encryption

[Anthony E. Greene]

On 30-Jun-2003/09:06 -0400, CL Gilbert <Lamont_Gilbert@RigidSoftware.com> wrote:
>So this dual encryption is done with one message? if I encrypt to 10
>different people, it can do this in a single message?

Yes. What it actually does is generate a one time key for use with this
session (session key). The session key is relatively small (128 bits --
about 16 alphanumeric characters worth of data). The message is encrypted
once using this session key. Then the session key is encrypted once for
each recipient (using that recipient's public key) and added to the
encrypted message. So the total size of the encrypted data gets larger
with each additional recipient, but only a little -- enough for an
encrypted session key.

Each recipient is able to decrypt the session key using their private key,
then use the session key to decrypt the message.

>Encrypt to self does not seem self-explanatory enough.  I thought it
>meant when I send myself an email, which I do from time to time, that it
>should encrypt it.

It means that your key is added to the list of recipient keys each time
you choose to encrypt a message.

>What is my certification that the email actually was sent encrypted?

Send yourself a Bcc copy of the email.


Tony
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Anthony E. Greene <mailto:Anthony%20E.%20Greene%20%3Cagreene@pobox.com%3E>
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