[ale] Keysigning get-together?

[Jim Kinney]

+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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