Key Servers

[sen_ml@eccosys.com]

evangelo> >>>>> "CR" == Chuck Robey <chuckr@picnic.mat.net> writes:

evangelo>     CR> I was wondering about finding an explanation of what key
evangelo>     CR> servers are (the general function seems obvious to me) and if
evangelo>     CR> there are any really large ones.

evangelo> Uh, the idea is to get your public key out to lots of people. Obvious
evangelo> benefits ensue.

also traffic analysis risk (hey, this is what non-exportable
signatures are good for!) and spam risk ensue too ;-)

as far as the spam risk is concerned, when the keyservers contain
enough data, i can imagine some enterprising spam-interested party
sucking up keys from a key server (better yet, they could run a
keyserver themselves), and then by looking at the signatures on each
keyring, tailor messages to individuals w/ spoofed From: addresses
that originate from the signature.  what a terrible scenario...