Detecting PGP 2.6.x keys

[Werner Koch]

On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 00:31:09 +0200 (MET DST), Johan Wevers said:

> That's strange, since you can't patent algorithms in The Netherlands
> unless they are part of a physical device, in which case the whole device

Despite the fact that patents on software are still illegal in the EU,
a lot of them have been granted and it is not easy to overturn them
because the lower patent courts are more or less departments of the
PO.  Then there seems to be some special agreement between Switzerland
and the EU for cross-acknowledging their patents which further
complicates the thing.

Anyway, Ascom/Mediacrypt spreaded enough FUD so that anyone
considering the use the PGP 2 mostly kept on working in the clear.
OpenPGP solved this problem 6 years ago.

BTW, when requiring full PGP2 compatibility you are also bound to
the MD5 hash algorithm which shows more an more weaknesses.  Its
really time to say goodbye to MD5 and PGP2.

  Werner