(certificates_chapter)= # Certificates / Keys One central (and non-trivial) element of OpenPGP are certificates/keys. OpenPGP keys are relatively complex data structures, so it's good to have a clear mental model of them. ## Terminology: on the various meanings of "key" In the OpenPGP space, the term "key" has historically been used for three distinct concepts, at three layers, all related to each other: - (Bare) "cryptographic keys" (without additional metadata). Those might be the secret and/or public parameters that form a key, e.g., in case of an RSA secret key the exponent `d` along with the prime numbers `p` and `q`. - OpenPGP *component keys*: "OpenPGP primary keys" and "OpenPGP subkeys". Those are building blocks of OpenPGP certificates, they consist of a (bare) cryptographic keypair, plus some invariant metadata (e.g. key creation time). - "OpenPGP key" (or "OpenPGP certificate"): These consist of a number of component keys plus additional elements, such as identity information. (OpenPGP key servers serve this type of object). In the following section we'll look more closely at these three layers. ## "OpenPGP keys/certificates": collections of cryptographic keys, identity information and other metadata A complete "OpenPGP certificate" or "OpenPGP key" is composed of an arbitrary number of elements. All elements of an OpenPGP certificate are structured around one central cryptographic key: the *primary key*. The primary key acts like a personal CA for the key's owner: It can make cryptographic statements about subkeys, identities, expiration times, revocation, ... OpenPGP keys are often long-lived and may be changed (typically by their owner), over time. ### OpenPGP component keys An OpenPGP component key (either the "primary key", or a "subkey") consists mainly of a cryptographic keypair: ![Image](diag/cryptographic_keys.png "A cryptographic keypair") A cryptographic keypair consists of a private and a public part. In this document, we'll show the public part of a cryptographic key in green, and the private part in red. We'll visualize cryptographic keypairs in a more compact form: ![Image](diag/keypair.png "A cryptographic keypair") (In some contexts, instead of the full cryptographic keypair, only the public part is present. More on that later.) An OpenPGP component key consists of - a cryptographic keypair, and - additional metadata (including a creation timestamp). ![Image](diag/primary_key.png "An OpenPGP component key") For each OpenPGP component key, an *OpenPGP fingerprint* can be derived from the combination of key material and metadata: ![Image](diag/fingerprint.png "Each OpenPGP component key has a fingerprint") The fingerprint of our example component OpenPGP key is `B3D2 7B09 FBA4 1235 2B41 8972 C8B8 6AC4 2455 4239` [^keyid]. The fingerprint of the primary key has a central role. It is used as the unique identifier for the full OpenPGP certificate. ## What is in a certificate (Structure) / Components of an OpenPGP key/certificate In addition to the primary key, OpenPGP keys/certificates can contain a number of other components: ### Subkeys Modern OpenPGP keys/certificates contain "subkeys" in addition to the primary key. ![Image](diag/with_subkeys.png "OpenPGP certificates can contain any number of subkeys") A component key consists of a cryptographic keypair, plus some additional metadata. Each component key (this includes the primary key, and all subkeys) has a marker that specifies which operations the component key can perform. #### Excursion, "Key Flags": defining what operations a component key can perform Each component key has ["Key Flags"](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc4880#section-5.2.3.21) that specify which types of operation the key can perform. The commonly used flags are: - **C**ertification - **S**igning - **E**ncryption - **A**uthentication Only the primary key can perform "certification" operations. All other operations can technically be performed by either the primary key or subkeys. It is considered good practice to have separate component keys for each type of operation (specifically: to allow only *Certification* operations for the primary key, and to have separate *Signing*, *Encryption* and *Authentication* subkeys). ### User IDs An OpenPGP certificate can contain any number of User IDs. Each user ID associates the certificate with an identity. Typically, these identities are composed of a name and an email address. ![Image](diag/user_id.png "OpenPGP certificates can contain any number of User IDs") #### Primary UserID and its implications ### User attributes User attributes are similar to User IDs, but less commonly used. ## Linking the components of an OpenPGP certificate together / Bindings Technically, an OpenPGP certificate consists of a sequence of OpenPGP packets. These packets are just stringed together, one after the other. When you have a file that contains a copy of someone's certificate, it's easy to remove some of these packets, or add new ones. However, as the owner of a certificate, I don't want a third party to add additional subkeys (or identity claims) to my certificate. I don't want third parties to pretend that those components were put there by me. To prevent such malicious addition of components, OpenPGP uses cryptographic signatures. These signatures show the cryptographic identity that has linked a component to an OpenPGP certificate (in many cases, the linking is done by the primary key of the certificate in question). So while anyone can still unilaterally put subkeys and identity claims into a file with my OpenPGP certificate, OpenPGP implementations that read the file are expected to discard components that aren't cryptographically linked to my certificate. ### "Binding" subkeys to an OpenPGP certificate Linking a subkey to an OpenPGP certificate is done with a ["Subkey Binding Signature"](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc4880#section-5.2.1). Such a signature signals that the "primary key wants to be associated with the subkey". The subkey binding signature also adds metadata. ![Image](diag/subkey_binding.png "Linking an OpenPGP subkey to the primary key with a binding signature") #### Signature Subpackets - (key-) expiration - flags #### Binding signing subkeys When binding a signing subkey to a primary key, it is not sufficient that the "primary key wants to be associated with the subkey". In addition, the subkey must signal that it wants to be associated with that primary key. Otherwise, Alice could "adopt" Bob's signing subkey and convincingly claim that she made signatures that were in fact issued by Bob. This additional "Primary Key Binding Signature" is informally called a "back signature" (because the subkey uses the signature to point "back" to the primary key). ### Certifying identity claims / Third party signatures OpenPGP certificate often contain identity markers. Typically in the form of "User ID"s (however, User Attributes are analogous for the purpose of this section). For example, above, we saw the User ID "Alice Adams " associated with Alice's key `B3D2 7B09 FBA4 1235 2B41 8972 C8B8 6AC4 2455 4239`. Alice can link a User ID to her OpenPGP certificate with a cryptographic signature. To link a User ID, a signature of the type `PositiveCertification` is created. The signature is issued using the primary (secret) key. ![Image](diag/user_id_certification.png "Linking a User ID to an OpenPGP certificate") #### Metadata Leak of Social Graph #### How to generate "minimized" certificate? ## Certificate Management / Evolution of a certificate over time Minimized versions, merging, effective "append only" semantics, ... ### Merging - How to merge two copies of the same certificate? - Canonicalization ### Best Practices regarding Key Freshness - Expiry - Subkey rotation - ## Third party (identity) certifications ## Revocations [^keyid]: Sometimes, a shortened (64 bit) version of the fingerprint is used instead of the full fingerprint, like this: `C8B8 6AC4 2455 4239` (the rightmost 64 bit of the fingerprint). This type of identifier is called a "Key ID". Historically, 32 bit shorthand identifiers have been used with PGP, like this: `2455 4239`. You may still see such identifiers in very old documents about PGP, but 32 bit identifiers have [been unfit for purpose for a long time](https://evil32.com/). At some point, 32 bit identifiers were called "short Key ID", while 64 bit identifiers were called "long Key ID". ## Looking at the internal details To use OpenPGP, we need "(OpenPGP) keys". There is an ongoing effort to establish new terminology around "keys". In particular to use the term "certificate" instead of "(OpenPGP) public key". Note: there is also the related, but distinct, concept of [cryptographic "keys"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_(cryptography)). OpenPGP certificates/keys contain one or more cryptographic key(s), among many other components. An OpenPGP certificate/key consists of a number of elements, many of them optional. OpenPGP certificates/keys always make use of [Public-key cryptography (asymmetric cryptography)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-key_cryptography). As a consequence, some elements of OpenPGP certificates/keys represent "private" (sometimes referred to as "secret") key material, while other elements represent "public" key material. Yet other elements contain metadata, and finally there are elements that serve as glue ("binding") between the various other elements of a certificate. To hand out copies of one's OpenPGP key to third parties, implementations can generate a "certificate" / "public key" representation ([Transferable Public Keys](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-11.1) in the RFC), which consists of all the elements of the certificate, except for the private key material (and the optional [S2K configuration](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-3.7.2.1)). The counterpart is called [Transferable Secret Keys](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-11.2) in the RFC. That is, an OpenPGP key that includes private key material. ### A minimal OpenPGP key A minimal key can be made with Sequoia-PGP like this: `let (cert, _) = CertBuilder::new().generate()?;` #### Seen as a private OpenPGP key Viewed as a private key (in ASCII-armored representation), such a minimal key looks like this: ``` -----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK----- Comment: 6D10 0EB0 444D 1648 DAD9 A0EE DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 xVgEX7Kj9hYJKwYBBAHaRw8BAQdAztZjmUk3IUgnKwR9rfukVUt7UaVsvk+AoBtO ZNbVqDcAAP4nrycHrmWHT8g454H/tr/19rT0nuPkYxMCUH9z5Atx/xLYwoMEHxYK ADUFgl+yo/YDCwkHCRDeg8z0ogT5VwMVCggCmwECHgEWIQRtEA6wRE0WSNrZoO7e g8z0ogT5VwAAbFgBAO1OYraoaDmFMZ7JWbLoTKW7xpDUNKB+kh+bdC6HjYpcAP9q HhhgNE7noeQEsJmR0yW7tTYT8RyrJF6o2xZENlXdCw== =/8Os -----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK----- ``` Looking into the internals of this key with `sq packet dump --hex`, or https://dump.sequoia-pgp.org/, we see that it is made up of a sequence of "Packets": ``` Secret-Key Packet, new CTB, 2 header bytes + 88 bytes Version: 4 Creation time: 2020-11-16 16:08:22 UTC Pk algo: EdDSA Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm Pk size: 256 bits Fingerprint: 6D10 0EB0 444D 1648 DAD9 A0EE DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 KeyID: DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 Secret Key: Unencrypted 00000000 c5 CTB 00000001 58 length 00000002 04 version 00000003 5f b2 a3 f6 creation_time 00000007 16 pk_algo 00000008 09 curve_len 00000009 2b 06 01 04 01 da 47 curve 00000010 0f 01 00000012 01 07 eddsa_public_len 00000014 40 ce d6 63 99 49 37 21 48 27 2b 04 eddsa_public 00000020 7d ad fb a4 55 4b 7b 51 a5 6c be 4f 80 a0 1b 4e 00000030 64 d6 d5 a8 37 00000035 00 s2k_usage 00000036 00 fe eddsa_secret_len 00000038 27 af 27 07 ae 65 87 4f eddsa_secret 00000040 c8 38 e7 81 ff b6 bf f5 f6 b4 f4 9e e3 e4 63 13 00000050 02 50 7f 73 e4 0b 71 ff 00000058 12 d8 checksum Signature Packet, new CTB, 2 header bytes + 131 bytes Version: 4 Type: DirectKey Pk algo: EdDSA Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm Hash algo: SHA512 Hashed area: Signature creation time: 2020-11-16 16:08:22 UTC (critical) Symmetric algo preferences: AES256, AES128 Issuer: DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 Hash preferences: SHA512, SHA256 Key flags: C (critical) Features: MDC Issuer Fingerprint: 6D10 0EB0 444D 1648 DAD9 A0EE DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 Digest prefix: 6C58 Level: 0 (signature over data) 00000000 c2 CTB 00000001 83 length 00000002 04 version 00000003 1f type 00000004 16 pk_algo 00000005 0a hash_algo 00000006 00 35 hashed_area_len 00000008 05 subpacket length 00000009 82 subpacket tag 0000000a 5f b2 a3 f6 sig creation time 0000000e 03 subpacket length 0000000f 0b subpacket tag 00000010 09 07 pref sym algos 00000012 09 subpacket length 00000013 10 subpacket tag 00000014 de 83 cc f4 a2 04 f9 57 issuer 0000001c 03 subpacket length 0000001d 15 subpacket tag 0000001e 0a 08 pref hash algos 00000020 02 subpacket length 00000021 9b subpacket tag 00000022 01 key flags 00000023 02 subpacket length 00000024 1e subpacket tag 00000025 01 features 00000026 16 subpacket length 00000027 21 subpacket tag 00000028 04 version 00000029 6d 10 0e b0 44 4d 16 issuer fp 00000030 48 da d9 a0 ee de 83 cc f4 a2 04 f9 57 0000003d 00 00 unhashed_area_len 0000003f 6c digest_prefix1 00000040 58 digest_prefix2 00000041 01 00 eddsa_sig_r_len 00000043 ed 4e 62 b6 a8 68 39 85 31 9e c9 59 b2 eddsa_sig_r 00000050 e8 4c a5 bb c6 90 d4 34 a0 7e 92 1f 9b 74 2e 87 00000060 8d 8a 5c 00000063 00 ff eddsa_sig_s_len 00000065 6a 1e 18 60 34 4e e7 a1 e4 04 b0 eddsa_sig_s 00000070 99 91 d3 25 bb b5 36 13 f1 1c ab 24 5e a8 db 16 00000080 44 36 55 dd 0b ``` We see that the key consists of two packets: * First a [*"Secret-Key Packet"*](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-5.5.1.3), which contains the actual cryptographic key data. Note: the "Secret-Key" Packet contains both the private and the public part of the key. We also see in the output that this packet is "Unencrypted" (i.e. not password-protected). * Second a [*"Signature Packet"*](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-5.2) of type 0x1F, *"Signature directly on a key"*. This packet *"binds the information in the Signature subpackets to the key"*. Each entry under "Signature Packet -> Hashed area" is one Signature subpacket, including for example information about algorithm preferences (*"Symmetric algo preferences"* and *"Hash preferences"*). ![Image](diag/key-minimal.png "A minimal OpenPGP key, visualized") #### Seen as a public certificate Let's compare this with the same certificate seen as an armored "public" certificate (that is, a variant of the key above, but without the private key material. An OpenPGP user might give such a certificate to a communication partner, so that the remote party could send encrypted messages to the user): ``` -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Comment: 6D10 0EB0 444D 1648 DAD9 A0EE DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 xjMEX7Kj9hYJKwYBBAHaRw8BAQdAztZjmUk3IUgnKwR9rfukVUt7UaVsvk+AoBtO ZNbVqDfCgwQfFgoANQWCX7Kj9gMLCQcJEN6DzPSiBPlXAxUKCAKbAQIeARYhBG0Q DrBETRZI2tmg7t6DzPSiBPlXAABsWAEA7U5itqhoOYUxnslZsuhMpbvGkNQ0oH6S H5t0LoeNilwA/2oeGGA0Tueh5ASwmZHTJbu1NhPxHKskXqjbFkQ2Vd0L =ZN14 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- ``` ``` Public-Key Packet, new CTB, 2 header bytes + 51 bytes Version: 4 Creation time: 2020-11-16 16:08:22 UTC Pk algo: EdDSA Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm Pk size: 256 bits Fingerprint: 6D10 0EB0 444D 1648 DAD9 A0EE DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 KeyID: DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 00000000 c6 CTB 00000001 33 length 00000002 04 version 00000003 5f b2 a3 f6 creation_time 00000007 16 pk_algo 00000008 09 curve_len 00000009 2b 06 01 04 01 da 47 curve 00000010 0f 01 00000012 01 07 eddsa_public_len 00000014 40 ce d6 63 99 49 37 21 48 27 2b 04 eddsa_public 00000020 7d ad fb a4 55 4b 7b 51 a5 6c be 4f 80 a0 1b 4e 00000030 64 d6 d5 a8 37 00000035 s2k_usage Signature Packet, new CTB, 2 header bytes + 131 bytes Version: 4 Type: DirectKey Pk algo: EdDSA Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm Hash algo: SHA512 Hashed area: Signature creation time: 2020-11-16 16:08:22 UTC (critical) Symmetric algo preferences: AES256, AES128 Issuer: DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 Hash preferences: SHA512, SHA256 Key flags: C (critical) Features: MDC Issuer Fingerprint: 6D10 0EB0 444D 1648 DAD9 A0EE DE83 CCF4 A204 F957 Digest prefix: 6C58 Level: 0 (signature over data) 00000000 c2 CTB 00000001 83 length 00000002 04 version 00000003 1f type 00000004 16 pk_algo 00000005 0a hash_algo 00000006 00 35 hashed_area_len 00000008 05 subpacket length 00000009 82 subpacket tag 0000000a 5f b2 a3 f6 sig creation time 0000000e 03 subpacket length 0000000f 0b subpacket tag 00000010 09 07 pref sym algos 00000012 09 subpacket length 00000013 10 subpacket tag 00000014 de 83 cc f4 a2 04 f9 57 issuer 0000001c 03 subpacket length 0000001d 15 subpacket tag 0000001e 0a 08 pref hash algos 00000020 02 subpacket length 00000021 9b subpacket tag 00000022 01 key flags 00000023 02 subpacket length 00000024 1e subpacket tag 00000025 01 features 00000026 16 subpacket length 00000027 21 subpacket tag 00000028 04 version 00000029 6d 10 0e b0 44 4d 16 issuer fp 00000030 48 da d9 a0 ee de 83 cc f4 a2 04 f9 57 0000003d 00 00 unhashed_area_len 0000003f 6c digest_prefix1 00000040 58 digest_prefix2 00000041 01 00 eddsa_sig_r_len 00000043 ed 4e 62 b6 a8 68 39 85 31 9e c9 59 b2 eddsa_sig_r 00000050 e8 4c a5 bb c6 90 d4 34 a0 7e 92 1f 9b 74 2e 87 00000060 8d 8a 5c 00000063 00 ff eddsa_sig_s_len 00000065 6a 1e 18 60 34 4e e7 a1 e4 04 b0 eddsa_sig_s 00000070 99 91 d3 25 bb b5 36 13 f1 1c ab 24 5e a8 db 16 00000080 44 36 55 dd 0b ``` Note that the two OpenPGP artifacts (public certificate and private key) are almost identical. The public certificate uses the packet type "Public-Key Packet" instead of "Secret-Key Packet". The two packet types are very similar. The "Public-Key Packet" leaves out two types of data * the private key material (visualized in red), and * s2k configuration data, if any (this example doesn't have any). s2k is used when the secret key material is password-protected. ![Image](diag/pubcert-minimal.png "A minimal OpenPGP public certificate, visualized") In following examples we will look at OpenPGP private keys only. The corresponding public certificates are easy to imagine (just leave out the private key material). ### User IDs User IDs are a mechanism for attaching *identities* to an OpenPGP certificate. Typically, a User ID will contain a name and an email address. To look into these, we'll make a certificate that has one [User ID](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-5.11). User IDs are *"intended to represent the name and email address of the key holder"*. A certificate can have multiple User IDs associated with it. ``` let (cert, _) = CertBuilder::new() .add_userid("Alice Adams ") .generate()?; ``` Let's look into the details of this key: ``` -----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK----- Comment: A3F3 1A57 E400 A77C 2239 24C0 783B 4E35 B4E5 F1BA Comment: Alice Adams xVgEX7LO1RYJKwYBBAHaRw8BAQdAiDI09+r0a4BVBUZCIqdSF9yuC706fRNC6tvZ zReMlI4AAP0VhUQxbMmXjJgXfiH2p0Zo/1G9WgC2h5HwfluLGONYJQ/+woMEHxYK ADUFgl+yztUDCwkHCRB4O041tOXxugMVCggCmwECHgEWIQSj8xpX5ACnfCI5JMB4 O041tOXxugAAfXwBAPkjwkSO5aI3lQUNi/h4OiwPUF/u6AO9rHsg45WURZOwAQDy 8TQHQyFR52QjldVYbevffMaWfBiB4LfmrMeNvoHNC80fQWxpY2UgQWRhbXMgPGFs aWNlQGV4YW1wbGUub3JnPsKGBBMWCgA4BYJfss7VAwsJBwkQeDtONbTl8boDFQoI ApkBApsBAh4BFiEEo/MaV+QAp3wiOSTAeDtONbTl8boAALLzAP4oGNBkrnpv7TBi cucUcQZbAURxRDZLioWmwu/VVqWRQwEAk/3oG5sP327lu73CE7LUjBt5ChtAlDlP szWqa9TiCw4= =tnJI -----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK----- ``` ``` Secret-Key Packet, new CTB, 2 header bytes + 88 bytes Version: 4 Creation time: 2020-11-16 19:11:17 UTC Pk algo: EdDSA Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm Pk size: 256 bits Fingerprint: A3F3 1A57 E400 A77C 2239 24C0 783B 4E35 B4E5 F1BA KeyID: 783B 4E35 B4E5 F1BA Secret Key: Unencrypted 00000000 c5 CTB 00000001 58 length 00000002 04 version 00000003 5f b2 ce d5 creation_time 00000007 16 pk_algo 00000008 09 curve_len 00000009 2b 06 01 04 01 da 47 curve 00000010 0f 01 00000012 01 07 eddsa_public_len 00000014 40 88 32 34 f7 ea f4 6b 80 55 05 46 eddsa_public 00000020 42 22 a7 52 17 dc ae 0b bd 3a 7d 13 42 ea db d9 00000030 cd 17 8c 94 8e 00000035 00 s2k_usage 00000036 00 fd eddsa_secret_len 00000038 15 85 44 31 6c c9 97 8c eddsa_secret 00000040 98 17 7e 21 f6 a7 46 68 ff 51 bd 5a 00 b6 87 91 00000050 f0 7e 5b 8b 18 e3 58 25 00000058 0f fe checksum Signature Packet, new CTB, 2 header bytes + 131 bytes Version: 4 Type: DirectKey Pk algo: EdDSA Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm Hash algo: SHA512 Hashed area: Signature creation time: 2020-11-16 19:11:17 UTC (critical) Symmetric algo preferences: AES256, AES128 Issuer: 783B 4E35 B4E5 F1BA Hash preferences: SHA512, SHA256 Key flags: C (critical) Features: MDC Issuer Fingerprint: A3F3 1A57 E400 A77C 2239 24C0 783B 4E35 B4E5 F1BA Digest prefix: 7D7C Level: 0 (signature over data) 00000000 c2 CTB 00000001 83 length 00000002 04 version 00000003 1f type 00000004 16 pk_algo 00000005 0a hash_algo 00000006 00 35 hashed_area_len 00000008 05 subpacket length 00000009 82 subpacket tag 0000000a 5f b2 ce d5 sig creation time 0000000e 03 subpacket length 0000000f 0b subpacket tag 00000010 09 07 pref sym algos 00000012 09 subpacket length 00000013 10 subpacket tag 00000014 78 3b 4e 35 b4 e5 f1 ba issuer 0000001c 03 subpacket length 0000001d 15 subpacket tag 0000001e 0a 08 pref hash algos 00000020 02 subpacket length 00000021 9b subpacket tag 00000022 01 key flags 00000023 02 subpacket length 00000024 1e subpacket tag 00000025 01 features 00000026 16 subpacket length 00000027 21 subpacket tag 00000028 04 version 00000029 a3 f3 1a 57 e4 00 a7 issuer fp 00000030 7c 22 39 24 c0 78 3b 4e 35 b4 e5 f1 ba 0000003d 00 00 unhashed_area_len 0000003f 7d digest_prefix1 00000040 7c digest_prefix2 00000041 01 00 eddsa_sig_r_len 00000043 f9 23 c2 44 8e e5 a2 37 95 05 0d 8b f8 eddsa_sig_r 00000050 78 3a 2c 0f 50 5f ee e8 03 bd ac 7b 20 e3 95 94 00000060 45 93 b0 00000063 01 00 eddsa_sig_s_len 00000065 f2 f1 34 07 43 21 51 e7 64 23 95 eddsa_sig_s 00000070 d5 58 6d eb df 7c c6 96 7c 18 81 e0 b7 e6 ac c7 00000080 8d be 81 cd 0b User ID Packet, new CTB, 2 header bytes + 31 bytes Value: Alice Adams 00000000 cd CTB 00000001 1f length 00000002 41 6c 69 63 65 20 41 64 61 6d 73 20 3c 61 value 00000010 6c 69 63 65 40 65 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 2e 6f 72 67 00000020 3e Signature Packet, new CTB, 2 header bytes + 134 bytes Version: 4 Type: PositiveCertification Pk algo: EdDSA Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm Hash algo: SHA512 Hashed area: Signature creation time: 2020-11-16 19:11:17 UTC (critical) Symmetric algo preferences: AES256, AES128 Issuer: 783B 4E35 B4E5 F1BA Hash preferences: SHA512, SHA256 Primary User ID: true (critical) Key flags: C (critical) Features: MDC Issuer Fingerprint: A3F3 1A57 E400 A77C 2239 24C0 783B 4E35 B4E5 F1BA Digest prefix: B2F3 Level: 0 (signature over data) 00000000 c2 CTB 00000001 86 length 00000002 04 version 00000003 13 type 00000004 16 pk_algo 00000005 0a hash_algo 00000006 00 38 hashed_area_len 00000008 05 subpacket length 00000009 82 subpacket tag 0000000a 5f b2 ce d5 sig creation time 0000000e 03 subpacket length 0000000f 0b subpacket tag 00000010 09 07 pref sym algos 00000012 09 subpacket length 00000013 10 subpacket tag 00000014 78 3b 4e 35 b4 e5 f1 ba issuer 0000001c 03 subpacket length 0000001d 15 subpacket tag 0000001e 0a 08 pref hash algos 00000020 02 subpacket length 00000021 99 subpacket tag 00000022 01 primary user id 00000023 02 subpacket length 00000024 9b subpacket tag 00000025 01 key flags 00000026 02 subpacket length 00000027 1e subpacket tag 00000028 01 features 00000029 16 subpacket length 0000002a 21 subpacket tag 0000002b 04 version 0000002c a3 f3 1a 57 issuer fp 00000030 e4 00 a7 7c 22 39 24 c0 78 3b 4e 35 b4 e5 f1 ba 00000040 00 00 unhashed_area_len 00000042 b2 digest_prefix1 00000043 f3 digest_prefix2 00000044 00 fe eddsa_sig_r_len 00000046 28 18 d0 64 ae 7a 6f ed 30 62 eddsa_sig_r 00000050 72 e7 14 71 06 5b 01 44 71 44 36 4b 8a 85 a6 c2 00000060 ef d5 56 a5 91 43 00000066 01 00 eddsa_sig_s_len 00000068 93 fd e8 1b 9b 0f df 6e eddsa_sig_s 00000070 e5 bb bd c2 13 b2 d4 8c 1b 79 0a 1b 40 94 39 4f 00000080 b3 35 aa 6b d4 e2 0b 0e ``` Instead of two sections, as before, we see four sections in this certificate: * First a "Secret-Key Packet", * then a "Signature Packet" (these two packets are the same as above). * Third, a [*"User ID Packet"*](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-5.11), which contains the name and email address we used * Finally a [*"Signature Packet"*](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-5.2) of type 0x13, *"Positive certification of a User ID and Public-Key packet"*. This is a cryptographic artifact that "binds the User ID packet and the Key packet together", i.e. it certifies that the owner of the key wants this User ID associated with their key. (Only the person who controls the private part of this key can create this signature packet. The signature serves as proof that the owner of the key has added this User ID to the certificate) ### Subkeys From here on, we'll look at the dumps in shorter format (you can see more detail by copying the certificates into the web-dumper at https://dump.sequoia-pgp.org/ and checking the "HexDump" checkbox). ### Certifications (Signatures) ### Revocations