pgp

2 definitions found

pgp - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  Pretty Good Privacy
  PGP
  
     <tool, cryptography> (PGP) A high security RSA public-key encryption
      application for MS-DOS, Unix, VAX/VMS, and
     other computers.  It was written by Philip R. Zimmermann
     <pkz@acm.org> of Phil's Pretty Good(tm) Software and later
     augmented by a cast of thousands, especially including Hal
     Finney, Branko Lankester, and Peter Gutmann.
  
     PGP was distributed as "guerrilla freeware".  The authors
     don't mind if it is distributed widely, just don't ask Philip
     Zimmermann to send you a copy.  PGP uses a public-key encryption
      algorithm claimed by US patent #4,405,829.  The
     exclusive rights to this patent are held by a California
     company called Public Key Partners, and you may be
     infringing this patent if you use PGP in the USA.  This is
     explained in the PGP User's Guide, Volume II.
  
     PGP allows people to exchange files or messages with privacy
     and authentication.  Privacy and authentication are provided
     without managing the keys associated with conventional
     cryptographic software.  No secure channels are needed to
     exchange keys between users, which makes PGP much easier to
     use.  This is because PGP is based on public-key cryptography
     .
  
     PGP encrypts data using the International Data Encryption Algorithm
      with a random session key, and uses the RSA
     algorithm to encrypt the session key.
  
     In December 1994 Philip Zimmermann faced prosecution for
     "exporting" PGP out of the United States but in January 1996
     the US Goverment dropped the case.  A US law prohibits the
     export of encryption software out of the country.
     Zimmermann did not do this, but the US government hoped to
     establish the proposition that posting an encryption program
     on a BBS or on the Internet constitutes exporting it - in
     effect, stretching export control into domestic censorship.
     If the government had won it would have had a chilling effect
     on the free flow of information on the global network, as well
     as on everyone's privacy from government snooping.
  
     FAQ (ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/mp/mpj/getpgp.asc).  UK FTP (ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/packages/pgp/)
     .  USA FTP (http://web.mit.edu/network/pgp-form.html)
     .
     (http://pegasus.esprit.ec.org/people/arne/pgp.html).
  
     Justice Dept. announcement (http://eff.org/pub/Alerts/usatty_pgp_011196.announce)
     .
  
     ["Protect Your Privacy: A Guide for PGP Users", William
     Stallings, Prentice-Hall, ISBN 0-13-185596-4].
  
     (1996-04-07)
  

pgp - V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (June 2006) :

  PGP
         Pretty Good Privacy