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2.1, 2.2 and 10.2 Clarification re sigs.

2000-07-09 22:47:46
To all,

-----BEGIN SECTION REFERENCES-----

Section 2.1 (last paragraph) notes:

"First, a signature is generated for the message and attached to the message. Then the message plus the signature is encrypted using a symmetric session key."

Section 2.2 (item 4) notes:

"4. The binary signature is attached to the message"

Section 10.2 notes:

"One-Pass Signed Message :- One-Pass Signature Packet, OpenPGP Message, Corresponding Signature Packet"

"Signed Message :- Signature Packet, OpenPGP Message | One-Pass Signed Message"

-----END SECTION REFERENCES-----

To me, "attached" (as in 2.1 and 2.2) means you add it to the end of something and this contradicts 10.2 explanation of a Signed Message (a signed message implies that it is prepended, not attached).

By reading section 10.2, it seems that there are two possibilities for signing a literal message:

1) You create a signature packet then prepend it to the literal packet

2) You create a signature packet and a One-Pass Signature Packet then prepend the One-Pass packet to the literal packet and append the signature packet to the literal packet.

Therefore, my final questions are:

1) Can you create a simple signature packet and attach it to the end of a literal packet as stated in 2.1 and 2.2 and subsequently contradict 10.2 regarding the definition of a signed message and:

2) Why would you need a One-Pass Signature Packet if we conform to 10.2 and simply prepend a normal signature packet to the literal data with a subpacket of type 16 (key id), thus removing the need for a One-Pass packet in the first place?

Cheers for any clarification once again :)







Regards Comasp Ltd. Level 2, 45 Stirling Hwy NEDLANDS WA 6009
                                                              
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Erron Criddle Tel: 08 9386 9534
ejc(_at_)comasp(_dot_)com                                            Fax: 08 
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