This repository contains a simple WKD for openpgp key discovery created based on instructions at https://wiki.gnupg.org/WKDHosting
According to the instructions I found you should be able to host the WKD from either the apex domain (direct URL scheme) or a special openpgpkey subdomain. I couldn't make hosting from the apex domain working so I ended up using the subdomain, which worked fine.
This means the CNAME you will need is openpgpkey.yourdomain.com.
First follow the instructions for creating the GitHub Pages site with a CNAME.
Now the URL openpgpkey.yourdomain.com should be available and serving content from your GitHub repository.
The next step is to create the directory structure and add the gpg key.
Go to your checked out repository and create a .well-known folder at the root.
cd openpgpkey # assuming this is what the checked out repository is
mkdir -p .well-known/openpgpkey
cd .well-known
You need GPG >= 2.2.12 that has gpg-wks-client, otherwise see alternative methods at https://wiki.gnupg.org/WKDHosting.
gpg --list-options show-only-fpr-mbox -k "@yourdomain.com" | $(gpgconf --list-dirs libexecdir)/gpg-wks-client -v --install-key
The command will create the folder structure under the .well-known folder and add the key with the correct filename for the email address in the key. The command output looks like this:
gpg-wks-client: gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg-wks-client: using key with user id 'Robert Mihaly <[email protected]>'
gpg-wks-client: gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg-wks-client: directory 'openpgpkey/mihalyr.com' created
gpg-wks-client: directory 'openpgpkey/mihalyr.com/hu' created
gpg-wks-client: policy file 'openpgpkey/mihalyr.com/policy' created
gpg-wks-client: key 96E4FD37F2D56178E2B7E3A2C89FE343D529E0CF published for '[email protected]'
The created folder structure will be similar to this:
.well-known
.well-known/openpgpkey
.well-known/openpgpkey/mihalyr.com
.well-known/openpgpkey/mihalyr.com/policy
.well-known/openpgpkey/mihalyr.com/hu
.well-known/openpgpkey/mihalyr.com/hu/xarhuw9jcphm6ir9akb945o6mpabjubu
I made also the following changes to the repository:
- Removed all other files from the repo, only left the .well-known folder and the CNAME file that was added by GitHub when configured the page.
- Added and empty index.html file, probably not needed by wanted to have at least a blank page when I was testing things.
- Added .no-jekyll file to tell GitHub to don't bother buidling this site with Jekyll.
This is currently what I have in my repo:
. .. CNAME .git index.html .nojekyll .well-known
That's it. Let's test it.
Newer GPG uses also WKD when using the --locate-key option e.g. the
following command should find the key now:
gpg --auto-key-locate clear,wkd,nodefault --verbose --locate-key [email protected]
Here is what the output looks like:
$ gpg --auto-key-locate clear,wkd,nodefault --verbose --locate-key [email protected]
gpg: using pgp trust model
gpg: pub ed25519/C89FE343D529E0CF 2019-11-10 Robert Mihaly <[email protected]>
gpg: key C89FE343D529E0CF: "Robert Mihaly <[email protected]>" not changed
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: unchanged: 1
gpg: auto-key-locate found fingerprint 96E4FD37F2D56178E2B7E3A2C89FE343D529E0CF
gpg: automatically retrieved '[email protected]' via WKD
pub ed25519 2019-11-10 [C] [expires: 2021-11-09]
96E4FD37F2D56178E2B7E3A2C89FE343D529E0CF
uid [ unknown] Robert Mihaly <[email protected]>
sub ed25519 2019-11-10 [S] [expires: 2020-11-09]
sub cv25519 2019-11-10 [E] [expires: 2020-11-09]
sub ed25519 2019-11-10 [A] [expires: 2020-11-09]
It shows automatically retrieved '[email protected]' via WKD proving that the
hosting works.
Another method to test it is using gpg-wks-client:
$(gpgconf --list-dirs libexecdir)/gpg-wks-client -v --check [email protected]
The output should look like this:
$ $(gpgconf --list-dirs libexecdir)/gpg-wks-client -v --check [email protected]
gpg-wks-client: public key for '[email protected]' found via WKD
gpg-wks-client: gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg-wks-client: fingerprint: 96E4FD37F2D56178E2B7E3A2C89FE343D529E0CF
gpg-wks-client: user-id: Robert Mihaly <[email protected]>
gpg-wks-client: created: Sun 10 Nov 2019 09:35:30 PM CET
gpg-wks-client: addr-spec: [email protected]
Now any email client using gpg --locate-keys should automatically find your
hosted key. You can find a list of email clients and email providers that are
known to be using WKD here https://wiki.gnupg.org/WKD