n00b question: Why use PGP?

If my public key is in my profile, it seems like anyone, e.g. LE could decrypt my messages very easily. Am I missing something?


Comments


[6 Points] None:

[deleted]


[3 Points] def-con:

Your public key is used to encrypt a message that only you can decrypt (with your private key on your computer)

same goes to encrypt/send a message to a specific person, you use the recipient public key to encrypt, he use his private key to decrypt


[1 Points] sharpshooter789:

They can't. I'll try to explain it in simpler terms.

I use a safe as an analogy. This safe has 2 separate keys, one to open and one to close. The public key closes the safe and only the private key can open it.

For example, Alice wants to send Bob a secret message. First Alice obtains Bob's public key. She then uses Bob's public key to encrypt her message. Now she sends the encrypted text to Bob. Bob is able to decrypt this message with his private key. Note, only Bob can decrypt the message because he and only he was the private key.


[1 Points] katzphan:

Not that much of a Noob question to ask I've been on here for a while and wondered the same thing. Hopefully someone can enlighten us, because it almost seems pointless to me. If LE really wanted to they can decrypt your PGP, it wouldn't save your ass or anything.