From: Laszlo Vecsey <master@internexus.net>
Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 02:58:47 +0800
To: Sten Drescher <dreschs@austnsc.tandem.com>
Subject: Re: 2047 bit keys in PGP
In-Reply-To: <5568et6trn.fsf@galil.austnsc.tandem.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.960103133137.3229F-100000@micro.internexus.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> "Douglas F. Elznic" <delznic@storm.net> said:
> 
> DE> What is the deal with the 2047 bit keys? How do you produce one? IS
> DE> it compatible with international versions?
> 
> =09When you do 'pgp -kg', you are asked to pick a PGP key size, and
> given 3 preselected sizes.  You can select one of the sizes, or enter
> your own choice.  Actually, the pgp source will allow 2048, but there is
> a bug in the DOS version (from the compiler) that limits that one to
> 2047.  The international version is identical to the domestic one,
> except for the RSA code, so everything is interoperable.  There is a
> hacked version that allows 4096 bit keys, and the supersized keys are
> incompatible.

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).