Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!bronze!logos.ucs.indiana.edu!hughes
From: hughes@logos.ucs.indiana.edu (larry hughes)
Subject: Re: Authenticated SMTP, anyone done one?
Message-ID: <1991Jun13.222559.7574@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu>
Sender: news@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (USENET News System)
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington
References: <1991Jun3.163841.4114@bwdls61.bnr.ca> <17169:Jun1122:04:5791@kramden.acf.nyu.edu> <43225@cup.portal.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 91 22:25:59 GMT
Lines: 29

In article <43225@cup.portal.com> Will@cup.portal.com (Will E Estes) writes:
>Then what is the purpose of RFCs 1113, 1114, and 1115 on Privacy
>Enhanced Mail (PEM)?  My understanding was that this service was going 
>into effect very soon throughout the Internet.

PEM is basically plain ol' SMTP mail, but the message text is RSA encrypted
for transmission over the net.  You have to have an encrytor on your
end, and the other end has to have a decryptor.

Its use is strictly voluntary, and unless both sender and recipient
implement it, it's not very useful.

>Maybe someone with more knowledge on these subjects could clarify
>the following issues:
>
>1) Does PEM address all of the security and authorization issues for
>sending mail on the Internet?

No, PEM for example does not solve mail forging, for example.  Again,
it simply encrypts (presumably sensitive) mail text.

 //=========================================================================\\
||       Larry J. Hughes, Jr.        ||          hughes@indiana.edu          ||
||        Indiana University         ||                                      ||
||   University Computing Services   ||   "The person who knows everything   ||
||    750 N. State Road 46 Bypass    ||      has a lot to learn."            ||
||      Bloomington, IN  47405       ||                                      ||
||         (812) 855-9255            ||   Disclaimer: Same as my quote...    ||
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