Encryption & Security

Learn about PGP keys, encryption settings, and security features.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

Access to your PDG Mail account
A secure location to store your encryption keys
Your email client configured

Transport Layer Security (TLS)

PDG Mail uses TLS 1.3 for all communications to ensure your data remains secure during transmission.

All communication between you and our servers is encrypted
All communication with external mail servers is encrypted
TLS 1.3 provides the highest level of security for data in transit

Zero Knowledge Encryption

PDG Mail offers at-rest zero knowledge encryption using PGP to ensure your emails remain private.

Setting Up PGP Encryption

You have two options for setting up PGP encryption:

Option 1: Generate Keys Through PDG Mail Portal

Log in to your PDG Mail account
Navigate to Settings → Security
Click "Generate New PGP Key"
Enter a strong password for your key
Click "Generate" and wait for the process to complete
Download and securely store your private key

Option 2: Generate Keys Locally

For advanced users who prefer to generate their own keys, follow these platform-specific instructions:

Required Key Types

Primary Key: EDDSA with Ed25519 curve
Subkey: ECDH with Curve25519 curve

MacOS

Install Homebrew if you haven't already:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Install GPG using Homebrew:
```
brew install gnupg
```

Create a file named key-config.txt with the following content:

%echo Generating OpenPGP key
Key-Type: EDDSA
Key-Curve: Ed25519
Subkey-Type: ECDH
Subkey-Curve: Curve25519
Name-Real: Your Name
Name-Email: [email protected]
Expire-Date: 0
%commit
%echo done

Generate your key pair:

gpg --batch --generate-key key-config.txt

Export your public key (to upload to PDG Mail):

gpg --export --armor [email protected] > public-key.asc

Export your private key (for your email client):

gpg --export-secret-keys --armor [email protected] > private-key.asc

Keep your private key secure and never share it. Upload the public key to PDG Mail portal and use the private key with your email client.

Windows

Install Gpg4win from gpg4win.org
Open Kleopatra
Click "File" → "New Key Pair"
Select "Create a personal OpenPGP key pair"
Enter your name and email address
Click "Advanced Settings" and select:
- Key Material: EDDSA
- Key Size: 256 bits
- Subkey Type: ECDH
Click "Create" and follow the prompts
Export your public key (to upload to PDG Mail):
- Select your key in Kleopatra
- Click "Export"
- Save as "public-key.asc"
Export your private key (for your email client):
- Select your key in Kleopatra
- Click "Export Secret Keys"
- Save as "private-key.asc"

Keep your private key secure and never share it. Upload the public key to PDG Mail portal and use the private key with your email client.

Linux

Open Terminal

Create a file named key-config.txt with the following content:

%echo Generating OpenPGP key
Key-Type: EDDSA
Key-Curve: Ed25519
Subkey-Type: ECDH
Subkey-Curve: Curve25519
Name-Real: Your Name
Name-Email: [email protected]
Expire-Date: 0
%commit
%echo done

Run the following command:

gpg --batch --generate-key key-config.txt

Export your public key (to upload to PDG Mail):

gpg --export --armor [email protected] > public-key.asc

Export your private key (for your email client):

gpg --export-secret-keys --armor [email protected] > private-key.asc

Keep your private key secure and never share it. Upload the public key to PDG Mail portal and use the private key with your email client.

After generating your keys, make sure to:

Back up your private key securely
Export your public key
Keep your private key password safe

The Ed25519/Curve25519 key type provides strong security with excellent performance. These are the recommended key types for modern OpenPGP implementations.

Need Help?

If you need assistance with encryption setup:

Check our Troubleshooting Guide
Visit our Knowledge Base
Contact our Support Team

PDG Mail Encryption & Security