[ale] Keysigning get-together?

Wolf Halton wolf.halton at gmail.com
Mon Oct 24 23:19:19 EDT 2011


+1 for key signing.

http://sourcefreedom.com
On Oct 23, 2011 9:57 AM, "Jim Kinney" <jim.kinney at gmail.com> wrote:

> +1!
> I have a growing list of stuff I do just for having the practical skills of
> doing them. I practice all as often as possible.  PGP/GNUPG key skills are
> good to have when needed. Just like emergency first aid and CPR, it requires
> practice.
> On Oct 23, 2011 1:09 AM, "Michael H. Warfield" <mhw at wittsend.com> wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 2011-10-21 at 20:38 -0400, Jim Lynch wrote:
>> > On 10/21/2011 02:06 PM, Michael Trausch wrote:
>> > >
>> > > I would like to know if anyone has any interest in doing a PGP
>> > > keysigning get-together.  My motivation is, of course, that I need
>> > > signatures on my key. :)
>> > >
>> > > Would anyone else be interested?
>> > >
>> > >
>> > I hate to be the dissenting member but why?  I don't understand what we
>> > information we interchange amongst us that need such security.  If we
>> > were collaborating on some top secret project then sure, but I haven't
>> > seen any topic that merits this level of security.
>> >
>> > I thought we were a bunch of individuals that were interested in Linux
>> > and wanted to share our experiences, or were looking for assistance with
>> > respect to Linux not extremest radicals wanting to take over the world.
>> >
>> > I have no reason to communicate with anyone on this list any information
>> > that I wouldn't what someone else to view.  Is everyone as paranoid as
>> > Aaron?
>> >
>> > Not that I don't want it to happen, but what's the point?  I'm not
>> Aaron.
>>
>> All of my preceding rant aside, I totally forgot the most important
>> point and the number one most important reason...
>>
>> This happened just recently on this list with someone asking for help.
>> It ended up that they contacted me with confidential details which could
>> not be communicated in an open forum or in unencrypted communications.
>> They send it to me encrypted to my PGP keys which are well known and
>> well established throughout the community.  I was able to read their
>> message and respond.  I responded to their keys.
>>
>> Oh, then they find out they no longer have the secret key to their
>> public key (presumably) because of a backup bobble and they could not
>> read my response.  Now they have to create new keys and start everything
>> again from scratch.  Not good.  Very not good when you are in a bind and
>> you NEED them.  There are times when you need this the most and you need
>> to get it right have have it work from first principles the first time
>> and screwups are costly.
>>
>> The point is this...  We do this to use and practice our encryption
>> practices.  Otherwise, when it comes to needing them, we WILL FAIL.  I
>> use my keys every day.  I work with cryptography every day.  The rest
>> (most) of you do not.  How do you know you will know what to do and to
>> do it right if you have not done it before and practiced it?  This is
>> what this is.  It's re-enforcing the entire infrastructure and it's
>> practicing the procedures that need to be followed.
>>
>> The Ham operators have it right.  A Haiti incident comes very rarely and
>> few are involved.  A Katrina incident is a bit more common and far more
>> are involved.  But we practice on our nets and we take classes and we go
>> through these exercises time and time again so, when the time comes we
>> just KNOW what to do.  I will probably NEVER be involved in a Haiti or
>> Katrina type incident in my entire life, but I will know how to react
>> and how to deal and know what to do.
>>
>> You want a single reason why?  That's it.  So we practice and exercise
>> and we know what to do so we can do it when we need it.  The time to
>> learn is NOT the time when you need it and you will never be able to
>> predict if you will need it or when you will need it.
>>
>> That's the main reason.  All other reasons aside as mere icing on the
>> cake, that one reason is reason enough.  So that we are prepared when
>> the time comes that we need it.  That's reason enough.
>>
>> > Jim.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Mike
>> --
>> Michael H. Warfield (AI4NB) | (770) 985-6132 |  mhw at WittsEnd.com
>>   /\/\|=mhw=|\/\/          | (678) 463-0932 |
>> http://www.wittsend.com/mhw/
>>   NIC whois: MHW9          | An optimist believes we live in the best of
>> all
>>  PGP Key: 0x674627FF        | possible worlds.  A pessimist is sure of it!
>>
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