From: IN%"jlasser@rwd.goucher.edu" "Jon Lasser" 29-NOV-1995 16:23:00.41 Not if you're encrypting a Credit Card transaction to ship physical goods. In that case, I'm going to certainly want to link a key ID to a physical body (or at least address) if I'm the seller, so as to limit liability as best I can. While this might not ultimately be important, early adopters of crypto on the net seem in general to be financially interested with an eye to limiting liability. They want linked keys. There's a public-relations aspect to crypto which most systems not linking name -> key id fail. This is the step necessary to get it out the door. Unfortunately, it also appears counter to CP philosophy. However, if you have optional linking of ID and name, shippers will only ship to keys with such attributes. Because just ID and address, it could be a "hit and run" type attack shipped to a safe maildrop. --------------------------------- If the transaction is via a Credit Card, it's the card issuer's liability (and responsibility to determine creditworthiness), unless I'm badly mistaken. If it's bank-issued ecash, then it's up to the bank to disgorge physical dollars when ecash is presented to them. What's the risk in either case? -Allen