iPad Using OpenPGP with a mail program (Apple Mail)

[koalapandamanda]

Following: my colleague and I send important data to each other. She has an iPad.

Using OpenPGP is pretty easy on Linux with Thunderbird. It even works on Windows (using Thunderbird). But you can't install Thunderbird on an iPad.

The only solutions I have found yet are programs you have to purchase OR not-userfriendly-programs where you literally copy your mail per hand into a new program and your key into another field of same program and it this way translates.

I just want an easy, free solution where everything is handled in the background. Generating a key is not hard, I can easily do that. What I am looking for is either a plugin for Apple Mail or another free Mail-App where e-mails are automaitcally en- and de-crypted with OpenPGP.

 

[kaardowiq]

It’s already difficult when it comes to Mac with the Mailbundle plugin but for the iPad there isn’t any recommended solution.

To be honest, SMIME is implemented very well on iOS and macOS - therefore we switched to our own x509 based PKI for mail encryption instead of GPG. But yes, there‘re still edge corners where I need to use it, in this cases I use „iSH“ with GPG and „mutt“ (terminal mail client). But that isn’t really user friendly for UI users…

 

[toughkitty5]

How about Protonmail? They support PGP and also they have free account.

 

[kaardowiq]

How about Protonmail? They support PGP and also they have free account.

Thanks, didn't know that there's a free trier - I just gave it a try. However, the private key is pre-generated and handled out of the local device. To be honest, this is great when it comes to an easy to use encryption for everyone but for me, this key is directly declared as compromised. Why? As far as someone else can access my private key (independent of any further passphrase etc.) I don't deem it as trustworthy anymore.

OP seems to have know how in Linux. Therefore, I'd suggest to think about SMIME. Create your own root CA, create your client certs with SMIME flags. Bundle and ship them in a secure way to your colleague. Afterwards, you can just use the native Mail app.