Silk Road forums
Discussion => Security => Topic started by: FritzPolanski on July 17, 2012, 04:39 am
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A vendor I'm interested in states to contact him via PGP...can anyone succinctly explain PGP to me? Not sure what but I AM sure I'd like to communicate with vendors.
Also: When I register for something like Bitstamp, do I provide my actual info there? Or is that something I can make alias accounts on? I want to protect my anonymity as much as possible, obviously.
I'm so excited about all of this. Thanks for all your help in advance!
A warm hello,
Fritz
Edit: I don't want to flood or anything, and I'm reading up as much as I can on everything...but I'm still not sure about those two things. Sorry if this is answered anywhere else.
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A vendor I'm interested in states to contact him via PGP...can anyone succinctly explain PGP to me? Not sure what but I AM sure I'd like to communicate with vendors.
Also: When I register for something like Bitstamp, do I provide my actual info there? Or is that something I can make alias accounts on? I want to protect my anonymity as much as possible, obviously.
heres 2 quick posts from this forum, should be many more with info on pgp out there:
http://dkn255hz262ypmii.onion/index.php?topic=131.0
http://dkn255hz262ypmii.onion/index.php?topic=30938.0
I gave bitstamp my real info when registering. I dont think thats really necessary though, when sending them wire transfer I have done that from bank accounts with other names in foreign countries, but the comment with your order# should be included with the wiretransfer so they know to credit your account
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PGP = Pretty Good Privacy
It's an encryption program, learn it, live it.
It's for your own safety.
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Great links dzlrv, much appreciated! Thanks guys!
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Basically the way this stuff works is that you will have two sets of keys - a private key and a public key.
As the name implies, a public key is a key which is advertised to the general public, because this is the key that other people will need to use to encrypt messages they want 0to send you. The private key is a key which you keep very close to your heart because it is the one you use to decrypt any messages addressed to you.
So say you want to send a message to your vendor. You write your message lock (encrypt) it with YOUR VENDOR's public key. Not your key. Your vendor's. Now once the message has been encrypt it, only the vendor can decrypt and read it. Not even you can decrypt it at this stage. The vendor will use his PRIVATE key to decrypt his message.
The reverse is true for someone sending a message to you - they encrypt it using your public key; you decrypt it using your private key. Simples.
Step-by-step instructions:
So now that all is said and done - what you need to do is go to the locksmith's and tell him you need a public and private key. He'll know what you mean, but keep it on the down low. Don't ask him in front of other people or he'll act like he doesn't know what you're talking about. Let everyone leave and then approach him quietly. If he asks you whether you want them done by hand or with a key machine - this is a trick question, lol. Everyone knows that encryption keys are digital.
The locksmith I prefer can be found at: www.gnupg.org/