Colonel Server - Infrastructure Server Hosting

GnuPG, also known as GPG, enables email encryption through public key cryptography. In cPanel, you can generate, import, review, and delete GnuPG keys to secure email communication.

This functionality is available on cPanel hosting accounts and is typically used with webmail or desktop mail clients that support OpenPGP standards.

Understanding GnuPG key pairs

GnuPG uses two related keys:

• Public key used by others to encrypt messages sent to you
• Private key used only by you to decrypt received messages

The private key must always remain confidential. Only public keys should be shared or imported.

Creating a new GnuPG key

To start using encrypted email, generate a new key pair.

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Open the Tools page.
3. In the Email section, click Encryption.
4. Under Create a New Key, enter your name and email address.
5. Optionally add a comment or nickname.
6. Set and confirm a secure key password.
7. Choose an expiration policy or leave the key without expiration.
8. Select an appropriate key size.
9. Click Generate Key.

[Screenshot placeholder: Create GnuPG key form]

Key generation may take several minutes. Once completed, the key pair becomes available for use.

Importing an existing public key

If you already have a public key, it can be imported into cPanel.

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Open Encryption from the Email section.
3. Click Import Public GPG Key.
4. Paste the full public key block, including the header and footer lines.
5. Click Import.

[Screenshot placeholder: Import public GPG key]

Only public keys should be imported. Private keys must never be uploaded.

Viewing and deleting keys

You can review or remove keys at any time.

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Open Encryption.
3. Locate the key associated with the email address.
4. Click View to inspect the key details.
5. To remove a key, delete the private key and confirm the action.

Deleting a private key also removes the corresponding public key.

[Screenshot placeholder: GnuPG key list]

Security and operational considerations

Encrypted email improves confidentiality but requires careful key management. Lost private keys cannot be recovered, and encrypted messages cannot be decrypted without them.

For environments that require advanced email security, filtering, and reputation management, services such as SpamExperts may complement encryption. Organizations with higher compliance or performance requirements may also consider running mail services on cloud servers for greater control.