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Maniphest T8052

GnuPG: First listing of secret keys is empty
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Description

If no processes are running, listing the secret keys via gpg -K and gpgsm -K will show no results on the first run. It looks like gpg-agent is not started (General Error, no log written for it).

Notes:

  • Listing the public keys via gpg -k and gpgsm -k does work.
  • Without keyboxd the first listing works
  • Might be related to T8012: Missing error on first key search without keyserver
  • Okular won't find keys on the first signing operation (if no processes were running and the keyring contains only smime certs), this should be tested too, after this is fixed.
  • Sometimes (every ~10-20 times) I experienced a hang on gpg(sm) -v -K on the first run. Killing keyboxd results in the continuation of the gpg process (without output). More details below.

To reproduce:

  1. Ensure some certificates are in the keyring (e.g. our testcerts: public keys for all pgp/smime , secret keys for ted/edward for pgp/smime, root cert)
  2. Ensure no processes are running: gpgconf -K all
  3. Enter gpg -K twice -> no output on first time
C:\Users\g10>gpgconf -K all

C:\Users\g10>gpg -v -K
gpg: enabled compatibility flags:
gpg: using pgp trust model
gpg: no running keyboxd - starting 'C:\\Program Files\\Gpg4win\\..\\GnuPG\\bin\\keyboxd.exe'

C:\Users\g10>gpg -v -K
gpg: enabled compatibility flags:
gpg: using pgp trust model
gpg: no running gpg-agent - starting 'C:\\Program Files\\Gpg4win\\..\\GnuPG\\bin\\gpg-agent.exe'
[keyboxd]
---------
sec   rsa3072 2023-03-08 [SC]
      11A9C6D06717C4E284960BA906E28F5FB5297489
uid           [ultimate] Edward Tester <Edward.Tester@demo.gnupg.com>
ssb   rsa3072 2023-03-08 [E]
      756613A147108F13282B8B7B037BFD4B2C571A9E

sec   rsa3072 2023-03-08 [SC]
      98111E67AE06F2BEFD2BDE10C5D6C919005F36A4
uid           [ultimate] Ted Tester <Ted.Tester@demo.gnupg.com>
ssb   rsa3072 2023-03-08 [E]
      CC5274CB8072E9778DADD15BCD573B2B0736643A
  1. Ensure no processes are running: gpgconf -K all
  2. Enter gpgsm -K twice -> no output on first time
C:\Users\g10>gpgconf -K all

C:\Users\g10>gpgsm -v -K
gpgsm: enabled compatibility flags:
gpgsm: no running keyboxd - starting 'C:\\Program Files\\Gpg4win\\..\\GnuPG\\bin\\keyboxd.exe'
[keyboxd]
---------

C:\Users\g10>gpgsm -v -K
gpgsm: enabled compatibility flags:
gpgsm: no running gpg-agent - starting 'C:\\Program Files\\Gpg4win\\..\\GnuPG\\bin\\gpg-agent.exe'
[keyboxd]
---------
           ID: 0x8C7DDFC5
          S/N: 4D9528785EE3E701
        (dec): 5590419009903519489
       Issuer: /CN=Root-CA 2020/OU=GnuPG.com/O=g10 Code GmbH/C=DE
       [...]

gpg.log (for gpg -v -K)

2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] enabled debug flags: packet mpi crypto filter iobuf memory cache memstat trust hashing ipc recsel clock lookup extprog keydb
[...]
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] no running gpg-agent - starting 'C:\\Program Files\\Gpg4win\\..\\GnuPG\\bin\\gpg-agent.exe'
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] CreateProcess failed: ec=87
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] failed to start gpg-agent 'C:\\Program Files\\Gpg4win\\..\\GnuPG\\bin\\gpg-agent.exe': General error
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] can't connect to the gpg-agent: General error
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: free_packet() type=6
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: free_packet() type=13
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: free_packet() type=2
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: free_packet() type=2
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: free_packet() type=14
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: free_packet() type=2
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: [no clock] keydb_search enter
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: keydb_search: 1 search descriptions:
2026-01-23 13:53:56 gpg[9104] DBG: keydb_search   0: NEXT
[...]

gpgsm.log (for gpgsm --server and LISTSECRETKEYS)

2026-01-30 11:15:11 gpgsm[4712] enabled debug flags: x509 mpi crypto memory cache memstat hashing ipc clock lookup
[...]
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] DBG: get_keygrip for public key
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] DBG: keygrip: 36513eaa2db9bf6cf835cef1dbdc155728089965
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] no running gpg-agent - starting 'C:\\Program Files\\GnuPG\\bin\\gpg-agent.exe'
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] DBG: chan_0x0000000000000244 -> S PROGRESS starting_agent ? 0 0
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] CreateProcess failed: ec=87
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] failed to start gpg-agent 'C:\\Program Files\\GnuPG\\bin\\gpg-agent.exe': General error
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] can't connect to the gpg-agent: General error
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] DBG: [no clock] keydb_release: enter (hd=0x000000000105ebc0)
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] DBG: [no clock] close_context (found)
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] DBG: [no clock] keydb_release: leave
2026-01-30 11:15:23 gpgsm[4712] DBG: chan_0x0000000000000244 -> ERR 50331725 No agent running <GpgSM>
2026-01-30 11:19:33 gpgsm[4712] DBG: chan_0x0000000000000244 <- LISTSECRETKEYS
Hang

Regarding the hang it seems keyboxd is stuck in a loop:

keyboxd.log (debug-all):

2026-01-23 13:44:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000001ec -> # Home: C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming\gnupg
2026-01-23 13:44:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000001ec -> # Config: [none]
2026-01-23 13:44:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000001ec -> OK Keyboxd 2.5.16 at your service, process 1236
2026-01-23 13:44:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000001ec <- GETINFO pid
2026-01-23 13:44:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000001ec -> D 1236
2026-01-23 13:44:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000001ec -> OK
2026-01-23 13:44:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000001ec <- BYE
2026-01-23 13:44:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000001ec -> OK closing connection

2026-01-23 13:45:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002dc -> # Home: C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming\gnupg
2026-01-23 13:45:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002dc -> # Config: [none]
2026-01-23 13:45:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002dc -> OK Keyboxd 2.5.16 at your service, process 1236
2026-01-23 13:45:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002dc <- GETINFO pid
2026-01-23 13:45:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002dc -> D 1236
2026-01-23 13:45:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002dc -> OK
2026-01-23 13:45:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002dc <- BYE
2026-01-23 13:45:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002dc -> OK closing connection

2026-01-23 13:46:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002d4 -> # Home: C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming\gnupg
2026-01-23 13:46:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002d4 -> # Config: [none]
2026-01-23 13:46:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002d4 -> OK Keyboxd 2.5.16 at your service, process 1236
2026-01-23 13:46:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002d4 <- GETINFO pid
2026-01-23 13:46:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002d4 -> D 1236
2026-01-23 13:46:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002d4 -> OK
2026-01-23 13:46:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002d4 <- BYE
2026-01-23 13:46:21 keyboxd[1236] DBG: chan_0x00000000000002d4 -> OK closing connection

[...]

procmon output (filtered by "process name contains keyboxd"):

13:47:42,4841253	keyboxd.exe	1236	CreateFile	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming	SUCCESS	Desired Access: Read Data/List Directory, Synchronize, Disposition: Open, Options: Directory, Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
13:47:42,4841993	keyboxd.exe	1236	QueryDirectory	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming\gnupg	SUCCESS	FileInformationClass: FileBothDirectoryInformation, Filter: gnupg, 2: gnupg
13:47:42,4842612	keyboxd.exe	1236	CloseFile	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming	SUCCESS	

13:47:46,4954717	keyboxd.exe	1236	CreateFile	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming	SUCCESS	Desired Access: Read Data/List Directory, Synchronize, Disposition: Open, Options: Directory, Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
13:47:46,4955659	keyboxd.exe	1236	QueryDirectory	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming\gnupg	SUCCESS	FileInformationClass: FileBothDirectoryInformation, Filter: gnupg, 2: gnupg
13:47:46,4956388	keyboxd.exe	1236	CloseFile	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming	SUCCESS	

13:47:50,5068457	keyboxd.exe	1236	CreateFile	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming	SUCCESS	Desired Access: Read Data/List Directory, Synchronize, Disposition: Open, Options: Directory, Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
13:47:50,5069489	keyboxd.exe	1236	QueryDirectory	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming\gnupg	SUCCESS	FileInformationClass: FileBothDirectoryInformation, Filter: gnupg, 2: gnupg
13:47:50,5070233	keyboxd.exe	1236	CloseFile	C:\Users\g10\AppData\Roaming	SUCCESS	

[...]

Details

Version
gpg4win-5.0.0 @ win11

Related Objects

Event Timeline

timegrid created this task.Fri, Jan 23, 2:14 PM
timegrid created this object with edit policy "Contributor (Project)".
timegrid added a project: Bug Report.Fri, Jan 23, 2:22 PM
timegrid updated the task description. (Show Details)Fri, Jan 23, 2:43 PM
timegrid mentioned this in Unknown Object (Maniphest Task).Mon, Jan 26, 9:47 AM
timegrid added a comment.Mon, Jan 26, 11:39 AM

To reproduce the hang, a loop will suffice (usually happens within the first 15 times, once it needed 50 runs):

@echo off
set run=1
:DO_WHILE
    echo run %run%
    set /a run+=1
    gpgconf -K all
    gpgsm -K
goto DO_WHILE
pl13 added a subscriber: pl13.Thu, Jan 29, 10:39 AM
timegrid updated the task description. (Show Details)EditedFri, Jan 30, 11:23 AM

I added the gpgsm log output in the description (same error as in the gpg log)