[Nottingham] Unknown (at least to me) message

[ForkBombFluf]

On Wed, 24 Dec 2008, ForkBombFluf wrote:

>> Ron Wilton wrote:
>>> When I open Firefox I get a dialogue box with the following message.
>>>
>>> +++
>>> Opening a.asc
>>>
>>> You have chosen to open
>>>
>>> a.asc
>>>
>>> which is a: PGP/MIME-encrypted message header
>>> from:...a file on my harddrive
>>>
>>> What should Firefox do with this file?
>>> ...
>>> +++
>>>
>>> What does this mean, and am I safe to open it?
>>>
>>> Ta
>>>
>>> Ron

<*snip* lots of stuff>

> What would cause Firefox to think it was a PGP/MIME-encrypted message
> header anyway?  Sounds a bit like a lost e-mail...
>
> puzzled,
>
> -Stef

I think I might have answered part of my question whilst going to download 
a Knoppix dvd.  In addition to downloading ISO and MD5 checksums, you can 
also get a .ASC file, which contains a digital signature--containing Klaus 
Knopper's PGP key in this case, intended to verify the authenticity of the 
ISO as coming from him.

Why Firefox would want to "execute" such a file at startup, I'm still not 
entirely sure, but if the file is indeed the same type as above, this 
would explain why Firefox identified it the way it did.

Cheerz,

-Stef