Ubuntu 26.10 Preinstalls Sequoia PGP as Potential Future Default for Encryption

Canonical has been selectively replacing Ubuntu's C-based system components with Rust-written equivalents. They aim to do this without compromising functionality in most cases. Now it looks like the distro's OpenPGP implementation is next on the list. This change will appear in Ubuntu version 26.10.

Sequoia PGP will come preinstalled in the new release for users to access. Canonical wants to eventually replace GnuPG as the default toolchain. However, that switch has not happened yet in this version. The Ubuntu 26.10 release notes confirm the default status will be a future goal.

Sequoia PGP was started in 2017 by three former GnuPG developers. They chose to build a new OpenPGP implementation in Rust rather than keep evolving GnuPG's existing codebase. This decision marks a distinct shift from the previous project leadership.

The project is designed as a library that other software can use directly. The command sq handles encryption, decryption, signing, and key management tasks. Another tool called sqv manages signature verification duties. These commands fill in for gpg and gpgv found in GnuPG.

Sequoia implements RFC 9580, which is the 2024 revision of the OpenPGP standard. In contrast, GnuPG has continued from the RFC 4880 branch. That project pursues its own newer extensions and the LibrePGP specification instead. It does not adopt RFC 9580 as its primary standard.