Different Open PGP Files and How They Are Created

Open PGP is an encryption standard to protect your privacy and confidential data. When using an Open PGP software package like TurboPGP, or a program with built-in PGP capability like TurboFTP, a user might need to deal with different files related to Open PGP. It helps comprehend PGP operations by clarifying each type of file involved and knowing how they look.

Let’s dive in and learn how to generate the various PGP file types using TurboPGP.

.pgp

The pgp file extension is the default file extension of the encryption output of TurboPGP Command Line. A .pgp file is created by default when encrypting a file or signing a file with an attached signature.

Note: Signing a file is not a means of encrypting your data but a means of verifying the authenticity and integrity of the data. Digital signatures can be attached to the signed file (.pgp) or generated as a separate signature file (.sig).

For instance, when signing a file:

  tbpgp --sign "Kali.txt" --signer D733FDCC

  [2022/08/13 10:01:16 +0300] program loaded
  Evaluation days left: 30
  Expired: 0 DEFAULT.
  [2022/08/13 10:01:17 +0000] load_keychain: 6 keys loaded from secret key chain
  [2022/08/13 10:01:17 +0000] load_keychain: 6 keys loaded from public key chain
  [2022/08/13 10:01:17 +0000] key lookup: found secret-key keyid D733FDCC
  Enter passphrase of secret key: *
  [2022/08/13 10:01:19 +0000] successfully created signed file 'Kali.txt.pgp' from m <h@gmail.com>  

Or when encrypting a document:

  tbpgp -e "Manjaro.txt" -r D733FDCC

  [2022/08/13 10:14:15 +0300] program loaded
  Evaluation days left: 30
  Expired: 0 DEFAULT.
  [2022/08/13 10:14:15 +0000] load_keychain: 6 keys loaded from secret key chain
  [2022/08/13 10:14:15 +0000] load_keychain: 6 keys loaded from public key chain
  [2022/08/13 10:14:15 +0000] key lookup: found secret-key keyid D733FDCC
  Enter passphrase of secret key: *
  [2022/08/13 10:14:21 +0000] successfully encrypted 'Manjaro.txt' to 'Manjaro.txt.pgp' (primary keyID=DC2CBE11D733FDCC, uid='m <h@gmail.com>')

Other PGP software might use a different extension for an encrypted or signed file. For example, GnuPG uses .gpg for the same purpose.

.sig

A file with a sig file extension is an Open PGP detached signature.

So what is a detached signature? The word “detach” means a file is signed, but its digital signature is separated from it to form an individual file. That is, the original file and its signature are preserved.

Example,

  tbpgp --sign "Manjaro.txt" --signer "D733FDCC" --detached

  [2022/08/13 10:26:17 +0300] program loaded
  Evaluation days left: 30
  Expired: 0 DEFAULT.
  [2022/08/13 10:26:17 +0000] load_keychain: 6 keys loaded from secret key chain
  [2022/08/13 10:26:17 +0000] load_keychain: 6 keys loaded from public key chain
  [2022/08/13 10:26:17 +0000] key lookup: found secret-key keyid D733FDCC
  Enter passphrase of secret key: *
  [2022/08/13 10:26:19 +0000] successfully created detached signature 'Manjaro.txt.sig' from m <h@gmail.com>

.asc

The asc file extension indicates it contains ASCII-armored data, which typically constructs Open PGP signatures or certificates.

Example of an ASCII-armored Open PGP secret key:

-----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
  Version: TurboPGP v1.0

  lQPGBFlxvoIBCACbz0geVV1o71LEvwliB4SPOfeEKbCE9EGspaBPMb2eWVnjUvio
  trCKOf6Pg3axehSHLa3Ee6nd1DnqnJE+5Onon...
  -----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----

Example of an ASCII-armored Open PGP message:

   -----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
   Version: TurboPGP v1.0

   yDgBO22WxBHv7O8X7O/jygAEzol56iUKiXmV+XmpCtmpqQUKiQrFqclFqUDBovzS
   vBSFjNSiVHsuAA==
   =njUN
   -----END PGP MESSAGE-----

Verifying Open PGP signatures using TurboPGP

Only the signed file is to be supplied for verification of a signed file, as it contains the original file data and the Open PGP signature. For verification of a detached signature, you need to provide both the original file being signed and the detached signature file (.sig file). Typically, both files should be distributed together.