# otr - Neırssi documentation

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# otr

    OTR [OPTION]

Command to control the OTR module. Without an option, /OTR INFO is printed.

This help contains three sections which are options, quickstart and files.

To add the OTR status bar (highly recommended):

`/statusbar window add otr`

## Options

`AUTH <secret>`

  Start or respond to an authentication process.

`AUTHQ <question> <secret>`

  Start a SMP authentication process.

  Example: `/otr authq "My question is" "this is the secret"`

`AUTHABORT`

  Abort an ongoing authentication process.

`CONTEXTS`

  List known contexts which basically list the known fingerprints and their state.

`DEBUG`

  Turn on debugging.

`DISTRUST <fingerprint>`

  Distrust a specific fingerprint. This command can be done inside a private window for which the current fingerprint of the other person will be used or else set fp to a human readable OTR fingerprint available with the above contexts command.

  Examples: `/otr distrust 487FFADA 5073FEDD C5AB5C14 5BB6C1FF 6D40D48A`

`FINISH`

  End the OTR session. This MUST be done inside a private conversation window.

`FORGET <fingerprint>`

  Forget a specific fingerprint (deleted from the known fingerprints). The behavior is the same as the distrust command explained above.

`GENKEY <name>`

  Generate OTR keys for a given account name. This is done automatically if someone tries to establish a secure session.

  This process is done in a background worker and can take an arbitrary amount of time. The completion is checked when another irssi event is caught.

`HELP`

  Print this help.

`INFO`

  Display the OTR fingerprint(s) of all your account(s).

`INIT`

  Initialize an OTR conversation within a private conversation window.

`TRUST <fingerprint>`

  Trust a specific fingerprint. The behavior is the same as the forget and distrust commands explained above.

`VERSION`

  Print the version of the OTR module.

## Quickstart

Start a private conversation with the person you want to initiate a secure session. Once in the private message window:

`/otr init`

Key generation should start if no key is found for your account name. Once the process is done, either type a message which should automatically start the session or redo the init command.

Time to authenticate the person. Either use a shared secret exchange through phone or GPG-signed email or use the socialist millionaire problem mechanism (SMP) which is basically to ask a question for which the answer can only be known by the other person.

`/otr auth <shared-secret>` OR `/otr authq "A question" <shared-secret>`

Or to respond to an authentication:

`/otr auth <secret>`

## Files

This otr modules creates a directory in `$HOME/.irssi/otr` and creates three files:

`otr.key`

  Contains your OTR private key(s). NEVER shared this directory with someone else unless you know what you are doing.

`otr.fp`

  The known fingerprints with their trust status.

`otr.instag`

  Instance tag of the libotr. This should NEVER be copied to an other computer. If unsure, just ignore this file.

For more information on OTR, see https://otr.cypherpunks.ca/