Error: Error decrypting message: Session key decryption failed

[sylarwang]

our client use the public key we generated from this tool and encrypted the message, but with this tool we can't decrypt it, it reported Session key decryption failed error, I have created a test case as below, you should be able to reproduce it:

it.only('test decrypt private key',async function() {
      let pk = [
        '-----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----',
'',
'xcaGBGDWSgMBEACvqXr7BXAGepCdBDTo32zNFi3vcaDxDivaTs9SOajqvxM0',
'T3+nrWgpUq9PdKnYLDxa6E6JrMyDMPMBVWGfM3jOuw1v1i+BnArJ7OzKDvu4',
'oqAlEgNjgoxOeC5tcveA/4EV2s0/iL8YIotpxh+pMscT9Oma3Nn0otC482Nq',
'Zp2m+i1hpQ6LWaGPW8UreQDPKwGzCGjpKFTtga4cbygbuVZ8daW+y0ZwywBc',
'prNn3aOtDQ5s9g4vq9KYnWaAhddCFlE20ipPTrN/ihJyfrkX1pxEPL9obOoC',
'sP7Uai7traUqf8GNxESaWOp4Pf6x4leQev63wqydxC2pyV5JJkIHvMngk5CD',
'sqC/b6fuHPKAbLV+UvbXFEIgAnEkAMqU/ODOni0mXKcA48H9AfZVwR9OOLrs',
'vZNQImwmXpZr0ZUfcuijoshuXbO9dU2Ch3Ex7pmvVOc0bf2icdhmLEAtz2Pq',
'sSkxZ0A/6g0++g7Ug6wS6j2lpW7mCfmrz8A1eAKSB6RlthYVAIuz9t7JfIvl',
'yN9/G2nThwC37m6ibyn3XpJgbzBSPZdSgibUnh4c+ZMbTux2SRZ5GxAmJ3vS',
'W4iDeaxXNOl0LSDyg+kA6JUxB/QPLm4Fre+pksYJHNRkGWTi51+Y+kXcOd5P',
'6bmjK/6bDxdMYztw8B/DyirhFNdjTuBTq2uJHwARAQAB/gkDCKzQPIHS6dzs',
'4GLtcuufen9afVU3kEUtFj5QUslbn3nOR/5MwwwZdV/QV3BDcZB07cE8ISCg',
'Bc+UCn1hm2wqAVkd+WGap/F9gr293/+8YnEp/4ev20ssQn65N7HDkCTdAA10',
'ModCr+EBZ/u697DGbgSgOmhymWv8GoD8k3krAKa+ogxSZjPy+8IPOVF3TtqZ',
'/p0FP0cac+/lJDsGQUDajN16U0uftZKGi6qKsSO/0fyzRH7UlqF3DS/wCT3O',
'WMu84KwfXL/kghbsAzRr4elK10AGdHISklBfB28bVjCL6ZN55Rn/82aj6H/1',
'iliJfxFZsKCSuqGO60XwK13D52Ac6HAYNQZsUCN/XRkS5OlWJ6VCwvdhB7q2',
'eDqYgE/1n+oydNIEmTbSYUpAnKe3ttOFz5/rnyMjcapiaA+Yl4WA+qQCybr/',
'+s1GleM8YH3ivVlAW5zmsFBPovWaUhBQCP9jBhfH3xYfHRlCKNfRWv/25Ptm',
'/DoI7BfpqI/zov4+WUTmj9thbKtu28EKKPbv/OKEIPOs2WB40mzyAaaKhnv0',
'iLMC9kUX+jh/R/Nwv4txvtMzLUyt+qk0k66Lko/4b5IyfKRbIw/GCMA0TNEf',
'1bdL49AG45NDp7cDVuOkMrU4JaLEXlLN4q0flNUujYHIPqghVuDJTpwZh+xk',
'DSdzzaAJJSEbkwyvDkxASSF0CeDWqbbvA6rb19om//y/eUWnOlrffaSRGgpP',
'6R+hXl/vgVn8CfwsFvPaEF+hZ4MmBclfTc3piuz8PepSwVI+bSHR9XrSD2ca',
'wJ116RNJOHh1TQOFZTFsSxOBh23F3O/rqElV0BesaTHsWCW6kyhBct23gXtv',
'uAPJActRUMt0+z1Bk6qJylrz6ZRXwvLnIC9ZiEYkFSHAnccmXNLYyfNFnqbH',
'XPYbyneM5rnoM7psRFK+jZbjmtXuU5tDtzvHP4Of92u443d3YS1PrHQdK4ki',
'4ZEKgHSVHWQiwEr43cMBWwxwepo9tknMuuiUr94c1FkHj/IBXKCobmhjlXJN',
'8p8BD3wwJvZ4i82KHX2OikeMvIDq57fCH8NwO7iN5sn/Qlg3tyZBFbiBRysf',
'ehEcNKm4tmFN5zZIjS+d59Z92uPtIVt7Fj9qRMswNpEEToUU0XiQ2Q0tBEtN',
'Y9qb6BMNypnlvkGx7yMuO0xHqXvfJHmyHf06V4KtOJwS09giBKI6TjT7QDLm',
'KRX9OuFAnjQsBLLobhrzkSEPDcvvxJdJgRXwodr8lxmDfSS8a/JrL+2sRBGa',
'p/X0Onog99VkFBsPJyxngVTK0vrqEjUVOOvkRO7ZOEgEs0ztjEqF+eTd5b6W',
'MFtM3hIPrShYcSAwfe0cR1f/jkn+lGJO9OUb4/dZC897ydyTAzCCzyKvlsHm',
'vrLXYbOsoo9w0nIbwtHgTo1HbV7x20HMaASoqHEo80/dn4IQGMSQaumszr46',
'JqPYYK7JMMUeh6oalaOiYLtkZ0H+8D2lpY9oitfDnkd5Il9hnY/e0ebnb0vS',
'RB1u5N70/pEsyFfCueiIuKeuTrPnit0RNhOiitHK/1j6qKhvl65U3TcXmdBE',
'd/ka2SPnDT9n7zfzBrabDXB45/yDz+vskLWxnVjlTQ+A0SnH9lJk/oP71oYq',
'zY0W1LglyT1HPgD0uas3tRgXzYZqtDZQbVDnWi6ID6GWOVC/qW6E3V3mQeO1',
'qN8XIKf7EOzqck9LS0dj71n1jXVCa3Uz1tIx+dkC1uPY+RAm8M80l4zinEY4',
'bNJI11oF0pu14S3hjYbUkTbbL8PNLWZ0cC13YXRjaGVyLWFkbWluIDxmdHAt',
'd2F0Y2hlci1hZG1pbkBpYm0uY29tPsLBigQQAQgAHQUCYNZKAwQLCQcIAxUI',
'CgQWAAIBAhkBAhsDAh4BACEJEFdm0eoLFAhWFiEEXviRn6SEhyS73aJHV2bR',
'6gsUCFZRwRAAnsxxJuNL/e7cpD5Ix/w3ur9ukAo7tG/LOckrl5uvgcweUfN/',
'OBQcWQdxG+A/Qpnt05/nkr+5ta4dHorLTIYyOnSz8+J/KcTNXsAUV4BU3DUo',
'uYRHKcD9CMBufUloO+BkEraP4t/rMkSi1YHSwDctuM1kNGLHgf1J9ln/PFMc',
'+M5S2tbOuXtQm5B3kcv7c5Wc5mFwUPIexxhXLyqHTSsdvXZF05aRAjot1jaZ',
'vC7jEx+aC0CfVhXF5PE0brlJQobb3Wytmi4FS9xA7lZu+5Q3//sAph+CZeSJ',
'Ta/3lEmUq6IHueu18TWIOuHuBGSyvzzsGuQ9lovJI5bJnq/0CuyPpxSJVGot',
'Eh4dS/jJUCgEKT/y8ke3Ynn15mkMVd5Sc30Bkg2mnhNUTyHQ/4orqRWBHKL7',
'KmMa95iOo0joD2V11HxTS9eVm9Gpotbla2samSfNayeRfuGzyqT9bcj+muOq',
'jr12/REybD7/D4Pq32FsPMDaS+xJvf3DjCsFlFvgQQy4YWpqOgQdSpGLrFqm',
'jFsTQqD+eJVU3DokeXq75pxNgtTtIU0dPUctRiLCY/z1c5H1dh3APcvJIfkV',
'DBBCKCNdd8ArIb9/COMdbmV088ADvdeT3dYLWQwAUIwyzuRHdIoTph2d3+f9',
'u/IC9ZE4AQfxUxC07mK9wCfiUmP49PhttF3HxoYEYNZKAwEQALNg9F/zWa0V',
'hWRLtUwwtp+wXsaNAi6osVVY4xoBvu0UktQZEQ9h3Hdhvfyq/IrsviZ3Lm71',
'5XxfMDScIagCXWLBZ/IeoFVwo7A/ILW8ozBWvbdTI6ndW/CrZFmTr7+jbCjV',
'vG0dCFOk7NX7lj586bTTK39XRrJQa94GPBPvtbyO83msdWm849Q4sBPU/lbE',
'18WFUpOkdFbg8DrWDk087boKN6AnrNlQIn9IigUG7H9Znj7NRu0WnmxQjbBy',
'u6BXthC2WwhBpR3XT5PWAmbDlu+bN+wUg+BrCTUK5xTHMIEfT3Jay3PZTEyJ',
'v6Zg0xa0h6LnadYcyBdQYCH/A3ntxDOx7HN5CyRyIQNP7nDvVEL5Q316oagD',
'EDYg6TzqSrmTjnFCLTOVG0ScsbaO2TcIq8hUdUu0xeW2Xq9uC7rM94FZHqWH',
'O3ArxK7dp1f3g4x0OG5XJac6hxqE46VyBHIWxNkwK8gBLp/TC3Ilu6b26QYx',
'WnRC/f00XHEJ9Kt9ftnVbDSu/Tdr8kEmroQVWF1wx2VfsUZdHwhN2C6zMD8R',
'9MGWsy/louUdvxml41/JbhRYgCmGsYZGI7XLERLCgevMvwZidv5rBELF7wKT',
'nFnzjz3M7WMQ7kShup1w6uMqEiU+OTPsHtC+Cl4Ew95+XUEGH6WecYqmM6gM',
'DmehoXcJn8HjABEBAAH+CQMIJ6RdQMzgEWPgmkJQsnwG7StxfatIbozAGWiK',
'OminCRxUOICnBlAoxZ6Dhx3SUUbwkFwOBnP+gq8Gina/zEQY+xBeqDkc1b8U',
'qM3g337i809ACblxa0iSorAvXZN+mZPl4WQcWu6bf1csKv0SD3CT9LaKpx2a',
'nlw26zMMldEnhdhCaH1SI3b8g0xdRMkdkNwMsK9S7DrHgdhm/8HLLJMnUEAs',
'+pc2H6xFFKtUBeKo+WHFta3TbJm3bB3Zs5YM9SlJfBZfwEGHaLEq7m/eEKKA',
'WD8i84nC9DQ6wy3iXp9MmRGlNKnNXfq5X/sr3e4j5nBJnrcJ4DwAEqsZRarO',
'wB/8Ersx8R8kMms/wFDMSadAhRXTVWQ2En+03pDoYineZ7QWonDEzoWfPbv4',
'D2dYfnonxqXKYLiJjcOmNHdunapXIh80AdLjKRgYKx0lSW+YqQ7sM9MtiB4o',
'6FzNn8Habn1w5c10M6iDIMPARh5vj/dLWDGxwFUzmvhFC0iDxbIBx3TV14xT',
'E5LlX7S5GXkwFTzbqNHbKHqs+5ny/0xHaoY+0JMJb6zniSZcPVY2uLgOT3ks',
'W+WH060uQpacuVZiZ4+XzXWMBL5hc4ZVW9yYeXnaZ63M7dWPVseoIKMRc6X9',
'KXF02BYHyA1HODXk+gTPkOja6f2uTJJevVVKQiOnbzzoylsscrbYxIkTj5jm',
'zNajwuobhdg0KEGdTInG/GWLEoQbbi7kUTE1Yb5IGtD9Abpm86mxDEsczeyM',
'LTEWhVT8vIhArUMiGaAAjq+Lc1p+mdFB2oWORygTAYAdX/pFqLIc8deyfd0k',
'3rkX4XAodXskQxQSXshX9MVuewzO1OWOGAjo4iX5M2a4MFz7i1YT65YAzDLF',
'NWJkjv97SFr6V3Y4HG2iv6K/Qzc0PUx2Om/HYQkPuJt2R98cB37NDnf56B8J',
'ijVQNij8rnWZBS3jLOgiTQ9chpf4DwHQaMd9eFUbWIlZRXkc3vuR0ijykaQp',
'GKknzayQU3cB5HS82JrmTOW44yI5Akl0fkTIOWwEG4fXxpLd2RBoketBHEP7',
'YPl1ez19jiWqxhcA7c97MHLfzyc/93mfu7Vyq1KUNTfqmwgq8b4Hrh2kieGw',
'f2njC9nSSJAaQ+bTfAu8Zu5oNCWjfFMw3aHm6MwC5xK7Y/LV1aPSvc8Ja1+M',
'nOPLmcWVnRXFuogQx7ZOp6ugDR3i/+t8h6ZbZPM0C4PSN2JoxE2DOHLIEUua',
'oLt2lwZzzeQQwynK0g2PUKbOiRBVu1/kHTOU3xiqkTW8O38W5VyThtQ1U2+H',
'QRdcmXuZ9GXg86+IKrDiprnjah8H3EaO5QO7/47Vxs8ForGsGnAL8erAwfdt',
'PdHrgFp0wKP3u4v2JIR6KS0ALcXzakPK3g/h+D+Tzy8Hey86+b4QW7qYVXao',
'PIkbIdMrywtqUzgh5GKqzrrCztFquG3Q1RQzbUgUs0sTUVNEXbu4+YGo+iuI',
'ETOeSxIjIBLHK1duWUuamzhFDyeO71wbyyzNETxBvB/QihcRWnTL8OgEhFiu',
'DrrrqjrYEt/yKz+FUFip3YnY/8LzahyCV7wIJZ4T8A5uMgJj418uuARuCGbu',
'3xOBdyuqgIKAF5YaynyTOc3DKS0qiab3JAvPXfDpt51TIHOzemsYrV0GvZVG',
'YG+rw/mqG6cTTwbd9WqqqCltSh1xX5lhKF4F9jbmtPOSt3olkAi8Li9QvXJD',
'OLttJwctiNswrnDwmRFvGuZ+u2QlEEsk7wIGXxgSKasp8/JeB0Xox9Cj15Cs',
'HMLBdgQYAQgACQUCYNZKAwIbDAAhCRBXZtHqCxQIVhYhBF74kZ+khIcku92i',
'R1dm0eoLFAhWyXgQAJ/VMKTaLufzkVccYMNcPvBo0MwS2GUzKLNRn1v3e+iN',
'tBgljFHNIi/WfVz1+BAAYy7aUNZ1RnuR9fFWkLE5vS2FR+bXxiZ25GTTLVdK',
'9qt0BEI0JkikBiPaOk6kgwRnN36pVPCLBgHRVPvufG87Y0tt/iP80DgDz5db',
'QB8U0DCPIpjyp/qN/3zy5DEFSABFKuLRG6qOqF4W2ErZTNinnIsQmwk5k5+u',
'ii33a890WofM35NauDk3A/U0VN87LDxgnmdw1/XIPzM+dvGNEfitHv7zkVUz',
'h7ii+cihCO3Wl72IMSxgQKFgYk9mXkR5te3O9flC5TQQTsf7JA7JvDMBp8Mk',
'/ly0rT2ZvNN7ERWKzTaeATLOEPv0OELjf3Z9BYk65/IQS5x2vSXQOa7OOZ0Z',
'vsarW90UhbIwVqUivvkMXCjkzIFVBd77ITV4rekcJh6DQ06fgdtNbBApKHXx',
'm9Mm8m+ekQPvN9VziwvXuqqo8vesYL4weI9z644u+AZ8C/+VOeLq/XiQVgub',
'8yqdG1YBvs9icEar2DdctSA6IOL9x3r3JGCNnpKOTTXWBsKihviFuoDM6BPS',
'z1Ii8oDgPiIqMnIQCtzZXIO9JyoXvc7gO0bxTthLCOFU3hmXt5GQHIRyHwo2',
'z701EZ4gOcxqOLEHz4GrO+uNbuawvkpjtgl5yfec',
'=J6Ng',
'-----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----'
 ].join('\n');
      const encryptedKey = await openpgp.readKey({ armoredKey: pk });
      const privateKey = await openpgp.decryptKey({
        privateKey: encryptedKey,
        passphrase: "superSecure"
      });
      const decOpt = {
        decryptionKeys: privateKey
      };
      const encrypted = [
        '-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----',
        'Version: BCPG v1.63',
        '',
        'hQIMA1dm0eoLFAhWAQ//WXF/s/Aj6fxz0hV83R50hhFnMnTxPNKLqBAC3dYBSduj',
        'mJAA4N5CJztO8HTzqu4MreQdk5OldpVr0ahUUBhnDnkAO/zkNqUEvU76ECEqa+T1',
        'ZcukkfzzAG9FD3chLIhZDpVJ79zfxb2OUQ0+C0TeO3i1M0ubJrXEwYzFTU/u7nfG',
        'xcS/jh6IrGUfNUIgwRaru7sQaaNkQO4VSV6M+ppUz6cw4jXeDi6rBTSCoyJ5HA90',
        'm9RWuKTx1xtNbwYGtUJYK2z2ua/NUtfS4MPoJmevEyCW23BJaES7UMCAqFwzVsQi',
        't3f7y3H6hFXzdFYkUTlG/Bq0U5Ym+gcT0pf3QPaklyfYPAqBDsQpiv0XUG3l0gy/',
        'LtaKjjwZxqi7lMjn49w7Lh7tPWnTBewtriSn3ivqYBqKVzHwac0vHi80qqgGKZ8G',
        '9e1N7lzhqpPI28UfMX0ZEtJiY3CBK+81tDwTrTo0XzRQ9XXG04NVqa2/erXGLY/N',
        'J6Zk+Y+RXRxao1FRgjoiD40Ch2O4VO8AeNW5IKNx140ZlDn6J79tXosuLwM25mfb',
        'PK/NEYlp4NH3PR3wd/Pc7cDhe3oQeniUCn1As1xMpmYuZcDxYvyBF9f4P7xzS50s',
        'ozrSIfFxaK8++PNTXB/hJ7SZrp0hp4VpOaXC1jFTPtlXq7LiYJqtD92yzNjnHhDS',
        'PQEyNtPjJnfXqIE7oD7Kxn6Z1/79Wz7P+rujoQ9i39nMb6Q9NSr23lp58ccvxlVE',
        'wPtEXoy+eVE3oOw6YZw=',
        '=EzwZ',
        '-----END PGP MESSAGE-----'
      ].join("\n");
      decOpt.message = await openpgp.readMessage({ armoredMessage: encrypted });
      let decrpted = await openpgp.decrypt(decOpt);
      decrpted.should.be.equals("hello hello");
    });

[larabr]

Hi, the message was encrypted with the primary key, which is marked as sign-only. The encryption library shouldn't have used that key to encrypt. To allow message decryption, you can set config.allowInsecureDecryptionWithSigningKeys in the decryption options like so:

const decOpt = {
  decryptionKeys: privateKey,
  message: ...,
  config: { allowInsecureDecryptionWithSigningKeys: true }
};

That configuration option was introduced to go around a very old OpenPGP.js bug (#1148).
You might want to open a BCPG issue, if they haven't fixed this behaviour already, since the problem is on their end.

[ghost]

I've just hit this as well.
You say:

the message was encrypted with the primary key, which is marked as sign-only

May I ask - how can you tell?

[larabr]

You can get the keyID of the encryption key(s) with message.getEncryptionKeyIDs()
Then the easiest way to check whether the corresponding key can be used for encryption, is to call await key.getEncryptionKey(keyID) and see if it succeeds.

[larabr]

@cryptofan35 depends on the problem, you might not have the right key. I suggest you open a separate discussion sharing the encrypted message and public key (from key.toPublic().armor()) you are trying to use.

[banzragch1b]

That's still works in 2024

[ghost]

Thank you

…

On Mon, 20 Sep 2021, 16:06 larabr, ***@***.***> wrote: You can get the keyID of the encryption key(s) with message.getEncryptionKeyIDs() Then the easiest way to check whether the corresponding key can be used for encryption, is to call await key.getEncryptionKey(keyID) and see if it succeeds. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1352 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AVB2DNFM6UA3TFMLVI2X7N3UC4WVXANCNFSM5EKQUCWQ> . Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>.

[martgil]

Hi @larabr @twiss,

Good day!

I would like to ask what are the security consequence of using config: { allowInsecureDecryptionWithSigningKeys: true }, if there are any?

Many Thanks,
Mart Gil

[larabr]

Hi @martgil , that setting is marked as insecure because using a signing key for decryption might make it possible to e.g. target a RSA signing key with a decryption oracle attack such as Bleichenbacher's. This can allow an attacker to forge signatures to then be able to impersonate the victim, and even add new malicious subkeys to the victim's public key.

[martgil]

thank you - this info is so much helpful!

so to lessen/avoid the use of allowInsecureDecryptionWithSigningKeys: true, in my understanding, the message should be encrypted strictly by a public key without the 'sign-data' key usage flag?

[larabr]

It should be encrypted to a public key with an 'encrypt' flag. The 'sign-data' flag might also be present (the key usage flags are not mutually exclusive). We exposed the configuration option since some implementations (see #1148) incorrectly pick the encryption key, but it should be rare.

[brianbegy]

I'm hung up on the same issue. So is my problem that I'm encrypting my message with a signing key? If so, how do I avoid that?

This looked obvious to me:

export async function encrypt({
  input,
  publicKeyArmored,
}: {
  input: string; // I never got this working with streams
  publicKeyArmored: string;
}): Promise<string> {
  const readResult = await openpgp.key.readArmored(publicKeyArmored);

  if (readResult.err) {
    throw new CustomError(IngestionApiErrors.BAD_PUBLIC_KEY, {
      publicKeyArmored,
    });
  }
  const encryptionKeys = readResult.keys.map((a) => a.getEncryptionKey());

  if (!encryptionKeys) {
    throw new CustomError(IngestionApiErrors.BAD_PUBLIC_KEY, {
      publicKeyArmored,
    });
  }
  const message = openpgp.message.fromText(input);
  const result = await openpgp.encrypt({
    publicKeys: encryptionKeys,
    message,
  });
  return result.data;
}

But throws

TypeError: Error encrypting message: key.getPrimaryUser is not a function

The key in question is generated thus:

export async function generateKey({
  email,
  name,
  passphrase,
}: {
  email: string;
  name: string;
  passphrase: string;
}) {
  return openpgp.generateKey({
    
    userIds: [{ name, email }],
    passphrase,
    numBits: 4096,
    keyExpirationTime: 60 * 60 * 24 * 365 * 10,
  });
}

Thanks for reading and helping!

[larabr]

Hi, this is a different issue:getEncryptionKey() returns a promise, so in turn your encryptionKeys is an arrays of promises rather than key objects. There is actually no need to call getEncryptionKeys(), you can directly pass keys as public keys.

Please note that you are using OpenPGP v4, which we provide limited support for - we strongly recommend you upgrade to v5.