2018-10-31

GitHub verified commits with GPG, TortoiseGit and MSYS/MinGW

If you've been browsing git repositories in GitHub, you may have seen that some of them have Verified commits, which is a nice way to indicate that the person who actually committed the code is indeed who they say they are, and not an impersonator who just happened to reuse an e-mail address that is not theirs, for dubious reasons.

Typical display of "Verified" GPG commits in GitHub


Obviously, if you are the only person who has write access to your github repositories (which is how I tend to operate, for obvious security reasons) verified commits are not that much of a big deal. Still, having the badge show in github does help with ensuring that people who are browsing the repo know that you are taking security and trust seriously. So we might as well add commit signing, since it's pretty straightforward to do.

Now, since these are my main development tools, I will hereafter demonstrate how you can do that using TortoiseGit and MSYS/MinGW GPG on Windows. If you use something else, then you will have to look for post entries by other people, that match the tools you use. Also, to give credit where credit is due, I will point out that I am mostly copying Julian's dev.to entry titled "Sign your git commits with tortoise git on windows".

So, without further ado, here's how you should proceed:
  1. Create a new GPG key by firing up a MinGW prompt and issuing the following:

    $ gpg --full-generate-key --allow-freeform-uid
    gpg (GnuPG) 2.2.10-unknown; Copyright (C) 2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
    This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
    There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
    
    gpg: keybox '/home/nil/.gnupg/pubring.kbx' created
    Please select what kind of key you want:
       (1) RSA and RSA (default)
       (2) DSA and Elgamal
       (3) DSA (sign only)
       (4) RSA (sign only)
    Your selection? 1
    RSA keys may be between 1024 and 4096 bits long.
    What keysize do you want? (2048) 4096
    Requested keysize is 4096 bits
    Please specify how long the key should be valid.
             0 = key does not expire
          <n>  = key expires in n days
          <n>w = key expires in n weeks
          <n>m = key expires in n months
          <n>y = key expires in n years
    Key is valid for? (0) 0
    Key does not expire at all
    Is this correct? (y/N) y
    
    GnuPG needs to construct a user ID to identify your key.
    
    Real name: Pete Batard
    Email address: pete@akeo.ie
    Comment:
    You selected this USER-ID:
        "Pete Batard <pete@akeo.ie>"
    
    Change (N)ame, (C)omment, (E)mail or (O)kay/(Q)uit? O
    We need to generate a lot of random bytes. It is a good idea to perform
    some other action (type on the keyboard, move the mouse, utilize the
    disks) during the prime generation; this gives the random number
    generator a better chance to gain enough entropy.
    We need to generate a lot of random bytes. It is a good idea to perform
    some other action (type on the keyboard, move the mouse, utilize the
    disks) during the prime generation; this gives the random number
    generator a better chance to gain enough entropy.
    gpg: /home/nil/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
    gpg: key F3E83EBB603AF846 marked as ultimately trusted
    gpg: directory '/home/nil/.gnupg/openpgp-revocs.d' created
    gpg: revocation certificate stored as '/home/nil/.gnupg/openpgp-revocs.d/236D8595DE48618C26293122F3E83EBB603AF846.rev'
    public and secret key created and signed.
    
    pub   rsa4096 2018-10-31 [SC]
          236D8595DE48618C26293122F3E83EBB603AF846
    uid                      Pete Batard <pete@akeo.ie>
    sub   rsa4096 2018-10-31 [E]
    

    You'll notice that, when prompted, we chose to create a 4096 RSA and RSA key that never expires.

    During that process, you will also be prompted to enter the password that safeguards your key. This is the password you will have to enter each time you sign a new commit, so choose it wisely.

    Note that, when using MSYS2 + MinGW, your GPG keys will be stored under C:\msys2\home\<your_user_name>\.gnupg\.
     
  2.  Generate the public key in a format that GitHub can accept:

    $ gpg --armor --export pete@akeo.ie
    -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
    
    mQINBFvZ0+gBEAC7Jkdt3aW5iURti+36suQN9dmhGfVJMEV/Y9giby78wYcq51rj
    IvJ2AuYEhVgiFwT2hrlKuems0Jsln6wGUULAQXpLMU4XxlyKHwBE3ETXCXWQbzxH
    rNqerDKNu54M/r3XNCW7r38vwNdYrh656eLccZ/jOH8aSSZ9KkBjJ1wa78tx7YZy
    +FXXjDbamP3Pu3CPp7Nx3y69FCFm2uYrDkLWqcOvweME9imIqdsLfd5bM+wYclbN
    QQuZArV7uoQ2xYFlVweaob5U3iUsGUQYuY7x3Mlbz/73wYxuOGUt5n6de3tdefrN
    V5csD3aJVQKjFWOW2oNzI8Qik9pDie+3XQEfbIVHhgCx9kLVe2MzBaWrnPgk2Epj
    bIhRheqzvV15iC70QchMrtDzXOcbNhaytggYWPRx1YtEN3G4pPnsVfq0oSdNhwlw
    VLYm6eK+kjr0PykIANiiDDe/4WiFTIS1mobp++QCFXm41jtfXP6PM3NJdf1Hx5VX
    CcRQKXmukeyW4DfYtr9GoKeu9G1vGQev1U+qjtOk+9SRrofsqfCqzJP4drjbSyk9
    43q9HBYSBjnslisQnrhhcl5/5Yb99+sS2EnpW7am/sarCHGiPkLi6eHfYpbxX7Lg
    nLXjmXYlpyCkJnkgwzsTUs3+7w2KHaBZ7yme70x2edBD9f1Ar3zm+ryW5QARAQAB
    tBpQZXRlIEJhdGFyZCA8cGV0ZUBha2VvLmllPokCTgQTAQgAOBYhBCNthZXeSGGM
    JikxIvPoPrtgOvhGBQJb2dPoAhsDBQsJCAcCBhUKCQgLAgQWAgMBAh4BAheAAAoJ
    EPPoPrtgOvhGUpkQAIHSu7BNo4/jUhtHjBMiiYVE6eJh1J8+lWkXuATCxo3BXrMb
    AAAdNsrPca09NVdSli3xameKSnWt3hXRpkNM2cAC/Sus8UjYGDaCP1pWNyfmd70y
    /uAZGf1FIeWL4yIiFcDROobLqlCE+qViWu8sG2Ris8hGA8sjR0cn5891Q/ncHFtE
    YYHzh0mn+A9I/gGSvArqYJdNNBptGplo2fnQQIODwHNYSPMCzBawFoll6jocjg6q
    FqlawC5f9zPs5HP9k0k0pp37f8i+ANftCfdwOEWurfBDGqrxKiJIyIaS9kLzwCQX
    poJGZO/rVbCDGvexfVkqoKMJRK0jO2Rh3p0vifZ2cwKPSFjWfSjUiPAUpcz0nuV5
    BSkrMNc1VHgP1FM4v2Vpi7lnaoWMLpVz3VJ8yRyRD/7c7oVEl0NL8lHMZaHiPprf
    LmeLIgM5ndh9wkvD9j2EH5JR72lACQtg5n9qmbDro2uJbtGqrhqrVQdPrPtv1XoM
    0JAIL+1RvdTuPPBclmTLwdXaztlnEjJOA9loWpkyMIlZVcb/6TWamGAzxu4wMv8o
    aQpaVqNIO9kq79lZMHFGDE4VRHAjrJh3nXKpi+/JOIf7xKAnwrZAquAC+bfqYYUm
    W9jg35aB+jASlI7+TvQHgal2dFSYebCeWpwPlJr7XeXWJab+UNajeKxRQ2wMuQIN
    BFvZ0+gBEAC6nJAWbF6YAnPDaHTTBAAYEHlbiPTt8gYUgoxkUJxV2fcj0g2ye0+x
    gFh7Z3eTw5zq3iojah8EWBj5WOHeI1R1q244qaje467onbgowcxsFOH/TgBs1aew
    DWNDIMJl/vkSEY5xdmtJIGIUJ/+BH9U7kSX3lB5IFz37WH6hcgQZUjD0fx+Hv5ZX
    7Fz8YGXnBnJRwblCJbvkq2BD/1fSI5REddILkQAKd9mzRoXFvKRYwV5Oq78NU4cd
    5e20+ALHCPC7fQQ3jFzUo2WMLywWDAi42DOn7E6/tIZT7BwKF08ozNDPpWTj5OOO
    OAqjesgsXI410kdayv25LopHnnPCcIcjm35AtA8TDSEfPFlbm59tBo7q5VWi15yb
    X1+vkSZfcUoe9lXIr/Ea+RYgayI8xFkBiOlWn8NaWjWrZEr6OG4EOk97bAgey4M4
    KEJJkQsQYsVSQ8yVkt1wETkH6GHQFoyoFJUJkxeWDXoG9LyBYr7n+NSbjOAujy/c
    XyemCFkJXSeTcn4KAIboBvEV0nQOMjfaEr+hkfXbESfm92MSlL54arrgyY7vcOSI
    iztc4ZiTmkQPeeG4PsqUaHYB1lj+qapVQlZ9O+OFH280YWylLBZJMWOKM1lMqgz3
    Z2avF2FVax+xBeE8pMnWAUbKTHB7BQAhATjxGGlWy6QtJRxpOrTcGwARAQABiQI2
    BBgBCAAgFiEEI22Fld5IYYwmKTEi8+g+u2A6+EYFAlvZ0+gCGwwACgkQ8+g+u2A6
    +EbNAQ//WL261oYfKskEmBzz88M7Tt6aj8NyQmXyrIY6RoEYK4+rnS2zFwQfIF6p
    3e4avUZYF5xTOSuuiJv4IImnjlilHjA+r6LcmqIGKilIeFQwyNLVr+H/FvZSzKYY
    Psr6v0CCBn/6UICmrLoDgr1IiWmlwVDKVNXDZLGHprB00WBrso0pBVWEmbkKzlP9
    lYlC11yXo/wsLLnQNbz3DzcUgtyFExyL37EGr1zw2xfmwmRZRQmpILpuiBE/VGI0
    pH4JReeGjcqh0TkK+70whQnM9VX6eZbV4cwtBXg1CixY+cwyQcCreRTneGPQT9jj
    5dmD9duQOiDw5QGAoQ4tc6AxQcf62KsZmXQ715IMVrbn3leeoVR5PaFQ/PR3MQn+
    eS0f+wIDLBgD1tjUeOvjWs79sB7LAvinndZUA/6+nfxR29753gpssFW5tFEK5Kit
    OwCnNG4P3SjqfYAN+IIBTUUUPjGPHTKEd85XUBUlCJg7i1iLaeZqamp9oga4gv6d
    lLQ50J84i4yk02Afhlic5CNw1l9TfCgdFWF/9+WO7qzHmdJsZl/9Gs05J3hbPzqh
    uji6ujyI7v9vDTDC2tR1l3zHTomFJ6Vs42MdpaBWtnePAIohnhtLKCjG3/Z04idj
    jjGTV+5EASM2h3WV7vfmxem2HyxEM0lwa5zj8AtaWugqmiO6Rik=
    =aMFF
    -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
    
     
  3. Go to https://github.com/settings/gpg/new and copy/paste the public key data from above.
     
  4. Because we are going to call GPG independently of MinGW, now you must copy your C:\msys2\home\<your_user_name>\.gnupg directory to C:\Users\<your_user_name>\.

    This is needed because this is the default location gpg.exe looks for key when not invoked from msys/MinGW and it doesn't seem possible to alter it without modifying the registry or creating environment variables, which is cumbersome. Besides, this is important data and you are a lot more likely to backup the content of C:\Users\<your_user_name>\ than C:\msys2\home\, so it's probably not a bad idea to duplicate this valuable content there.
     
  5. Get the key id that you'll need to use in your config file with:
    $ gpg --list-keys --keyid-format LONG pete@akeo.ie
    gpg: checking the trustdb
    gpg: marginals needed: 3  completes needed: 1  trust model: pgp
    gpg: depth: 0  valid:   1  signed:   0  trust: 0-, 0q, 0n, 0m, 0f, 1u
    pub   rsa4096/F3E83EBB603AF846 2018-10-31 [SC]
          236D8595DE48618C26293122F3E83EBB603AF846
    uid                 [ultimate] Pete Batard <pete@akeo.ie>
    sub   rsa4096/308A9C6106D2FCE4 2018-10-31 [E]

    The 40 characters hex string under pub is the value you are after.
     
  6. In each project where you want to have signed commits, edit your .git/config so that it contains the following options:
    [user]
        signingkey = 236D8595DE48618C26293122F3E83EBB603AF846
    [commit]
        gpgsign = true
    [gpg]
        program = "C:/msys2/usr/bin/gpg.exe"
If you do the above correctly, then next time you commit into the git repo you modified, you should be prompted for your GPG key password, and, after you push to GitHub, you should find that the commit has the Verified badge.

Note that you can also validate whether your commit was properly signed, before pushing, by issuing:
$ git log --show-signature