"Exception when search for keys on remote host..." - Email Messages Bounced When Encrypting to Local Keys

Products

• Symantec Products

Issue/Introduction

When multiple clients in the same consumer profile have the same public key(s) in their local keyring attempt to send an encrypted message, one message is sent successfully, but the another attempt fails and the message bounces back.
 

2012/07/25 10:39:48 +01:00  ERROR  pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28768: Exception when search for keys on remote host keys.example.com for key <removed>@example.com
2012/07/25 10:39:48 +01:00  WARN   pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28768: key search <<removed>@example.com> [keys.example.com]: error getting recipient encryption key: name lookup failed
2012/07/25 10:42:22 +01:00  ERROR  pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28773: Exception when search for keys on remote host keys.example.com for key <removed>@example.com
2012/07/25 10:42:22 +01:00  WARN   pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28773: key search <<removed>@example.com> [keys.example.com]: error getting recipient encryption key: Skipping keyserver keys.example.com because it was down the last time it was checked
2012/07/25 10:44:10 +01:00  ERROR  pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28775: Exception when search for keys on remote host keys.example.com for key <removed>@example.com
2012/07/25 10:44:10 +01:00  WARN   pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28775: key search <<removed>@example.com> [keys.example.com]: error getting recipient encryption key: Skipping keyserver keys.example.com because it was down the last time it was checked
2012/07/25 11:42:02 +01:00  ERROR  pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28813: Exception when search for keys on remote host keys.example.com for key <removed>@example.com
2012/07/25 11:42:02 +01:00  WARN   pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28813: key search <<removed>@example.com> [keys.example.com]: error getting recipient encryption key: name lookup failed
2012/07/25 12:20:02 +01:00  ERROR  pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28939: Exception when search for keys on remote host keys.example.com for key <removed>@example.com
2012/07/25 12:20:02 +01:00  WARN   pgp/client[11177]:     CLIENT-28939: key search <<removed>@example.com> [keys.example.com]: error getting recipient encryption key: name lookup failed
 

Cause

The public key of the recipient which was saved locally in the keyring of the sender's PGP Desktop may have been corrupted or changed by accident.

Resolution

Use the following steps to resolve the issue:

 

1. Delete the recipient's public key from the keyring.
2. Download the recipients key from the PGP Global Directory or have the recipient resend the public key.
3. Re-import the key to PGP Desktop.

Applies To

PGP Universal Server 3.2.1

PGP Desktop 10.2.1