Retrieving public key from smartcard

[Werner Koch]

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:45:10 +0200 (MEST), saschainlondon  said:

> Isn't it possible to create the public key again with the card?
> (Assume I didn't send the public key to anywhere/anyone and have only my
> smartcard!)

No.  For example my key is a bit larger than 64k and that is far too
much to save on a smartcard.  IT is named public key for a reasons; it
should be on some public or semi-public space - without that it is
useless.


> If it isn't possible a short note should be added to the documentation to
> remind everyone to backup the public key immediately after creation. 

It is not about a backup.  However we should clarify that the card
only holds the secret key and that it is not possible to re-generate
the public key (with user ids etc.) from it.


Salam-Shalom,

   Werner