PGP Encryption

[Trevor Smith]

On Wed, 15 Mar 2000 12:09:21, Brian Morrison wrote:

>OK, well let's see. I have both an RSA key (generated with PGP 2.6.3i)
>and a DH key (generated with PGP 5.0i). Both of these are on my

Right, of course.

>keyring. Someone I correspond with has both my public keys, we normally
>use our DH keys because of the better security they offer, and the fact
>that the signing and encryption keys are distinct. However, I also use

Signing and encryption keys are distinct? How's that?

>I also know someone (who runs the International PGP pages in fact) who
>has several keys, shown as of low and high security, all with the same
>associated address. He can only decrypt the high security key at his
>home, but can decrypt the low security key at his place of work. 

I don't understand the reason for the above. Why would he need the
different keys? If you have a "high security" key, what's the purpose
of ever using the "low security" one(s)?

>The way I see it is that the address book could have a tab that allows
>all the keys for that address to be selected from a list box,
>preferably with the key ID shown. A setting to allow 'select at send
>time' would also be useful.

Agreed.

>BTW, your comment about the truly paranoid is not very fair :-). If you

I said *or truly persecuted* too!

>had read the UK's Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill, currently
>going through its committee stages in our parliament, you would know
>that it could mean that someone can be jailed for 2 years if they have
>a) encrypted material and b) they cannot decrypt it because they have
>deleted a key deliberately as part of a key rotation policy. The

Like I said, truly persecuted. I was very careful not to imply that
anyone who wants strong encryption is paranoid. I want strong
encryption. I think the Bill you refer to is disgusting.

>Sorry for the rant....

Please don't apologize. If people don't rant, people will get trodden
on. Our government (Canada) also has a habit of doing it to the meek.
Though not as badly as the government to our south...


-- 
 Trevor Smith          | Most of humanity has always been
 trevor@haligonian.com | insane, at least some of the time.
 www.haligonian.com    |              - Arthur C. Clarke