From: jim@bilbo.suite.com (Jim Miller)
Date: Sun, 14 Nov 93 19:45:27 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Key Servers
Message-ID: <9311150344.AA09795@bilbo.suite.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



L. Detweiler writes:

> I wonder if anyone would want to start a PGP key server
> dedicated only to *real* identities. Obviously, there
> is no such demand with the current ones.
> 

> And please don't start with the `that would be
> impossible' arguments. A key server that had the
> official policy `if you register here, on your honor your
> legal name is what you give, under penalty of public
> exposure if you are caught' would be enough for me. 

> 


It's not PGP, but RSA, Inc. and others (Internet Policy Registration Authority)  
are already setting up a system for registering pubilc-keys that are "proven"  
to belong to actual humans.  You can read about it in RSA's newletter available  
at their ftp site (rsa.com).  The newsletter is called "Ciphertext - The RSA  
newsletter".

Of course, their system for "proving" the identity of a human is not perfect.   
If you can obtain some fake IDs, you can defeat their public-key registration  
system.  This is probably true for any non-biometric identification system.


Jim_Miller@suite.com