pacman-key(8)
pacman-key is a wrapper script for GnuPG used to manage pacman’s keyring, which is the collection of PGP keys used to check signed packages and databases. It provides the ability to import and export keys, fetch keys from keyservers and update the key trust database.
More complex keyring management can be achieved using GnuPG directly combined with the —homedir option pointing at the pacman keyring (located in /etc/pacman.d/gnupg by default).
Invoking pacman-key consists of supplying an operation with any potential options and targets to operate on. Depending on the operation, a target may be a valid key identifier, filename, or directory.
Operations
Add the key(s) contained in the specified file or files to pacman’s keyring. If a key already exists, update it.
Remove the key(s) identified by the specified keyid(s) from pacman’s keyring.
Export key(s) identified by the specified keyid(s) to stdout. If no keyid is specified, all keys will be exported.
Present a menu for key management task on the specified keyid(s). Useful for adjusting a keys trust level.
List a fingerprint for each specified keyid, or for all known keys if no keyids are specified.
Output syntax and command line options.
Imports keys from pubring.gpg into the public keyring from the specified directories.
—import-trustdb
Imports ownertrust values from trustdb.gpg into the shared trust database from the specified directories.
Ensure the keyring is properly initialized and has the required access permissions.
Lists all or specified keys from the public keyring.
Same as —list-keys, but the signatures are listed too.
Locally sign the given key. This is primarily used to root the web of trust in the local private key generated by —init.
Disable colored output from pacman-key.
Equivalent to —recv-keys in GnuPG.
—refresh-keys
Equivalent to —refresh-keys in GnuPG.
Reload the default keys from the (optionally provided) keyrings in /usr/share/pacman/keyrings . For more information, see Providing a Keyring for Import below.
Equivalent to —check-trustdb in GnuPG. This operation can be specified with other operations.
Displays the program version.
Assume that the first argument is a signature and verify it. If a second argument is provided, it is the file to be verified.
With only one argument given, assume that the signature is a detached signature, and look for a matching data file to verify by stripping the file extension. If no matching data file is found, fall back on GnuPG semantics and attempt to verify a file with an embedded signature.
Options
Use an alternate configuration file instead of the /etc/pacman.conf default.
Set an alternate home directory for GnuPG. If unspecified, the value is read from /etc/pacman.conf .
Use the specified keyserver if the operation requires one. This will take precedence over any keyserver option specified in a gpg.conf configuration file. Running —init with this option will set the default keyserver if one was not already configured.
Providing a Keyring for Import
A distribution or other repository provided may want to provide a set of PGP keys used in the signing of its packages and repository databases that can be readily imported into the pacman keyring. This is achieved by providing a PGP keyring file foo.gpg that contains the keys for the foo keyring in the directory /usr/share/pacman/keyrings .
Optionally, the file foo-trusted can be provided containing a list of trusted key IDs for that keyring. This is a file in a format compatible with gpg —export-ownertrust output. This file will inform the user which keys a user needs to verify and sign to build a local web of trust, in addition to assigning provided owner trust values.
Also optionally, the file foo-revoked can be provided containing a list of revoked key IDs for that keyring. Revoked is defined as «no longer valid for any signing», so should be used with prudence. A key being marked as revoked will be disabled in the keyring and no longer treated as valid, so this always takes priority over it’s trusted state in any other keyring.
DESCRIPTION
pacman-key is a wrapper script for GnuPG used to manage pacman’s keyring, which is the collection of PGP keys used to check signed packages and databases. It provides the ability to import and export keys, fetch keys from keyservers and update the key trust database.
More complex keyring management can be achieved using GnuPG directly combined with the —homedir option pointing at the pacman keyring (located in /etc/pacman.d/gnupg by default).
Invoking pacman-key consists of supplying an operation with any potential options and targets to operate on. Depending on the operation, a target may be a valid key identifier, filename, or directory.
OPERATIONS
Add the key(s) contained in the specified file or files to pacman’s keyring. If a key already exists, update it.
Export key(s) identified by the specified keyid(s) to stdout. If no keyid is specified, all keys will be exported.
Present a menu for key management task on the specified keyid(s). Useful for adjusting a keys trust level.
Imports ownertrust values from trustdb.gpg into the shared trust database from the specified directories.
Locally sign the given key. This is primarily used to root the web of trust in the local private key generated by —init.
Reload the default keys from the (optionally provided) keyrings in /usr/share/pacman/keyrings. For more information, see Providing a Keyring for Import below.
Assume that the first argument is a signature and verify it. If a second argument is provided, it is the file to be verified.
With only one argument given, assume that the signature is a detached signature, and look for a matching data file to verify by stripping the file extension. If no matching data file is found, fall back on GnuPG semantics and attempt to verify a file with an embedded signature.
OPTIONS
Use the specified keyserver if the operation requires one. This will take precedence over any keyserver option specified in a gpg.conf configuration file. Running —init with this option will set the default keyserver if one was not already configured.
PROVIDING A KEYRING FOR IMPORT
A distribution or other repository provided may want to provide a set of PGP keys used in the signing of its packages and repository databases that can be readily imported into the pacman keyring. This is achieved by providing a PGP keyring file foo.gpg that contains the keys for the foo keyring in the directory /usr/share/pacman/keyrings.
Optionally, the file foo-trusted can be provided containing a list of trusted key IDs for that keyring. This is a file in a format compatible with gpg —export-ownertrust output. This file will inform the user which keys a user needs to verify and sign to build a local web of trust, in addition to assigning provided owner trust values.
Also optionally, the file foo-revoked can be provided containing a list of revoked key IDs for that keyring. Revoked is defined as «no longer valid for any signing», so should be used with prudence. A key being marked as revoked will be disabled in the keyring and no longer treated as valid, so this always takes priority over it’s trusted state in any other keyring.
SEE ALSO
See the pacman website at https://archlinux.org/pacman/ for current information on pacman and its related tools.
BUGS
Bugs? You must be kidding; there are no bugs in this software. But if we happen to be wrong, submit a bug report with as much detail as possible at the Arch Linux Bug Tracker in the Pacman section.