From: Alan Olsen <alan@ctrl-alt-del.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 11:37:53 -0800 (PST)
To: "Z.B." <zachb@netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Key Security Question
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19970201113728.02c2b18c@mail.teleport.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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

At 10:41 AM 1/31/97 -0800, Z.B. wrote:
>My computer went into the shop a few days ago, and I was unable to take 
>my PGP keys off it before it went in.  What are the security risks here?  
>If the repairman chooses to snoop through the files, what would he be 
>able to do with my key pair?  Will I need to revoke the key and make a 
>new one, or will I be relatively safe since he doesn't have my 
>passphrase?  

Depends on how guessable your passphrase is.  If you use something that would
fall to a dictionary attack, then you are vulnerable.  (Providing that they
actually looked for your keyring and made a copy.)

If you had nyms on your keyring, then those nyms can be associated with your
"true name" with no passphrase required.  (Unless you keep your keyring
encrypted. Private Idaho supports encrypted keyrings, but little else does.)

If you are really concerned about it, you could learn to do your own computer
repairs.

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=2if1
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---
|   If you're not part of the solution, You're part of the precipitate.  |
|"The moral PGP Diffie taught Zimmermann unites all| Disclaimer:         |
| mankind free in one-key-steganography-privacy!"  | Ignore the man      |
|`finger -l alano@teleport.com` for PGP 2.6.2 key  | behind the keyboard.|
|         http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com/~alan/       |alan@ctrl-alt-del.com|