This article explains how to set up your email client to decrypt encrpyted messages in a step-by-step guide.
- Download Mozilla Thunderbird
Follow the link below to download Mozilla Thunderbird to your computer:
http://www.getthunderbird.com/
- Install Thunderbird
Browse to the location where you downloaded Thunderbird to and double click the setup file to start installation of Thunderbird.
- Configure Thunderbird
Follow the link below for instructions on how to add your email account(s) to Thunderbird:
http://www.netlink.ie/knowledgebase/entry/18/52/
- Download GnuPG for Windows
Follow the link below to dowload GnuPG for Windows:
http://www.gpg4win.org/download.html
Download the latest stable version and choose a location on your computer that's easy to find once the download is complete.
- Install GnuPG for Windows
Double-click the downloaded file to begin installation and follow the on-screen instructions. The default settings should work fine.
- Download and install Enigmail for Thundebird
Follow the link below to download and install the Enigmail add-on for Thunderbird:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/71
- Import your PGP keys
Once GnuPG for Windows and Enigmail are installed on your computer, open up Thunderbird and click on the new menu item "OpenPGP" and select "Key Management".
Next, click on "File" and select "Import Keys from File". A file browser will open. Locate your .asc key file and open it from the file browser.
A confirmation box will show confirming that the import was successful.
You should now be able to decrypt messages that have been encrypted using your public key. The private key which you have imported to your keyring will be used to decrypt the message. You will be asked to enter your passphrase every time you attempt to open an ecrypted message. While you have the choice to store your passphrase permanently, this is not recommended if you are using the private key to decrypt sensitive data or information.
