Privacy - Revision history

Ron: /* Why encryption? */

2010-02-05T07:50:38Z

Why encryption?

Ron at 07:37, 5 February 2010

2010-02-05T07:37:23Z

Ron: /* Further reading */

2010-01-05T06:47:03Z

Ron: /* Keys */

2010-01-05T06:45:22Z

Keys

Ron at 18:26, 4 January 2010

2010-01-04T18:26:08Z

Ron at 08:46, 16 March 2009

2009-03-16T08:46:01Z

Ron: /* Caveats */

2009-03-16T08:11:57Z

Caveats

Ron: /* Why encryption? */

2009-03-16T08:07:31Z

Why encryption?

Ron: /* Keys */

2008-08-28T05:08:07Z

Keys

Ron: /* Esther's public key */

2008-08-28T05:03:11Z

Esther's public key

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 * Protecting financial information.  For example, credit card or bank account numbers.  Using GnuPG it is possible to send such information over the Internet without concern someone might intercept and abuse it.
 * Keeping business plans secret.  One may wish to discuss sensitive or proprietary information in an email.  Using GnuPG it is possible to do so without concern the competition will access it.
-* Personal discussions.  Anything of a private or personal nature may be discussed in a GnuPG encrypted email without worrying a person who should not be privy to the information will read it.
+* Personal discussions.  Anything of a private or personal nature may be discussed in a GnuPG encrypted email without worrying that a person who should not be privy to the information will read it.
 * Proof of sender.  When an email is digitally signed with GnuPG, one may be absolutely certain the mail originated from the purported sender.  The return email address is not sufficient for this purpose.
 * Safe archival of sensitive data.  An encrypted backup file may be stored in a public storage area without concern.
 * Enforcing honesty.  A file on one's own machine which is encrypted is impossible for all but ''perhaps'' government agencies to read.  Everyone else is kept honest.
-* A simple desire for privacy.  Not everyone needs to know everything about you.
+* A simple desire for privacy.  Not everyone needs to know everything about you
 ==GnuPG (GPG)==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 __NOTOC__
-Communication over the Internet is public - anyone with sufficient technical skill can monitor any communication.  Email, in particular, is usually sent in a "plain text" format (even HTML mail is essentially plain text).  If you want to communicate privately with others, or if you want to keep information on your computer private so that other people cannot access it, you need to use "encryption".  The specific kind of encryption I discuss here is called "public-key" encryption, and the particular software package I use to encrypt is called [http://gnupg.org/ "GnuPG"].  There are other systems available, but I use GnuPG.
+Communication over the Internet is public - anyone with sufficient technical skill can monitor any communication.  Email, in particular, is usually sent in a "plain text" format (even HTML mail is essentially plain text).  If you want to communicate privately with others, or if you want to keep information on your computer private so that other people cannot access it, you need to use "encryption".  The specific kind of encryption I discuss here is called "public-key" encryption, and the particular software package I use to encrypt is called [http://gnupg.org/ "GnuPG"].  There are other systems available, but I use GnuPG because it is very stable and has been proven reliable.
 ==Why encryption?==

@@ Line 113: / Line 113: @@
 * [http://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual.html GnuPG Handbook]
 * [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8732 GnuPG hacks] -- useful tips
 ==TrueCrypt==

@@ Line 109: / Line 109: @@
 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
 </pre>
 ==TrueCrypt==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 __NOTOC__
-Communication over the Internet is public - anyone with sufficient technical skill can monitor any communication.  Email, in particular, is usually sent in a "plain text" format (even HTML mail is essentially plain text).  If you want to communicate privately with others, or if you want to keep information on your computer private so that other people cannot access it, you need to use "encryption".  The specific kind of encryption I am mentioning here is called "public-key" encryption, and the specific package I use to encrypt is called [http://gnupg.org/ "GnuPG"].  There are other systems available, but I use GnuPG.
+Communication over the Internet is public - anyone with sufficient technical skill can monitor any communication.  Email, in particular, is usually sent in a "plain text" format (even HTML mail is essentially plain text).  If you want to communicate privately with others, or if you want to keep information on your computer private so that other people cannot access it, you need to use "encryption".  The specific kind of encryption I discuss here is called "public-key" encryption, and the particular software package I use to encrypt is called [http://gnupg.org/ "GnuPG"].  There are other systems available, but I use GnuPG.
 ==Why encryption?==
-There are a number of reasons one might wish to use an encryption package such
+There are a number of reasons one might wish to use an encryption package such as [http://gnupg.org/ GnuPG]:
 * Protecting financial information.  For example, credit card or bank account numbers.  Using GnuPG it is possible to send such information over the Internet without concern someone might intercept and abuse it.
 * Keeping business plans secret.  One may wish to discuss sensitive or proprietary information in an email.  Using GnuPG it is possible to do so without concern the competition will access it.
@@ Line 11: / Line 10: @@
 * Safe archival of sensitive data.  An encrypted backup file may be stored in a public storage area without concern.
 * Enforcing honesty.  A file on one's own machine which is encrypted is impossible for all but ''perhaps'' government agencies to read.  Everyone else is kept honest.
 ==GnuPG (GPG)==
 ===Installation===
 How to set it up:
-# Download the GNUPG package.
+# Download [http://gnupg.org/ the GNUPG package].
-#* Windows users: There is a [http://ftp.gpg4win.org/gpg4win-1.0.9.exe Windows installer] which includes everything (just run the installer).
+#* Windows users: There is a [http://www.gpg4win.org/download.html  Windows installer] which includes everything (just run the installer).
-#*Linux users: consult your distribution for details on whether there is an installable package already (most distros do have a gpg package).  If not, you'll have to [http://gnupg.org download], compile and install it yourself.
+#*Linux users: consult your distribution for details on whether there is an installable package already (most distros do have a gpg package).  If not, you'll have to [http://gnupg.org/ download], compile and install it yourself.
 # After you have it installed, create your own "key pair".
 #*Windows: start the "GPA" program, which will allow you to do all the steps mentioned here.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 * Enforcing honesty.  A file on one's own machine which is encrypted is impossible for all but ''perhaps'' government agencies to read.  Everyone else is kept honest.
-==Installation==
+==GnuPG (GPG)==
 How to set it up:
 # Download the GNUPG package.
@@ Line 26: / Line 27: @@
 #*Linux:"gpg --recv-keys ad29415d"  (That last is the "KEYID" for my key, "ron@ronware.org").
-==Testing==
+===Testing===
 After having set up the program (which admittedly is a bit of a pain), you should test it.  First thing you want to do, is send your "KEYID" to the person you want to communicate with.  For example, if I wanted to communicate with you (I do!) I might send you an email containing the line: My KEYID is: ad29415d
 ::'''NOTE:''' My public key "fingerprint" is: '''<tt>8130 734C 69A3 6542 0853 CB42 3ECF 9259 AD29 415D</tt>''' .  If you use some other key, it is not mine!
@@ Line 32: / Line 33: @@
 Send an email to the person you want, using the program you prefer.  There are GPG "plug-ins" for Outlook (included in the Windows installer link above), and for Thunderbird (called "EnigMail).  There are other plug-ins as well, check out the GnuPG.org site for details (look at "frontends").  You will want to send the mail encrypted for the recipient you are interested in (you may also want to encrypt it to yourself so you can read it later!).
-==Caveats==
+===Caveats===
 *It doesn't matter much what key-length you use, as long as it is 1024 or higher.  However, the higher it is, the slower things get - and at this point and for the foreseeable future such a key is unbreakable.
 *The passphrase you use to access your keys (which you create when you generate a key pair), gives access to your private key.  Make ''very'' sure it is something you will remember, but not something anyone else can guess.  Longer is better, up to a point.  The phrase is case-sensitive, so "DoG" is not the same as "dog".  Do ''not'' let anyone else know this phrase!  Using a phrase which has some numerals and/or punctuation is best, for example: "My 2nd child was a girl!" ... of course, don't use that phrase now!
 *The "keyring" you created (e.g. the place where your private-public key pair is stored) is the linchpin of the encryption system.  If someone gets a hold of it, and knows your passphrase, that person can decrypt anything you encrypted with that key.  So be careful, and don't leave it on publicly-accessible computers.  You will want a backup of it, which you should probably put on a USB key (in fact, keeping your key only on such a USB key is probably the most secure thing you can do).
-==Keys==
+===Keys===
 In the event you don't have keyserver access, or you don't trust the keyserver, you can get our keys here.
-===Ron's public key===
+'''Ron's public key'''
 <pre>
 pub 1024D/AD29415D 19/08/2004 Ron Aaron <ron@ronware.org>
@@ Line 71: / Line 72: @@
 </pre>
-===Esther's public key===
+'''Esther's public key'''
 <pre>
 pub 1024D/7A25C70B 20/05/2007 Viviana Aaron <viviana@ronware.org>
@@ Line 109: / Line 110: @@
 </pre>
 [[category: tips]]