[SWLUG] Technical Meeting Announcement and Call for Papers/Talks

[Neil Jones]

Gerald Davies wrote:
> On 9 Apr 2009, at 08:36...
>   
>> Oddly enough I looked up key signing last night and this seems an
>> excellent HOWTO -> http://linuxreviews.org/howtos/gnupg/signingparty/
>>
>> PGR
>>     
>
> Gosh! Do people still bother with these? I'm not knocking it, but  
> since not *everyone* uses it, I find it a tad pointless.
>
> IIRC, the last time someone signed an email on a list they got flamed  
> for it being a waste of time.
>
> I can understand it's uses, but why not make better use of your time  
> with talks, informal show'n'tells, chats, etc.
>
> Not my idea of a party! ;-)
>   

It is not my idea either. Obviously encryption has its uses, but there 
are some glaring logical errors in that HOWTO.

The first is the notion that a Passport or Driving Licence is proof of 
identity.
I have mentioned this before, these are government offices who do not 
now everyone.
It is an example of the "identify delusion".
Nobody can prove who they are except to people who have known them while 
they have grown up.
Usually only family. I said this to someone once and their answer was 
"And your dad's only got your mam's word on it". :-)

But to be serious about it. government backed ID has to be easy to get 
for everyone to be able to do it
 therefore it is relatively easy to get falsely.

Secondly it goes to great lengths to say that it is not safe to take 
your computer because of the minute risk that someone might tamper with it.
Yet it tells you quite blithely to show your Driving Licence which 
carries your name address and date of birth to any Tom, Dick, or Flash 
Harry that turns up.
These are the very things that a confidence trickster needs in order to 
impersonate you and get the false ID I have been talking about.

Neil


 



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