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Avaq/pull-private.sh

Created November 4, 2014 12:25
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Exporting and importing GPG keys over SSH
Raw
pull-private.sh
ssh user@remote gpg --export-secret-key KeyId | gpg --allow-secret-key-import --import
Raw
pull-public.sh
# Based on key ID.
ssh user@remote gpg --export KeyId | gpg --import
# Based on key owner name.
ssh user@remote gpg --export -a KeyOwnerName | gpg --import
Raw
push-private.sh
gpg --export-secret-key KeyId | ssh user@remote gpg --allow-secret-key-import --import
Raw
push-public.sh
gpg --export KeyId | ssh user@remote gpg --import
@Jacob-Stevens-Haas

Jacob-Stevens-Haas commented Dec 9, 2022

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Thanks! Any idea what error sending to agent: Inappropriate ioctl for device means when pushing public/private key?

@Avaq

Avaq commented Dec 9, 2022

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I have not come across that. I'm sorry.

@aidenscott2016

aidenscott2016 commented Feb 6, 2023 •
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@Jacob-Stevens-Haas I also have this error. you must add the --batch parameter to the importing gpg. eg gpg --armor --export-secret-keys $KEY_ID | ssh aiden@10.0.4.46 gpg --allow-secret-key-import --import --batch gpg (GnuPG) 2.3.7

@hsxfjames

hsxfjames commented Dec 17, 2023

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I ran into several problems, the following should solve them:

  1. error sending to agent: No pinentry: just install pinentry package on target machine.
  2. error sending to agent: No such file or directory: just like @aidenscott2016 said, need to add --batch parameter with --import together.
  3. problem 2 still, run echo pinentry-mode loopback >> ~/.gnupg/gpg-agent.conf and restart gpg agent after gpgconf --kill gpg-agent should fix it.

@mariano-daniel

mariano-daniel commented Jun 5, 2026 •
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@Jacob-Stevens-Haas I also have this error. you must add the --batch parameter to the importing gpg. eg gpg --armor --export-secret-keys $KEY_ID | ssh aiden@10.0.4.46 gpg --allow-secret-key-import --import --batch gpg (GnuPG) 2.3.7

I'm getting:

gpg: [stdout]: write error: Broken pipe
                                       gpg: build_packet(6) failed: Broken pipe
                                                                               gpg: WARNING: nothing exported
                                                                                                             %

When running % gpg --export-secret-key 579C2BBCCCCCCCCCCC1E412E63EEFEE963335F9 | ssh mariano@192.168.0.23 gpg --allow-secret-key-import --import --batch

@mariano-daniel

mariano-daniel commented Jun 5, 2026

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Running a more verbose output:

% gpg --export-secret-key 579C2BBCCCCCCCCCCC1E412E63EEFEE963335F9 | ssh mariano@192.168.0.23 gpg --allow-secret-key-import --import --batch -vvv
gpg: [stdout]: write error: Broken pipe
gpg: build_packet(6) failed: Broken pipe
gpg: WARNING: nothing exported
mariano@Marianos-MacBook-Pro ~ % gpg -vvv --export-secret-key 579C2BBCCCCCCCCCCC1E412E63EEFEE963335F9 | ssh mariano@192.168.0.23 gpg -vvv --allow-secret-key-import --import --batch     
gpg: using character set 'utf-8'
gpg: enabled compatibility flags:
gpg: writing to stdout
gpg: key EB37B83B18B8FFFFFFFFFEA36F40E14F47C: asking agent for the secret parts
gpg: pinentry launched (12819 curses 1.3.2 /dev/ttys000 xterm-256color /private/tmp/com.apple.launchd.yEdAjAw04N/org.xquartz:0 20620/501/4 501/20 0)
gpg: [stdout]: write error: Broken pipe
gpg: build_packet(6) failed: Broken pipe
gpg: WARNING: nothing exported
mariano@Marianos-MacBook-Pro ~ %

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