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The usage of OpenPGP Applet with Thunderbird - The Enigmail Installation and usage [1/3]

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 5:21 am
by JavaCardOS
What is Enigmail?
Enigmail is a seamlessly integrated security add-on for Mozilla Thunderbird. It allows you to use OpenPGP to encrypt and digitally sign your emails and to decrypt and verify messages you receive.

Enigmail is free software. It can be freely used, modified and distributed under the terms of the Mozilla Public License.

Sending unencrypted emails is like sending post cards – anyone and any system that process your mails can read its content. If you encrypt your emails, you put your message into an envelope that only the recipient of the email can open.

Start encrypting your emails now!

Thunderbird download and install
Download the "Thunderbird Setup 38.7.0.exe" from the attachment, and install.
Installation of Enigmail
> Automatic install
Enigmail is a Mozilla extension. Extensions can be installed (and removed) through Thunderbird’s Add-ons Manager. click on the shown icon to open the menu and select Add-ons: see the following figure:

You can now select Enigmail from Extensions, or click on Search and search for it. Once you've found it, click on Install: see the following figure:

Note:
You will get a confirmation dialog warning you not to download software from unknown sources. However, the Mozilla site can be trusted and you can safely confirm. After installing the extension, you must restart Thunderbird to activate it.
> Manual install
If Enigmail is not shown in the Extensions list in when searching for it in the Add-ons Manager, In such a case you may download the Enigmail XPI file from attachment.
To install a downloaded XPI file, drag and drop it to the Extensions tab of Thunderbird’s Add-ons Manager or use its Install Add-on from file.

Now, the enigmail is already installed to the Thunderbird.

Usage of Enigmail
First, Set up all email accounts and identities, and hence you can receive and send (unencrypted/unsigned) e-mail;
In here, Enigmail is installed but not configured yet (default values are set), and you did not restart Thunderbird since installing Enigmail.
The Enigmail Setup Wizard:
The Setup Wizard starts automatically when restarting Thunderbird after installing Enigmail. And the following figure asks you how to starts the Setup Wizard. What follows is a step-by-step guide you through a basic setup. You may cancel this wizard any time and (re)start it from the menu.


1> The first screen asks you whether you want to set up everything using the wizard:


2> The next screen will show a selection for your experience level:


3> In most cases you might choose to select I prefer a standard configuration (recommended for beginners). Advanced users (e.g. users of other OpenPGP encryption software) might want to select the second option. Expert users can choose the third option; this is intended for users that are already experienced with Enigmail.

4> No matter your choice, the next step will download and install the Gnu Privacy Guard (GnuPG) if the Enigmail Setup Wizard cannot find it on your computer:


Here the Enigmail Setup Wizard couldn't find GnuPG on your computer. If you are certain that GnuPG is installed on your computer, please point Enigmail to the installed GnuPG program by clicking on Browse and selecting the GnuPG program folder(you can download GnuPG before setup Enigmail, see the attachment gpg4win-2.3.0.exe).

5> The following screen is shown during the download and run of the GnuPG installer:


Note: Otherwise, you can download and install GnuPG before setup Enigmail. In this case, the Enigmail Setup Wizard will prompt you to create the key. This key will be used in mailbox.