gpg-agent update prevents login/xserver start due to config error

[Martin Weis]

Binary package hint: gnupg-agent

gpg-agent prevented login (loop in gdm, xserver start fail) due to error (logged in ~/.xsession-errors):
gpg-agent[7963]: /$HOME/.gnupg/gpg-agent.conf:9: invalid option

startx from console didnt work, too.

File content:
###+++--- GPGConf ---+++###
debug-level basic
log-file socket:///$HOME/.gnupg/log-socket
###+++--- GPGConf ---+++### Mo 07 Jul 2008 16:54:09 CEST
# GPGConf edited this configuration file.
# It will disable options before this marked block, but it will
# never change anything below these lines.

default-key XXsnipXX

$HOME inserted and key obfuscated ;)

commenting that line (default-key) with # solved the problem. I don't know when this was inserted, but there is a backup file with that line:
2010-11-14 23:01 gpg-agent.conf.gpgconf.bak

Version and update which provoked the error:

gnupg-agent:
  Installed: 2.0.14-1.1ubuntu2
  Candidate: 2.0.14-1.1ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 2.0.14-1.1ubuntu2 0
        500 http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

from /var/log/apt/history.log

Start-Date: 2011-04-17 18:01:34
Install: libktnef4:i386 (4.5.1-0ubuntu1, automatic), pinentry-gtk2:i386 (0.8.0-1ubuntu0.1, automatic), libkleo4:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), libmessagelist4:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), libmimelib4:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), kontact:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1), akregator:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), libkpgp4:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), libqgpgme1:i386 (4.5.1-0ubuntu1, automatic), libksieve4:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), libksba8:i386 (1.0.7-2, automatic), gnupg-agent:i386 (2.0.14-1.1ubuntu2, automatic), knotes:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), libindicate-qt0:i386 (0.2.5-0ubuntu1, automatic), kaddressbook:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), kmail:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), libmessagecore4:i386 (4.4.6-0ubuntu1, automatic), libsyndication4:i386 (4.5.1-0ubuntu1, automatic), gnupg2:i386 (2.0.14-1.1ubuntu2, automatic), pinentry-qt4:i386 (0.8.0-1ubuntu0.1, automatic), libgpgme++2:i386 (4.5.1-0ubuntu1, automatic)
End-Date: 2011-04-17 18:03:34

gpgconf doesnt list the option default-key:

$ gpgconf --list-options gpg-agent
Monitor:1:0:Options controlling the diagnostic output:0:0::::
verbose:12:0:verbose:0:0::::
quiet:8:0:be somewhat more quiet:0:0::::
Configuration:1:1:Options controlling the configuration:0:0::::
disable-scdaemon:8:1:do not use the SCdaemon:0:0::::
Debug:1:1:Options useful for debugging:0:0::::
debug-level:26:1:set the debugging level to LEVEL:1:1:LEVEL:"none::"basic
log-file:8:1:write server mode logs to FILE:32:1:FILE:::"socket%3a///home/martin/.gnupg/log-socket
Security:1:0:Options controlling the security:0:0::::
default-cache-ttl:24:0:expire cached PINs after N seconds:3:3:N:600::
default-cache-ttl-ssh:24:1:expire SSH keys after N seconds:3:3:N:1800::
max-cache-ttl:24:2:set maximum PIN cache lifetime to N seconds:3:3:N:7200::
max-cache-ttl-ssh:24:2:set maximum SSH key lifetime to N seconds:3:3:N:7200::
ignore-cache-for-signing:8:0:do not use the PIN cache when signing:0:0::::
allow-mark-trusted:8:1:allow clients to mark keys as "trusted":0:0::::
no-grab:8:2:do not grab keyboard and mouse:0:0::::
Passphrase policy:1:1:Options enforcing a pass-phrase policy:0:0::::
enforce-passphrase-constraints:8:2:do not allow to bypass the pass-phrase policy:0:0::::
min-passphrase-len:24:1:set minimal required length for new passphrases to N:3:3:N:8::
min-passphrase-nonalpha:24:2:require at least N non-alpha characters for a new pass-phrase:3:3:N:1::
check-passphrase-pattern:24:2:check new pass-phrases against pattern in FILE:32:1:FILE:::
max-passphrase-days:24:2:expire the passphrase after N days:3:3:N:0::
enable-passphrase-history:8:2:do not allow the reuse of old pass-phrases:0:0::::

[Bo Fussing (bo-fussing)]

Problem affects both Maverick and Natty, upgrades as well as new installs.

~/.xsession-errors contains:

/home/<user name>/.gnupg/gpg-agent-info-<machine name>: 1: Syntax error: Unterminated quoted string

Removing '/home/<user name>/.gnupg/gpg-agent-info-<machine name>' fixes the problem as a new file is generated upon login.

Inspiration on the fix for this problem from Ubuntu Forums: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1672145

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Flames_in_Paradise (ellisistfroh-deactivatedaccount)]

Thank you for reporting this bug to Ubuntu. Maverick & Natty reached EOL on 04/2012 // 10/2012.

See this document for currently supported Ubuntu releases:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

I've tried recreating this bug with your release and was unable to, given the information you've provided. Please upgrade to the latest version and re-test. If the bug is still reproducible, increase the verbosity of the steps to recreate it so we can try again.

Do feel free to report any other bugs you may find.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for gnupg2 (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]