authenticate mark in GPG

[Lene Larsen]

When you make a new key (a DSA and ELGamal key) in the program GPG from
GnuPG.org then the primary key (the DSA key) get the mark "s" and "c", for
sign, and certified, and the ELGamal key get a mark "e" for encryption.

In the program GPGshell you have the opportunity to besides the s and c
mark, to set and "a" mark for authenticate, what function have this
authenticate marking on the key in the ordinary work (signing and
encryption).

When I use pure DOS to make a new key, I use this
command --gen-key --expert, and here I have not the possibility to set the
"a" mark on a DSA and ELGamal key, but I can do it when I use GPGshell, and
that I can not understand .

The question is, what function has the authenticate mark "a" on a pub key,
when I use GPG?

Regards

Lene.

[David W. Hodgins]

Post by Lene Larsen
The question is, what function has the authenticate mark "a" on a pub key,
when I use GPG?

From skimming through the source/docs in gnupg-2.0.9, it appears to be used to
identify the equivalent of a root certificate, but is disabled by default.

It's intended for use in a group setting, where you want everyone to automatically
trust the root key. See the description of trustlist.txt in
http://www.gnupg.org/documentation/manuals/gnupg/Agent-Configuration.html#Agent-Configuration

With a default setup, it has no impact.

Regards, Dave Hodgins