Initialize your password store

pass.md

About

Summarizing the instructions of the pass tool (as seen on its website).

Getting Started

Installation

Execute: $ sudo apt install pass

Setup GPG Keys

Execute: $ gpg --full-generate-key

After following the instructions in the prompts, you can execute $ gpg --list-key to make sure that it was created correctly. Make note of the uid phrase you chose - you'll need it to initialize your password store.

Initialize

Execute $ pass init [GPG UID] to initialize the password store - where "GPG UID" is the uid stored from above. This will create the ~/.password-store directory, where all of your passwords will be stored.

Connect to git repo

Start by creating a new (local) git repository under the ~/.password-store directory by executing:

$ pass git init

If you'd like to pair this repo with an existing one, execute the following:

$ pass git remote add origin [GIT URL]
$ cd ~/.password-store
$ git fetch -p
$ git branch password-store
$ git push origin password-store

Keep in mind that everytime you execute a pass command, it will create a new (local) commit inside the ~/.password-store directory - within whatever branch is being pointed at at the moment. You can then execute the following to push the commits to the server:

$ pass git push

Use

Add a new password

Execute $ pass insert [OPTIONAL DIR]/[FILENAME], where:

• OPTIONAL DIR is an optional directory name to provide a file structure for your password store.
• FILENAME is the filename that pass will use to store the password.

You can then execute $ pass [OPTIONAL DIR]/[FILENAME] to display the password for the provided filename.

Replace an existing password

Execute the following to replace the password in FILANAME:

$ pass generate --in-place FILENAME 30

Use in a different machine

To use the same git repo with all of your passwords in a different machine, you'll need to export/import the GPG key pair used to generate/insert the passwords.

1. Export the GPG key pair on the original machine by executing:

    $ gpg --export [GPG ID] > public.key
    $ gpg --export-secret-key [GPG ID] > private.key
   

2. Copy the key pair to the secondary machine(s) you wish to use.

3. Import the pair in the new machine(s) by executing:

    $ gpg --import public.key
    $ gpg --import private.key
   

4. Set the trust permissions on the new key pair by executing:

    $ gpg --edit-key [GPG ID]
    $ gpg> trust
    $ [follow the prompts]
    $ gpg> quit