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GPG always caches passphrase

Archived thread 1001226 from Security. Markdown source: Security/thread_1001226_GPG_always_caches_passphrase.md

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#1

I am using 8.04.

I have succesfully imported my GPG keys, but when I decrypy a file GPG always caches the passphrase even though I have st the preferences to "never remember passphrases".

How can I prevent GPG from caching the passphrase?

#2

Can you give more details on this and where you modified your preferences? I am unfamiliar with the option you are talking about.

#3

Kevdog, thanks for the interest.

I have always used Kgpg in another distro (mandriva) so when I came to Ubuntu I imported my public and private keys into Seahorse. This works fine and I can decrypt all the stuff I had previously encrypted in Mandriva and also encrypt and decrypt new stuff.

However, when I decrypt something Seahorse caches my passphrase in memory and will subsequently decrypt anything without me entering the passphrase, I would prefer not to have my passphrase available like this as I see it as a security risk.

Under Seahorse > Edit > Preferences > Passwords and Encryption keys there is an option - Never remember passphrase, I have this selected but it appearsc not to work. I would like to find a way to disable remembering passphrase.

#4

System > Preferences > Encryption and Keyrings > PGP PassPhrase may be another way to achieve the result you are seeking.

#5

That sounds like a option specific to seahorse. I don't use seahorse but rather gpg on command line or through the firegpg interface.

#6

Tubbygweilo

I'm afraid that didn't work either

Kevdog

Bavk to the command line as you suggested.

Thanks to both of you

#7

I'm using seahorse, and I've got the same problem. I've gone to the system > preferences > encryption and keyrings settings area. I have always used the "never remember passphrases option, but once I enter the passphrase, it is remembered for as long as I am booted up. I'm about to try the setting which says, "remember passphrases for [x] minutes" with x=1 minute. Hopefully that will at least limit the passphrase being cached. This is a real bug that needs a solution.

#8

Go to System -> Preferences -> Encryption and Keyrings and check the option at the bottom that says "Show icon in status area . . .". That way when you enter the password an icon shows up that you can right-click and clear the cache with.