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🔐 Hardened GitHub Setup with YubiKey on Windows 11

This guide walks through a secure setup of GitHub access using a YubiKey on Windows 11, including:

  • SSH authentication with your YubiKey
  • GPG commit signing with full hardware isolation
  • Touch requirement on every cryptographic operation

🔧 Prerequisites​

1️⃣ Install Gpg4win (if not already)​

  1. Download from: https://gpg4win.org/
  2. Install with:
    • Kleopatra
    • GnuPG
    • GPG Agent
    • Smartcard Support

No admin rights are required if using the per-user installer.

2️⃣ Connect YubiKey and Check Status​

Check YubiKey status and confirm OpenPGP is detected

gpg --card-status

GPG-Card-Status

3️⃣ Generate Keys Directly on the YubiKey​

Launch interactive card tool

gpg --edit-card

Then enter:

tip

Before generating the keys, change the default User / Admin PIN

Command: admin > passwd

Default User PIN: 123456 Default Admin PIN: 12345678

admin
key-attr
generate
info

Set 1 - RSA to 4096 if supported by the yubi key.

  • Respond to name/email prompts
  • Say yes when asked to store the keys on the card
  • This generates:
    • A signing key
    • An encryption key
    • An authentication (SSH) key

4️⃣ Export Public SSH Key​

Get your Authentication key ID

gpg --card-status
[ SNIP ]

Signature key ....: 
      created ....: 
Encryption key....: 
      created ....: 
Authentication key: YOU NEED THIS ONE HERE COMPLETE
      created ....: 

[ SNIP ]

AuthenticationID

5️⃣ Configure Git for GPG Signing​

Get your GPG Key ID

gpg --list-secret-keys --keyid-format LONG
[ SNIP ]

sec>  rsa4096/YOU NEED THIS ONE

[ SNIP ]

YOURKEYID

Configure Git to use GPG with your YubiKey

git config --global user.name "YOUR USER NAME"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"
git config --global user.signingkey YOURKEYID
git config --global commit.gpgsign true
git config --global gpg.program "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\GnuPG\\bin\\gpg.exe"
git config --global core.sshCommand "C:\\Windows\\System32\\OpenSSH\\ssh.exe"
note

The mail hast to be the same like in your GPG key generation.

6️⃣ Export Public GPG Key​

Export public key in ASCII format for GitHub

gpg -o pubkey.asc --armor --export YOURKEYID

Upload contents of pubkey.asc to:

GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG Keys → New GPG Key

7️⃣ Extract SSH Public Key from YubiKey​

Generate SSH public key from GPG Auth subkey

gpg --export-ssh-key Authentication key > id_rsa.pub
note

Remove all blank spaces

Copy the output (ssh-ed25519 ...) to:

GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG Keys → New SSH Key

8️⃣ Hardened gpg-agent.conf (🔒 Secure Session TTL)​

Create or edit this file:

notepad "$env:APPDATA\gnupg\gpg-agent.conf"

Paste this secure config:

enable-ssh-support
enable-win32-openssh-support
use-standard-socket

# Cache timeout (seconds)
default-cache-ttl 60
max-cache-ttl 300

default-cache-ttl-ssh 60
max-cache-ttl-ssh 300

# Additional security
no-allow-loopback-pinentry
no-allow-mark-trusted
pinentry-timeout 30

Reload the agent:

gpg-connect-agent killagent /bye
gpg-connect-agent /bye

9️⃣ Enforce Touch for All GPG Keys (YubiKey Only)​

Require physical touch for all GPG subkeys

ykman openpgp keys set-touch sig ON
ykman openpgp keys set-touch enc ON
ykman openpgp keys set-touch aut ON

This ensures no operation can happen without you physically tapping the YubiKey.

1️⃣1️⃣ Test GitHub SSH Access​

You should see a success message from GitHub

ssh -T [email protected]

Expected output:

Hi yourusername! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.
info

If you get an error use the following command to get verbose output.

ssh -vT [email protected]

1️⃣2️⃣ Test GPG-Signed Commit​

Try a signed commit to verify YubiKey integration

git clone [email protected]:your/repo.git
cd repo
echo Secure > secure.txt
git add secure.txt
git commit -S -m "Signed commit using YubiKey"

You will be prompted to touch the YubiKey.

🧼 Optional: Manual Agent Cleanup Command​

To forcibly wipe out any GPG agent session:

Manual GPG session cleanup for maximum security

gpg-connect-agent killagent /bye
gpg-connect-agent /bye

You can alias this in your PowerShell profile:

Function End-GPGSession {
    gpg-connect-agent killagent /bye
    gpg-connect-agent /bye
    Write-Host "GPG agent session cleared."
}

✅ Summary​

FeatureHardened?Notes
GPG commit signing✅ YesKey stored only on YubiKey
SSH via GPG Auth key✅ YesHardware-backed with touch
Agent socket management✅ YesSafe PowerShell logic only
TTL-based session expiry✅ Yes1–5 minute cache window
Touch requirement enforced✅ YesAll subkeys require tap
Admin rights needed❌ NoAll actions run as user