: vks://keys.openpgp.org

The "vks" protocol identifier means that this is a Verifying Key Server.

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tromlet
tromlet Question owner
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Chosen Solution

I figured it out.

This is what the issue I had was. Frustratingly, Kleopatra WILL change the expiration date of your *PRIVATE* key - the public key will still languish with the old date.

To change this within Kleopatra, perform the following:

1. Double left-click the key you're trying to update 2. Left-click the "More Details..." button 3. Right-click the key which features "Encrypt" under the "Usage" column 4. Left-click "Change End of Validity Period..." 5. Change the expiration date to your liking (I matched the expiration date of my public key to be the same as the expiration date of my private key) 6. Left-click the "OK" button.

At that point, you should be able to export your public and private keys from Kleopatra and import them into Thunderbird, and Thunderbird should reflect the proper expiration date again, and should be usable.

The keyserver Thunderbird uses is: vks://keys.openpgp.org

The "vks" protocol identifier means that this is a Verifying Key Server.