bug#15553: 24.3.50; epg.el and GnuPG 2.x cause unavoidable pinentry prompts for symmetrically encrypted files

[Daiki Ueno]

tags 15553 notabug
thanks

Teodor Zlatanov <tzz@lifelogs.com> writes:

> 1. Install GnuPG 2.x, don't run gpg-agent
> 2. Open file.gpg, X or curses pinentry dialog pops up
>
> The suggested workaround is to run gpg-agent.

So you can workaround, what's your problem?

> Problems:
>
> - on a headless server this can lock up Emacs

Not a problem if you use the workaround.

> - if the GPG agent is dead, locked up, or not running, there's no remedy

Ditto.

> - the X pinentry dialog is very non-specific ("Enter passphrase") so
>   there's no way to know what passphrase is being requested and why if
>   you don't have the specific instance in focus.

Unreleated to this bug, please open a new one.

> - there's no way to avoid the prompt in favor of an Emacs minibuffer query

As I said a number of times, that degrades security.  If the insecurity
is okay for you, what's the reason you want to use GnuPG 2.x rather than
GnuPG 1.x?