Re: [gentoo-user] S.O.P.A and P.I.P.A and the blackout.

[Dale]

Alan McKinnon wrote:
> On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:04:11 -0600 Dale <rdalek1967@×××××.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Chris Walters wrote:
>>> On 1/19/2012 11:57 AM, Frank Steinmetzger wrote:
>>>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 12:53:07AM -0600, Dale wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> While on this subject, sort of.  Who on here as their email
>>>>> set up to encrypt and decrypt emails?  I want to test some
>>>>> things OFF LIST.
>>>>
>>>> Well, if you had signed your mail, then I could write you
>>>> encrypted. :)
>>>
>>> This is a test.  Enigmail has been trying to use a revoked and
>>> expired key to sign my messages, lately.
>>>
>>> Chris
>>>
>>
>>
>> I have a question now.  I got a message from Paul Hartman and
>> replied to it, off list, and it was encrypted and I hope my reply
>> was too.  My question is this.  How do you make a email that only
>> the sender and receiver can read?  As a example.  I'm talking to
>> a Doctor or a lawyer and I don't want anyone but that person to
>> see the email.  How do I do that?  Can that be done.
>>
>> The message that I am repying to appears to be something,
>> encypted maybe, but I think anyone on this list that uses the
>> tool can read it. Am I correct?
>>
>> I'm trying to get a full understanding of this thing.  Ya'll know
>> how I am.  lol
>
> Well we first need to be accurate. It's not a case that only you
> and Paul can read the encrypted mail. It's a case that only a
> machine holding the necessary private key can decrypt it, and then
> the mail can be read in plain text. Not quite the same thing as
> what you said, as private keys can be stolen.
>
> If Paul encrypted the mail using your public key, then only the
> private key you hold can decrypt it. Similarly, if you encrypt a
> mail to Paul using his public key, then only Paul's private key can
> decrypt it.
>
> There's no known way to decrypt a mail like that without the
> single private key needed (this works exactly like https traffic to
> your bank). I feel very confident saying "no known way" as cracking
> that puzzle has been the Holy Grail of maths prizes for 40 years
> and no-one has announced success. Seeing as mathematicians are a
> vain lot, and the one that accomplishes this feat with be showered
> with honour and glory for all time (making Einstein look like a
> child), it's a safe assumption that it hasn't been done yet.
>
> To check if the mail was encrypted, simply tell EnigMail to not
> decrypt it. It will show as gobbledegook, then only the recipient
> can decrypt it (as long as the private key stays safe).
>
> To make this all work, you need to share public keys with each
> other. But you don't need to do it in secret as the public keys
> are, well, public. So you stick them on a key server where the
> other guy can retrieve them and away you go, profit!!! There's a
> few other steps you should do to establish trust in the public key
> (they can be forged) but that's beyond the scope of explaining how
> the keys work.
>
> The answer to your question is then yes.
>
> I suppose next you'll be wanting to know what fields to fill in in
> your specific mail app to enable it your end, right?
>
>
>
>


I don't think so.  I been chatting with Paul off list.  I can open his
encypted emails and he can open mine.  I think we call that success?

I think I got this now.  I got one more message to read tho.  Getting
it explained in more than one way helps me.  I have to have that light
bulb moment.  ;-)

Dale

:-)  :-)

-- 
I am only responsible for what I said ... Not for what you understood
or how you interpreted my words!

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