DOKK / manpages / debian 10 / gpg-wks-client / gpg-wks-client.1.en
GPG-WKS-CLIENT(1) User Commands GPG-WKS-CLIENT(1)

gpg-wks-client - Client for the Web Key Service

gpg-wks-client [COMMAND] [OPTIONS] [ARGS]

gpg-wks-client is a simple command line client for the Web Key Service. The executable is usually located in /usr/lib/gnupg. It allows a user to create a publication request and to respond to a received confirmation request. Communication with the Web Key Service is done via email. It also can lookup the fingerprint of a USER-ID in the Web Key Directory.

Check whether provider of the given USER-ID supports the Web Key Service protocol, i.e. whether it has a Web Key Directory providing a submission address.
Similar to:
gpg-connect-agent --dirmngr 'WKD_GET --submission-address -- USER-ID' /bye

Check whether a key is available, and whether the listed key is valid for the requested USER-ID. You might want to use
gpg -v --auto-key-locate=clear,wkd,nodefault --locate-key USER-ID

instead.
Create a publication request for the USER-ID in the key with the given FINGERPRINT. List all possible keys (including the fingerprint) for a USER-ID with:
gpg --list-key USER-ID

By default the publication request will be printed to STDOUT. You can also write it to a file using the --output option or send it using sendmail with the --send option.
Receive a MIME confirmation request on STDIN and acknowledge it.
By default the confirmation response will be printed to STDOUT. You can also write it to a file using the --output option or send it using sendmail with the --send option.
Receive a plain text confirmation request. Similar to --receive, but takes only the message body on STDIN.
Show program version and some meta information.
Output a short usage information.
Print warranty information.
Dump all available options and commands.

Enable verbose output.
Be somewhat more quiet.
Send the mail using sendmail.
Write the mail to FILE.
Write status info to this FD.
Set debugging flags. All flags are or-ed and flags may be given in C syntax (e.g. 0x0042) or as a comma separated list of flag names. To get a list of all supported flags the single word "help" can be used.
Use the specified command instead of gpg.
Send mail to MAILADDR instead of the submission address queried through Web Key Service.

First find the fingerprint (a long string of hex digits) of the key you want to publish:

gpg --list-key "Alice <alice@example.com>"

Now create and send the publication request:

/usr/lib/gnupg/gpg-wks-client --create --send 0123456789ABCDEF0123456789ABCDEF01234567 "Alice <alice@example.com>"

Instead of "Alice <alice@example.com>" you can also just give alice@example.com.

Paste the full mail containing the confirmation request (including headers) you got from the Web Key Service on STDIN after starting:

/usr/lib/gnupg/gpg-wks-client --receive --send

Latest draft for the protocol: <https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-koch-openpgp-webkey-service>
GnuPG on Web Key Service: <https://wiki.gnupg.org/WKS>

Please report bugs to <https://dev.gnupg.org>.

Copyright © 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>

This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

This manpage was written by Stefan Bühler for the Debian distribution (but may be used by others).

May 2017 gpg-wks-client (GnuPG) 2.1.20