Transcript Pretty Good Privacy: PGP

Pretty Good Privacy: PGP
An Encryption System by
Philip R. Zimmermann
-Mark, Dave, Bobby-
Childhood
• Born February 12th, 1954 in Camden, New
Jersey
• Independent
• Dreamt of becoming an astronomer
• Became interested in codes while
watching M.T. Graves and the Dungeon
Education
• Attended Florida Atlantic University in
Boca Raton
• Originally wanted to major in Physics
• Ended up majoring in Computer Science
• Created his own code as his final project
• Graduated University in 1978
Early Adulthood
• Got Married in 1977 to Kacie Cavenaugh
(switchboard operator)
• Worked for Harris Computer Systems
• Moved to Boulder, Colorado and became a
freelance computer consultant
• Founded Metamorphic Systems
PGP
Zimmermann released his first
version of PGP in 1991
 Designed to give the common user a
means of totally secure
communication
 Originally distributed as freeware on
the internet

What is PGP?

Hybrid of symmetric and asymmetric
encryption systems
• Message encrypted with symmetric
cipher (IDEA)
• Key encrypted with asymmetric cipher
(RSA)
Message and key were then bundled
and sent
 Resulted in a secure and resource
efficient cipher

The Release of PGP

PGP was publicly released onto the
internet
• This meant that anyone internationally
could see it
The Case
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U.S. Customs officials looked into ViaCrypt
and Austin Code Works
The National Security Agency argued that
it would difficult to keep tabs on hostile
governments and foreign terrorists
Since WWII the US has regarded
cryptographic software as a weapon of
war
The Case Continued
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Because PGP had such a high strength, it
was deemed impermissible to export
The PGP fell under the Arms Export
Control Act
The main problem with the PGP was that
it was simply too hard to decipher.
The PGP compromised National Security
The Defense

Zimmermann along with ViaCrypt felt as
though their rights were being infringed
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Right to Privacy
Public access to secure cryptography
Right to publish digital writings
Right to equal protection under the law
Zimmermann was unable to pay for legal
defenses to fight the government
The Electronic Frontier Foundation

The EFF responded to Zimmerman’s case
through three separate actions
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Raised and contributed a great deal of funds
to support Zimmermann legally
Researched the facts of PGP and other related
cases to prepare themselves for future cases
Launched a First Amendment campaign in
order to raise money and educate policy
makers along with the general public
Case Conclusion
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Three years after the case began, all the
charges were dropped in early 1996
Zimmerman was then free from any more
governmental scrutiny
Conclusion
• After the case was dropped,
Zimmermann founded his own
company and continued to refine his
product releasing an updated version
of PGP along with other related
products
• PGP has had a large effect in many
important communications
• Questions?