PGP 6 can't handle ElGamel-only keys

Dave Dykstra dwd@bell-labs.com
Fri, 14 Jul 2000 06:22:41 -0500


My corporate security organization generated a 1408 ElGamel-only key with
gpg to be used only for encryption.  We chose that size as a compromise
between security and performance.  Unfortunately, we just discovered that
PGP 6.53 cannot import it.  It can handle a 1408-bit key if it is a
combined DSA/ElGamel key.  I haven't tried other-sized ElGamel-only keys,
but I suspect that PGP 6 just can't handle them at all; is that a known
problem?

- Dave Dykstra