Pretty Good Privacy: PGP

1
Pretty Good Privacy PGP

• An Encryption System by
• Philip R. Zimmermann
• -Mark, Dave, Bobby-

2
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

3
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

4
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

5
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

6
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

7
The Release of PGP

• PGP was publicly released onto the internet
• This meant that anyone internationally could see
  it

8
The Case

• 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

9
The Case Continued

• 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

10
The Defense

• Zimmermann along with ViaCrypt felt as though
  their rights were being infringed
• 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

11
The Electronic Frontier Foundation

• The EFF responded to Zimmermans case through
  three separate actions
• 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

12
Case Conclusion

• Three years after the case began, all the charges
  were dropped in early 1996
• Zimmerman was then free from any more
  governmental scrutiny

13
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?