This script works just fine from the command line, spitting out a PGP-style ascii-armored block of encrypted data. But when run in a browser, it dies on the line where it prints to the tied handle That is a clue all right. Usually it means it has something to do with the server running as nobody::nogroup. But since you say the permisions are fine, I'm thinking it has to do with user nobody dosn't have a key to encrypt with. Either it can't access the key ring, or it needs a key. Maybe those keys are mode 600? Have you tried making a set of keys for the user "nobody" so the webserver has it's own keyring?