There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
Douglas Adams, "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
You can use the Public Key below to send me encrypted messages or files. Why would you want to? I tend to think that we should all send encrypted email, all the time. Normally, emails are like postcards — lots of people can read them before they get to you... Why not start using envelopes?
Most secret codes use just one key. You encrypt a message, then your friend decrypts it using the same key. PGP/GPG uses two different keys: a public and private pair. The Public Key only encrypts messages, the Private Key only decrypts them. By publishing my Public Key here on the Internet even complete strangers can send me secure messages without fear of snooping.
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.6 (GNU/Linux) mQGiBEG3WeIRBACbu6YmT4OqlbCRljBYTXse1A7goSmELm87+XiyPn5K8wxzZVVI SjMg0XjxMYxlOkeYHapNp/RQ2t7aKbEug6BVbxCFIXvSkPGUsGL5k1iBJng4q08Z 5/MIBGdeN+MRXTVRZ0u2Sf1FgtyS0detJKMPufGzHjP104DeubUH43B0HwCgrILq KjLrhIPPosiBDtFHRIPvePcD/1s/Eiye1GbU9/hzeOVqQpqxiWxKyvewZVIXrQW5 zi+ChzZPZs5gtlepulpoEXzp/f18ptztWPd9cCdOFt7E+PG0h639vGQ4JTBZnSsb hZ2ET+jhCjoxWFllSJgYkiXCzwWw48n073wdj3xeDTR2xBXNwpYB33nEGLP3Hw+k tGfGA/4mw49iX60LZLbc0R6yfJ+mCRU1LhjbkEkBL4m/HjfGfJ5hXUCWU3d1ryR2 NqJlMxe/qWJKZL/lfwMzReIvOp9T2S0lN3TWXmoAGrp21CWQYKewftrz1wwrJQFr La5JKsxJbS7Exd2qsu5wb75VRDYhmKxvMxUUGRxZ+Wo2g76pF7QfTGVvbiBNYXR0 aGV3cyA8bGVvbkBsb3N0LmNvLm56PoheBBMRAgAeBQJBt1niAhsDBgsJCAcDAgMV AgMDFgIBAh4BAheAAAoJEFHqq5QCLgZSlZ4AoIEeor1cVh4lGaOKfV5ptBhmJEkV AJ4pzcZD3o543kL7tpRF1+w7bhPUi7kBDQRBt1noEAQAjHPJ8pZrqSsSyWCb7Fzo jcbz/DishG7jnJ95dp79LDu1s5sHzKenxJ1o9xT9i85n5WebYhxcPshujaDE0LCz xPdvBfxT/ZtfXvv0h20lEKgOipk5OMzC2/iHRNAWLopw1todI5lC1L1A1ZIUlJ/x bzPtFlI7r98emKvj2S2QxGcAAwUEAInnQ2q8YPSGrK+Qawo9ilYYEJ2o6ggzeOvQ XhAGzsq6wZZaNvmwBA+2wyFol4G5cyJCf+UPmPqQn2qrpGRvZCbGS38niATI/TLA LA/e8VT13wqMwVyR0FM9oUQp0CFDpmFSZ2eHrxlrACHDPcIQWxr+LHa6i2dWPF9V h0hfP3agiEkEGBECAAkFAkG3WegCGwwACgkQUeqrlAIuBlLp9QCeItom1y385bE4 hayF9SiUxY9MPqoAn26mrOg1Ix4yOnNVdmYsfUKtB5TQ =fiPp -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
For years PGP was the best way to secure your email communications. However, it is no longer freely availiable, and it has some problems with patents. It has been replaced in recent times by another implementation of the same protocol, GnuPG which is availiable for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows.