SQ(1)

NAME
sq pki link - Manage authenticated certificate and User ID links

SYNOPSIS
sq pki link add [OPTIONS] FINGERPRINT|KEYID USERID|EMAIL
sq pki link retract [OPTIONS] FINGERPRINT|KEYID USERID|EMAIL
sq pki link list [OPTIONS]

DESCRIPTION
Manage authenticated certificate and User ID links.

Link a certificate and User ID is one way of making `sq` consider a binding to be authentic. Another way is to use `sq pki certify` to certify the binding with an explicitly configured trust root. The linking functionality is often easier to work with, and the information is private by default.

Authenticated bindings can be used to designate a certificate using a symbolic name. For instance, using `sq encrypt`'s `--recipient-userid` and `--recipient-email` options, a user can designate a certificate using a User ID or an email address that is authenticated for that certificate.

`sq` also uses authenticated certificates to authenticate other data. For instance, `sq verify` considers signatures made by an authenticated certificate to be authentic.

Users can create a link using `sq pki link add`. That link can later be retracted using `sq pki link retract`. A certificate can also be accepted as a trusted introducer by passing the `--ca` option to `sq pki link add`.

`sq` implements linking using non-exportable certifications, and an implicit trust root. An OpenPGP certificate directory, the default certificate store used by `sq`, includes a local trust root, which is stored under the `trust-root` special name. When the user instructs `sq` to accept a binding, `sq` uses the local trust root to create a non-exportable certification, which it stores in the certificate directory. In this way, operations that use the Web of Trust to authenticate a binding automatically use links.

When a user retracts a link, `sq` creates a new, non-exportable certification with zero trust. This certification suppresses the previous link.

SUBCOMMANDS

  sq pki link add
Link a certificate and a User ID.

This cause `sq` to considers the certificate and User ID binding to be authentic.

A certificate can also be accepted as a certification authority, which is also known as a trusted introducer, by using the `--ca` or `--depth` option.

A link can be retracted using `sq pki link retract`.

This command is similar to `sq pki certify`, but the certifications it makes are done using the certificate directory's trust root, not an arbitrary key. Further, the certificates are marked as non-exportable. The former makes it easier to manage certifications, especially when the user's certification key is offline. And the latter improves the user's privacy, by reducing the chance that parts of the user's social graph is leaked when a certificate is shared.

By default a link never expires. Using the `--expiration` argument specific validity periods may be defined. It allows for providing a point in time for validity to end or a validity duration.

`sq pki link` respects the reference time set by the top-level `--time` argument. It sets the link's creation time to the reference time.

  sq pki link retract
Retract links.

This command retracts links that were previously created using `sq pki link add`. See that subcommand's documentation for more details. Note: this is called `retract` and not `remove`, because the certifications are not removed. Instead a new certification is added, which says that the binding has not been authenticated.

`sq pki link retract` respects the reference time set by the top-level `--time` argument. This causes a link to be retracted as of a particular time instead of the current time.

  sq pki link list
List links.

This command lists all bindings that are linked or whose link has been retracted.

EXAMPLES

  sq pki link add

The user links 0123456789ABCDEF and the User ID '<romeo@example.org>'.

    sq pki link add 0123456789ABCDEF '<romeo@example.org>'

The user examines 0123456789ABCDEF and then accepts the certificate 0123456789ABCDEF with its current set of self-signed User IDs.

    sq cert export --cert 0123456789ABCDEF | sq inspect

...

    sq pki link add 0123456789ABCDEF --all

The user links the certificate and its current self-signed User IDs for a week.

    sq pki link add --expires-in 1w 0123456789ABCDEF --all

The user accepts the certificate, and its current self-signed User IDs as a certification authority. That is, the certificate is considered a trust root.

    sq pki link add --ca '*' 0123456789ABCDEF --all

The user accepts the certificate and its current self-signed User IDs as a partially trusted certification authority.

    sq pki link add --ca '*' --amount 60 0123456789ABCDEF --all

The user retracts their acceptance of 0123456789ABCDEF and any associated User IDs. This effectively invalidates any links.

    sq pki link retract 0123456789ABCDEF

SEE ALSO
sq(1), sq-pki(1), sq-pki-link-add(1), sq-pki-link-retract(1), sq-pki-link-list(1).

For the full documentation see <https://book.sequoia-pgp.org>.

VERSION
0.38.0 (sequoia-openpgp 1.21.2)