From: jsw@neon.netscape.com (Jeff Weinstein)
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 95 01:35:16 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Netscape Navigator 2.0 will implement secure e-mail
In-Reply-To: <199509180727.AAA23196@atlas.earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <43jau5$qbj@tera.mcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


In article <199509180727.AAA23196@atlas.earthlink.net>, danjw@earthlink.net (Dan Weinstein) writes:
> I just got off of Netscapes home page and they have announced Netscape
> Navigator 2.0. It will include full e-mail funtionality with S/MIME
> implemented.  Does anybody know anything about the S/MIME Protocol?
> How secure is it?

  You can find some documents about s/mime on RSA's web site:

	http://www.rsa.com/ftpdir/pub/S-MIME/

S/MIME is basicly a mime body enveloped in a PKCS7 message.  You can
find out more about PKCS from:

	http://www.rsa.com/ftpdir/pub/pkcs

The implementation guide recommends using rc2-cbc 40-bit for content
encryption when there is no way to determine the capabilities of the
recipient.  When you do know what the recipient can do, it recommends
using RC2-CBC with a longer key or DES-CBC.

For key encryption support for RSA with key sizes of 512 to 1024 is
required, and support for 2048 bit keys is recommended.  A minimum
key size of 768 bits is recommended for US users.

> Dan Weinstein

  Hi Dan.  Yes, we are related.  :-)

-- 
Jeff Weinstein - Electronic Munitions Specialist
Netscape Communication Corporation
jsw@netscape.com - http://home.netscape.com/people/jsw
Any opinions expressed above are mine.