SQ(1) User Commands SQ(1)
NAME
sq - A command-line frontend for Sequoia, an implementation of OpenPGP
SYNOPSIS
sq encrypt [OPTIONS] FILE
sq decrypt [OPTIONS] FILE
sq sign [OPTIONS] FILE
sq verify [OPTIONS] FILE
sq inspect [OPTIONS] FILE
sq cert [OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND
sq key [OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND
sq pki [OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND
sq autocrypt [OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND
sq network [OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND
sq toolbox [OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND
sq version [OPTIONS]
DESCRIPTION
A command-line frontend for Sequoia, an implementation of OpenPGP.
Functionality is grouped and available using subcommands. This
interface is not completely stateless. In particular, the user's
default certificate store is used. This can be disabled using
`--no-cert-store`. Similarly, a key store is used to manage and
protect secret key material. This can be disabled using
`--no-key-store`.
OpenPGP data can be provided in binary or ASCII armored form. This
will be handled automatically. Emitted OpenPGP data is ASCII armored
by default.
We use the term "certificate", or "cert" for short, to refer to OpenPGP
keys that do not contain secrets. Conversely, we use the term "key" to
refer to OpenPGP keys that do contain secrets.
OPTIONS
Global options
--cert-store=PATH
Specify the location of the certificate store. By default, sq
uses the OpenPGP certificate directory at
`$HOME/.local/share/pgp.cert.d`, and creates it if it does not
exist.
-f, --force
Overwrite existing files
-h, --help
Print help (see a summary with '-h')
--key-store=PATH
A key store server manages and protects secret key material. By
default, `sq` connects to the key store server listening on
`$XDG_DATA_HOME/sequoia`. If no key store server is running,
one is started.
This option causes `sq` to use an alternate key store server.
If necessary, a key store server is started, and configured to
look for its data in the specified location.
--keyring=PATH
Specify the location of a keyring to use. Keyrings are used in
addition to any certificate store. The content of the keyring
is not imported into the certificate store. When a certificate
is looked up, it is looked up in all keyrings and any
certificate store, and the results are merged together.
--known-notation=NOTATION
Add NOTATION to the list of known notations. This is used when
validating signatures. Signatures that have unknown notations
with the critical bit set are considered invalid.
--no-cert-store
Disable the use of a certificate store. Normally sq uses the
user's standard cert-d, which is located in
`$HOME/.local/share/pgp.cert.d`.
--no-key-store
Disable the use of the key store.
It is still possible to use functionality that does not require
the key store.
--output-format=FORMAT
Produce output in FORMAT, if possible
[default: human-readable]
[possible values: human-readable, json, dot]
--output-version=VERSION
Produce output variant VERSION, such as 0.0.0. The default is
the newest version. The output version is separate from the
version of the sq program. To see the current supported
versions, use output-versions subcommand.
--pep-cert-store=PATH
Specify the location of a pEp certificate store. sq does not
use a pEp certificate store by default; it must be explicitly
enabled using this argument or the corresponding environment
variable, PEP_CERT_STORE. The pEp Engine's default certificate
store is at `$HOME/.pEp/keys.db`.
--time=TIME
Set the reference time as an ISO 8601 formatted timestamp.
Normally, commands use the current time as the reference time.
This argument allows the user to use a difference reference
time. For instance, when creating a key using `sq key
generate`, the creation time is normally set to the current
time, but can be overridden using this option. Similarly, when
verifying a message, the message is verified with respect to the
current time. This option allows the user to use a different
time.
TIME is interpreted as an ISO 8601 timestamp. To set the
certification time to July 21, 2013 at midnight UTC, you can do:
$ sq --time 20130721 verify msg.pgp
To include a time, say 5:50 AM, add a T, the time and optionally
the timezone (the default timezone is UTC):
$ sq --time 20130721T0550+0200 verify msg.pgp
--trust-root=FINGERPRINT|KEYID
Consider the specified certificate to be a trust root. Trust
roots are used by trust models, e.g., the Web of Trust, to
authenticate certificates and User IDs.
-v, --verbose
Be more verbose.
SUBCOMMANDS
sq encrypt
Encrypt a message.
Encrypt a message for any number of recipients and with any number of
passwords, optionally signing the message in the process.
The converse operation is `sq decrypt`.
`sq encrypt` respects the reference time set by the top-level `--time`
argument. It uses the reference time when selecting encryption keys,
and it sets the signature's creation time to the reference time.
sq decrypt
Decrypt a message.
Decrypt a message using either supplied keys, or by prompting for a
password. If message tampering is detected, an error is returned. See
below for details.
If certificates are supplied using the `--signer-cert` option, any
signatures that are found are checked using these certificates.
Verification is only successful if there is no bad signature, and the
number of successfully verified signatures reaches the threshold
configured with the `--signatures` parameter.
If the signature verification fails, or if message tampering is
detected, the program terminates with an exit status indicating
failure. In addition to that, the last 25 MiB of the message are
withheld, i.e. if the message is smaller than 25 MiB, no output is
produced, and if it is larger, then the output will be truncated.
The converse operation is `sq encrypt`.
sq sign
Sign messages or data files.
Creates signed messages or detached signatures. Detached signatures
are often used to sign software packages.
The converse operation is `sq verify`.
`sq sign` respects the reference time set by the top-level `--time`
argument. When set, it uses the specified time instead of the current
time, when determining what keys are valid, and it sets the signature's
creation time to the reference time instead of the current time.
sq verify
Verify signed messages or detached signatures.
When verifying signed messages, the message is written to stdout or the
file given to `--output`.
When a detached message is verified, no output is produced. Detached
signatures are often used to sign software packages.
Verification is only successful if there is no bad signature, and the
number of successfully verified signatures reaches the threshold
configured with the `--signatures` parameter. If the verification
fails, the program terminates with an exit status indicating failure.
In addition to that, the last 25 MiB of the message are withheld, i.e.
if the message is smaller than 25 MiB, no output is produced, and if it
is larger, then the output will be truncated.
A signature is considered to have been authenticated if the signer can
be authenticated. If the signer is provided via `--signer-file`, then
the signer is considered authenticated. Otherwise, the signer is
looked up and authenticated using the Web of Trust. If at least one
User ID can be fully authenticated, then the signature is considered to
have been authenticated. If the signature includes a Signer User ID
subpacket, then only that User ID is considered. Note: the User ID
need not be self signed.
The converse operation is `sq sign`.
If you are looking for a standalone program to verify detached
signatures, consider using sequoia-sqv.
`sq verify` respects the reference time set by the top-level `--time`
argument. When set, it verifies the message as of the reference time
instead of the current time.
sq inspect
Inspect data, like file(1).
It is often difficult to tell from cursory inspection using cat(1) or
file(1) what kind of OpenPGP one is looking at. This subcommand
inspects the data and provides a meaningful human-readable description
of it.
`sq inspect` respects the reference time set by the top-level `--time`
argument. It uses the reference time when determining what binding
signatures are active.
sq cert
Manage certificates.
We use the term "certificate", or "cert" for short, to refer to OpenPGP
keys that do not contain secrets. This subcommand provides primitives
to generate and otherwise manipulate certs.
Conversely, we use the term "key" to refer to OpenPGP keys that do
contain secrets. See `sq key` for operations on keys.
sq key
Manage keys.
We use the term "key" to refer to OpenPGP keys that do contain secrets.
This subcommand provides primitives to generate and otherwise
manipulate keys.
Conversely, we use the term "certificate", or "cert" for short, to
refer to OpenPGP keys that do not contain secrets. See `sq toolbox
keyring` for operations on certificates.
sq pki
Authenticate certs using the Web of Trust.
The "Web of Trust" is a decentralized trust model popularized by PGP.
It is a superset of X.509, which is a hierarchical trust model, and is
the most popular trust model on the public internet today. As used on
the public internet, however, X.509 relies on a handful of global
certification authorities (CAs) who often undermine its security.
The Web of Trust is more nuanced than X.509. Using the Web of Trust,
require multiple, independent paths to authenticate a binding by only
partially trusting CAs. This prevents a single bad actor from
compromising their security. And those who have stronger security
requirements can use the Web of Trust in a completely decentralized
manner where only the individuals they select - who are not necessarily
institutions - act as trusted introducers.
sq autocrypt
Communicate certificates using Autocrypt.
Autocrypt is a standard for mail user agents to provide convenient
end-to-end encryption of emails. This subcommand provides a limited
way to produce and consume headers that are used by Autocrypt to
communicate certificates between clients.
See .
sq network
Retrieve and publish certificates over the network.
OpenPGP certificates can be discovered and updated from, and published
on services accessible over the network. This is a collection of
commands to interact with these services.
sq toolbox
Tools for developers, maintainers, and forensic specialists.
This is a collection of low-level tools to inspect and manipulate
OpenPGP data structures.
sq version
Detailed version and output version information.
With no further options, this command lists the version of `sq`, the
version of the underlying OpenPGP implementation `sequoia-openpgp`, and
which cryptographic library is used.
This command can also be used to query the output format versions for
the machine-readable output of various subcommands, and the default
output format versions.
EXAMPLES
sq encrypt
Encrypt a file using a certificate
sq encrypt --recipient-file romeo.pgp message.txt
Encrypt a file creating a signature in the process
sq encrypt --recipient-file romeo.pgp --signer-file juliet.pgp \
message.txt
Encrypt a file using a password
sq encrypt --symmetric message.txt
sq decrypt
Decrypt a file using a secret key
sq decrypt --recipient-file juliet.pgp ciphertext.pgp
Decrypt a file verifying signatures
sq decrypt --recipient-file juliet.pgp --signer-file romeo.pgp \
ciphertext.pgp
Decrypt a file using a password
sq decrypt ciphertext.pgp
sq sign
Create a signed message
sq sign --signer-file juliet.pgp message.txt
Create a detached signature
sq sign --detached --signer-file juliet.pgp message.txt
Create a signature with the specified creation time
sq sign --time 20020304 --detached --signer-file juliet.pgp \
message.txt
sq verify
Verify a signed message
sq verify signed-message.pgp
Verify a detached message
sq verify --detached message.sig message.txt
Verify a message as of June 9, 2011 at midnight UTC:
sq verify --time 20130721 msg.pgp
sq inspect
Inspect a certificate.
sq inspect juliet.pgp
Show how the certificate looked on July 21, 2013.
sq inspect --time 20130721 juliet.pgp
Inspect an encrypted message.
sq inspect message.pgp
Inspect a detachted signature.
sq inspect document.sig
SEE ALSO
sq-encrypt(1), sq-decrypt(1), sq-sign(1), sq-verify(1), sq-inspect(1),
sq-cert(1), sq-key(1), sq-pki(1), sq-autocrypt(1), sq-network(1),
sq-toolbox(1), sq-version(1).
For the full documentation see .
VERSION
0.35.0 (sequoia-openpgp 1.20.0)
Sequoia PGP 0.35.0 SQ(1)