This pattern is useful when a script has to pass a protected payload between two controlled steps.

It is adapted from the source examples at Examples/Example-EncryptString.ps1 and Examples/Example-DecryptString.ps1.

When to use this pattern

• You need to encrypt text with a public key.
• The matching private key is available only to the decrypting side.
• You want a small smoke test before encrypting files or folders.

Example

Import-Module PSPGP

$publicKey = "$PSScriptRoot\Keys\PublicPGP.asc"
$privateKey = "$PSScriptRoot\Keys\PrivatePGP.asc"

$protectedString = Protect-PGP -FilePathPublic $publicKey -String 'This is a string to encrypt'

Unprotect-PGP `
    -FilePathPrivate $privateKey `
    -Password '<private-key-password>' `
    -String $protectedString

What this demonstrates

• encrypting with the public key
• decrypting with the private key
• keeping key paths explicit in the workflow

Source

• Example-EncryptString.ps1
• Example-DecryptString.ps1