home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Software Vault: The Gold Collection
/
Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
/
cdr18
/
pgp23.zip
/
README.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-06-15
|
5KB
|
102 lines
Pretty Good Privacy version 2.3 - READ ME FIRST
Notes by Perry Metzger
Edited for 2.3 by Colin Plumb
You are looking at the README file for PGP release 2.3. PGP, short for
Pretty Good Privacy, is a public key encryption package; with it, you
can secure messages you transmit against unauthorized reading and
digitally sign them so that people receiving them can be sure they
come from you.
The files pgpdoc1.txt and pgpdoc2.txt contain documentation for the
system.
Before using PGP, PLEASE READ THE DOCUMENTATION. This tends to get
neglected with most computer software, but cryptography software is
easy to misuse, and if you don't use it properly much of the security
you could gain by using it will be lost! You might also be unfamiliar
with the concepts behind public key cryptography; the manual explains
these ideas. Even if you are already familiar with public key
cryptography, it is important that you understand the various security
issues associated with using PGP.
Security is only as strong as the weakest link, and while the algorithms
in PGP are some of the strongest known in the civilian world, there are
things outside the program's control which can weaken your security as
assuredly as forgetting to lock a vault door.
The file SETUP.DOC contains information on how to install PGP on your
system; this document is broken up into several sections, each dealing
with a different operating system: PGP is known to run on MS-DOS,
UNIX, and VMS. Part of the information in SETUP.DOC might make more
sense if you have already read the manuals.
PGP 2.3, which was released on June 15, 1993, is the third update
after the September 1992 release of PGP 2.0. It will likely be
followed by more updated versions in the months to come, so check
around for more recent updates, especially if you received PGP 2.3
substantially after the release date. If there is a more recent
release, please acquire it, and please get the place from which you
got PGP 2.3 or an earlier version to update their release, too.
PGP is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence,
a copy of which is included. In brief, this states that PGP is freely
distributable, subject only to the condition that if you make a modified
version and choose to distribute it, you must make it freely distributable
as well. See the file COPYING for details.
This PGP 2.3 release has several bug fixes over PGP 2.2, and a few
new (although somewhat esoteric) features. See doc\newfor23.doc
for details. The most important fix is to compression on MS-DOS.
an invlaid pointer was bring freed, causing unpredictable behaviour.
Sometimes, no harm would reault. Sometimes. the machine would crash.
MANIFEST for PGP 2.3 MSDOS executable release
---------------------------------------------
Here is a list of files included in the PGP 2.3 MSDOS executable release
file PGP23.ZIP...
README.DOC - This file you are reading
BINFILES - The master list of files, used to generate the archive
PGP.EXE - PGP executable program
CONFIG.TXT - User configuration parameter file for PGP
LANGUAGE.TXT - Sample language file for French and Spanish
PGP.HLP - Online help file for PGP
ES.HLP - Online help file in Spanish
FR.HLP - Online help file in French
KEYS.ASC - Sample public keys you should add to your keyring
PGPSIG.ASC - Detached signature of PGP.EXE, to detect viruses
DOC\SETUP.DOC - Installation guide
DOC\PGPDOC1.DOC - PGP User's Guide, Vol I: Essential Topics
DOC\PGPDOC2.DOC - PGP User's Guide, Vol II: Special Topics
DOC\COPYING - GNU General Public Licence
DOC\BLURB.TXT - Brief description of PGP, for BBS indexes
DOC\POLITIC.DOC - Computer-related political groups
For Clinical Paranoia Sufferers Only
------------------------------------
It is always possible that the PGP you have received has been tampered
with in some way. This is a risk because PGP is used as a system to
assure security, so those wishing to breach your security could likely
do it by making sure that your copy of PGP has been tampered with. Of
course, if you receive PGP in a binary distribution, it makes sense to
check it for viruses, and if you receive PGP as source code, looking
for signs of obvious tampering might be a good idea. However, it is
very difficult to actually determine if the code has no subtle bugs
that have been introduced and that the executable you are using has
not been tampered with in any way.
If you have a previous version of PGP which you already trust, the
cryptographic signature on the executable will assure you that it has
not been tampered with (with the possible exception of a "stealth virus"
already existing on your system). If you are a really paranoid person,
try getting a cryptographically signed copy of the software from someone
you trust to have a good copy. It would also likely be good for you to
read the sections of the manual on "Vulnerabilities", which you should
have read anyway since you have read the documentation already,
haven't you?