From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
Date: Sun, 2 Oct 94 19:12:56 PDT
To: franl@centerline.com (Fran Litterio)
Subject: Re: Nom de guerre public key
In-Reply-To: <FRANL.94Oct2201427@draco.centerline.com>
Message-ID: <199410030212.TAA10713@netcom6.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Fran Litterio wrote:


> Unless you reveal your pseudonym to someone and identify yourself
> according to the rules of the PGP Web of Trust, you should not be able
> to get signatures on your PGP public key.

What are the "rules of the PGP Web of Trust"?

I've seen a couple of "BlackNet" public keys on the MIT Key Server,
and I doubt rather strongly that the creators of BlackNet(s)
identified himself or herself (or itself, even).

Tying public keys to physical persons is _one_ approach, but not the
only one. If fact, for a lot of intended uses of public key crypto,
multiple keys will be generated and discarded. Granted, they won't
necessarily ever appear on any of the main keyservers, but they might.

The "web of trust" models how we pass on advice, introduce others with
our recommendations, etc., but it is not a very formal thing. 

--Tim May


-- 
..........................................................................
Timothy C. May         | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,  
tcmay@netcom.com       | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
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W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA  | black markets, collapse of governments.
Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available.
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