From: "Marc Martinez"   <lastxit@alphachannel.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 09:39:55 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: 2047 bit keys in PGP
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.91.960103133137.3229F-100000@micro.internexus.net>
Message-ID: <wtbuokpyvr.fsf@arrakis.alphachannel.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----


In article <Pine.LNX.3.91.960103133137.3229F-100000@micro.internexus.net>
 master@internexus.net (Laszlo Vecsey) writes:

   Are you sure it's a bug in the DOS version? When I did a pgp -kg in my 
   UNIX shell (US version 2.6.2) I also entered 2048 bits and it too 
   created a 2047 bit key instead.

   Why is there a limit to the size of the key anyway? It's too bad PGP 
   doesn't support any size key (within reason).

Regarding the unix version, what sort of processor is the machine
running?  We noticed on a 486 running linux, with a vanilla MIT
release pgp, that it made 2047 bit keys when prompted for 2048.
However, after compiling the same code on a SunOS 4.1.3 it had no
problems making a 2048 key, though it took significantly longer due to
differences in the how the operating systems function.  Also, most of
the unix machines I work on now are running hacked versions which will
handle up to 4096 bit keys, so I could handle all of my keys
relatively painlessly (and because I was curious about the code in pgp
itself). 

In any case, that's about all I know on the topic, check the
architecture of the machine your shell account is on, and if you have
access to a sun, you might try it there.  If you really want larger
keys just poke around in the code, it's not that hard of a feat to
accomplish.  
- ----BEGIN PGP SIGNED HEADERS----
From: "Marc Martinez"   <lastxit@alphachannel.com>
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: 2047 bit keys in PGP
Date: 03 Jan 1996 18:49:44 -0600
Message-ID: <wtbuokpyvr.fsf@arrakis.alphachannel.com>

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.2
Comment: Processed by Mailcrypt 3.4, an Emacs/PGP interface

iQDVAwUBMOskKHutHIVnrGOxAQGvIAYAwU7RJkBu33HXd7g1V1DtH7p8cXTwpral
lrYDCQDwRflxJUeNRAGUvL5cnfCGP0SGLcolkw4bsia92JtooyBrPhzNkAvh56O7
r9cXNb7EVnZIhEbgc5aVwa2BBSNgsbXNMYKhXmknrCkIUdBvIAf539xzkq5CXQQS
4ht8zhNku9UhAtuwNKa85zxUW+xmGdHX5kVn+aVAWUByxw5ndXq0aQkGFU7W9PVq
Vr/qLVrMheMMgIWw9w86ZQnz7UmWbWht
=vl/U
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

-- 
 Marc Martinez        "Sleep is unnecessary in the presence of more espresso."
 lastxit@mindport.net         Key fingerprint:   
 PGP public key available      47 AD 25 FF C2 B7 F8 57 C5 B6 2E B3 5E 98 A5 DE 
  by finger or keyserver