Let OpenKeychain help with your encryption

Let OpenKeychain help with your encryption

If you become more cautious with data and communication content, you are likely to find an encryption tool for your Android device (or you have already found it. Fortunately, Google Play Store provides many options for those who want to add another layer of security to their devices. OpenKeychain is such an option. Based on the OpenPGP standard, this encryption tool makes it easy to create keys and integrate them with other applications (such as K9 Mail, Conversations, and more.

I want to introduce the entire process: Install OpenKeychain, create keys, export keys, and import keys from other users.

 

Install OpenKeychain

To install this easy-to-use encryption application, follow these steps:

1. Open Google Play Store on your Android device.
2. Search openkeychain.
3. Find and click the application developed by Sufficiently Secure.
4. Click Install ).
5. Read Permission list.
6. If the permission list is acceptable, click Accept ).
7. Complete the installation process.

At this time, you should see the OpenKeychain initiator on the home screen or in the App Drawer (or both. Click the initiator to start the application.

 

Create a key

From the OpenKeychain Main Window (figure A), click the create my key button and follow the prompts in the simple creation Wizard to perform step-by-step operations.

 

Figure A: OpenKeychain running on the Motorola Droid Turbo of the weilson brand.

To create a CMK, follow these steps:

• Enter your name (or nickname ).
• Add an email address for secure communication.
• Create a strong password for the key.
• Check your information carefully.
• Click create key (create key) (Figure B ).

 

Figure B: Create a key in OpenKeychain.

At this time, you should see that the key has been listed in the "My keys" window (Figure C ).

 

Figure C: your private key is ready for use.

 

Import key

You can import keys in three different ways:

• Search by email address
• Import from File
• Scan QR code

You can search to add a secret. To import the Key, click the + button in the "My keys" window, and then click Key Search (Figure D ).

 

Figure D: Add a new key by searching.

Click Key Search and enter the name or email address of the person whose Key you want to add. Enter the name, click the search button, and find the key you want to add. Click the check box next to one or more keys you want to add, and then click Import selected keys (Import the selected key) (Figure E ).

 

Figure E: add the Linux developer Linus Torvalds key.

 

Export your key for use by others

We will share our keys through Gmail. Follow these steps to export your key for use by others:

1. Open OpenKeychain.
2. Click your personal key in the "My keys" window.
3. In the upper-right corner, click the menu button (three dots ).
4. Click Extended information ).
5. Click Share ...... Share button in section (Figure F)
6. Find and click Gmail.
7. Add the recipient and title for the email, and then click Send.

 

Figure F: Send your key to another user.

Then, the user can import the key to any encryption application that he uses.

If you use K9 Email, go to Account Settings | Cryptography and select OpenKeychain as your encryption solution. Then, K9 will get your encryption key from OpenKeychain, and the rest will become history.

OpenKeychain is one of the simplest encryption tools available for Android devices (exactly following OpenPGP standards ). If you want to maximize the use of your Android devices and enhance security, you may want to add OpenKeychain to your list of essential applications.

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