keybase / keybase/keybase-issues

'Error: no valid primary key self-signature' importing private key

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Description

Hi,

Similar problem to #1270 and #1701 various others.

I've been trying to load a private key using kbpgp and I'm getting stuck at the "Error: no valid primary key self-signature".

I tested via "Host an encrypted copy of my private key" and got the same error; I've also tested with another more recent key and it works fine.

It's an ancient key (created: 2001-09-25), self signed, no expiry, and otherwise works perfectly within GPG. (I was able to load the public key as a KeyManager with no issues.)

Output of list-packets is below (Gpg4win v2.3.0):

```
:secret key packet:
version 4, algo 17, created 1001452531, expires 0
skey[0]: [1024 bits]
skey[1]: [160 bits]
skey[2]: [1022 bits]
skey[3]: [1024 bits]
iter+salt S2K, algo: 3, simple checksum, hash: 2, salt: 1df98601c32731fd
protect count: 65536 (96)
protect IV: 97 73 d5 ba 5f 04 ba 59
encrypted stuff follows
keyid: 9877B59888157914
:user ID packet: "David Harrison "
:user ID packet: "David Harrison "
:user ID packet: "David Harrison "
:secret sub key packet:
version 4, algo 16, created 1001452531, expires 0
skey[0]: [2048 bits]
skey[1]: [2 bits]
skey[2]: [2045 bits]
iter+salt S2K, algo: 3, simple checksum, hash: 2, salt: 01774fe610e51fe0
protect count: 65536 (96)
protect IV: aa 71 41 89 e9 32 a2 ff
encrypted stuff follows
keyid: EF51CB14ACF8C834
```

Thanks,

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Research direction

Start by reproducing the private-key import failure and the same error from “Host an encrypted copy of my private key,” using the supplied GPG list-packets output and a newer key for comparison. Done means determining whether the 2001 self-signed key can be imported successfully or documenting the unsupported key characteristic and its limitation.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Domain
cryptography
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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