GnuPG package: Difference between pgp and gpg
I feel there's a not much of general user friendly content on the internet about GnPG and it's utilities. At least I couldn't find any to my satisfaction. It's probably because people (except developers ) do not prefer to indulge and verify their package after downloading. The articles have come across so far only implies that there's no difference between gpg and pgp yet I can't use the pgp command after installing the gnupg package. What package do I need to run pgp if it's not included in the gnupg package ?
21 Answer
If you installed the gnupg package, then it's binary is called gpg, but about the general difference between pgp and gpg... I'll use a few quotes from a few sources:
gpg is the OpenPGP part of the GNU Privacy Guard (GnuPG). It is a tool to provide digital encryption and signing services using the OpenPGP standard. gpg features complete key management and all the bells and whistles you would expect from a full OpenPGP implementation.
[from man gpg]
PGP can refer to two things:
The Pretty Good Privacy software originally written by Phil Zimmermann, and now owned by Symantec.
The formats for keys, encrypted messages and message signatures defined by that software. These have now been formalised as the OpenPGP standard.
The GPG software is an independent implementation of the OpenPGP standards, so you can use it to exchange encrypted messages with people using other OpenPGP implementations (e.g. Symantec's PGP).
gpg vs pgp and OpenPGP
Used both to encrypt files in place and prepare them to be sent securely over the Internet, gpg is related to, but not the same as, pgp and OpenPGP. While gpg is based on the OpenPGP standards established by the IETF, it is — unlike pgp — open source. Here's the rundown:
- OpenPGP is the IETF-approved standard that defines encryption technology that uses processes that are interoperable with PGP.
- pgp is Symantec's proprietary encryption solution.
- gpg adheres to the OpenPGP standard and provides an interface that allows users to easily encrypt their files.
[source]
Development and Licensing
Phil Zimmermann wrote PGP under the GNU General Public License. At one time it could be freely used and modified. However, Zimmermann eventually converted PGP into paid-license software. Symantec purchased the rights to PGP in 2010. The company now manages the licensing of PGP as part of its Enterprise products division. The developers of GPG essentially recoded PGP, maintaining all its features, and released it again under the GNU General Public License, meaning that the code can be modified, used and freely distributed. GPG remains free, as of the date of publication.
[source]
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