Why I Use Public Key Encryption

There are three reasons why I use Public Key Encyption (PKE).

First, it's just plain cool! I mean, as a math nerd, it's awesome!

Reason number two is privacy. Here in the states anyway there is some argument that sending an email in plaintext is like sending a postcard--no expectation of privacy. Even if the legal eagles thought it should be private, the plain truth is anyone sniffing packets can read an unencrypted email (or thousands of them). Digital signatures are like sending your letters in a tamperproof envalope and encryption is the digital equivilent of sending it by Kourier (yes, a Snow Crash reference).

Reason number three is integrity. Used right, when I send someone an email that I have signed and encrypted, they will know for sure I'm the one who sent it and vice versa. Truth be told, this is pretty cool when all electons look more alike than not.