pgp desktop 8.0 help

[cjm3705]

Someone please help me figure this thing out. I can not figure out how to encrypt files using an email client and dont fully understand the key thing
all help appreciated. thanks

 

[Teknic]

I haven't used PGP since way back in the day, so I can't help you with the actual program, but the way the keys work is like this. To encrypt or decrypt data you use a key which is a bunch of numbers or characters, the program creates a pair of keys for you, a private key and a public key. You then give out your public key to anyone who wants to send you a secret. They use your public key to encrypt the secret and send you the scrambled mess. Then you receive the scrambled mess and use your private key to decrypt it. It's like a box that anyone can put something in and lock with the locking key, but you're the only one that can open it with the unlock key. Hope this helps, it's pretty much necessary to know at least this much before you can use public key cryptography.

 

[Teknic]

I thought I should explain how it works both ways in case it wasn't obvious. Both parties of the conversation need to have compatible encryption programs installed. If you wanted to send encrypted email to a source, you would need his public key that he gave you to encrypt it with before sending, then he decrypts it with his private key. If you want to recieve encrypted email from him, he would need your public key to encrypt it before he sends it, then you decrypt it with your private key.

 

[maxititer]

go to PGP.com and get new one PGP desktop 9.6 it is free for personal use, and read manuals, there is no reason of writing it here, when eveything is already written on pgp.com