pgp & encryption masters - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

f00sion · 12-15-2003, 11:17 PM

I am in a data security & encryption class right now and the professor gave us an extra credit question that I just dont have the foggiest idea of what he is looking for...help!
Basically when pgp is used to encrypt a file the metadata is not encrypted with it, sooo he wants us to come up with a solution on how pgp can be used in handling the metadata for both digital signature and confidentiality services. We can propose changes to the standard pgp algorithm in order to implement our solution and also have to list issues we would have to deal with in the solution.

anybody have any hints or starting points?

thanks

kel · 12-15-2003, 11:57 PM

is stored in the inode, you can request that data from windows (or the os), simply append the data to the beginning of the file (with magic numbers/markers at the beginning and end of the metadata) and encrypt as usual. After decryption extract the meta data that was appended and use it when creating the new decrypted file.

The metadata is just data, tack it on to the file and you'll have it available when your decrypting so it can be restored. It's no big deal.

12-15-2003, 11:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
f00sion Tilted Location: So. Cali	pgp & encryption masters I am in a data security & encryption class right now and the professor gave us an extra credit question that I just dont have the foggiest idea of what he is looking for...help! Basically when pgp is used to encrypt a file the metadata is not encrypted with it, sooo he wants us to come up with a solution on how pgp can be used in handling the metadata for both digital signature and confidentiality services. We can propose changes to the standard pgp algorithm in order to implement our solution and also have to list issues we would have to deal with in the solution. anybody have any hints or starting points? thanks

12-15-2003, 11:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
kel WARNING: FLAMMABLE Location: Ask Acetylene	The metadata is stored in the inode, you can request that data from windows (or the os), simply append the data to the beginning of the file (with magic numbers/markers at the beginning and end of the metadata) and encrypt as usual. After decryption extract the meta data that was appended and use it when creating the new decrypted file. The metadata is just data, tack it on to the file and you'll have it available when your decrypting so it can be restored. It's no big deal. __________________ "It better be funny"