encryption

[Neil Williams]

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On Saturday 28 Jun 2003 7:02 pm, CL Gilbert wrote:
> I sent an email to someone.  I encrypted it.  If I look at the email in
> my sent folder, I can still read it.  If I look at the source of the
> email, I can see that it is encrypted.  Why am I able to decrypt this
> email and read it?  I though the encryption was one way and only the
> private key could decrypt it!?

Once it leaves your machine and before it makes it's way to the next SMTP=20
server, it can only be decrypted by the recipient's key. The copy in SentMa=
il=20
is just that - a copy that never left your machine.

Why would you NOT want to be able to read the sent email? If it isn't recei=
ved=20
for some reason, or if you need to refer to it later, isn't it essential th=
at=20
a copy is on your machine encrypted with your own key?

>
> P.S. I am using enigmail.

It's the GnuPG default (and I presume PGP too) - all email clients will do=
=20
this if you set the client to save a copy of the email in your sent mail=20
folder.

IIRC, the copy on your system can only be decrypted with your key, so it is=
=20
secure.

=2D-=20

Neil Williams
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
http://www.codehelp.co.uk
http://www.dclug.org.uk

http://www.wewantbroadband.co.uk/


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