---------- | From: Derek Atkins <warlord@MIT.EDU> | To: Andrzej Bursztynski <psee@sam.nask.com.pl> | Cc: <cypherpunks@toad.com> | Subject: Re: Windows for Workgroups 3.11 | Date: Wednesday, July 06, 1994 7:19AM | | > Just wonder if anyone had a closer look at the "Advanced security" option | > built in the Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11. You can use a soft | > of a public/private key when sending a mail via fax (Class 1) driver | > Micrsoft Fax at Work. The key seems to be quite short and I wonder if that's | > a real secure solution comparing eg. to PGP? | | If it really is public key, and if the keys really are quite short, | then its probably really *not* secure. Remember than a 129-digit | (~425 bit) RSA key was broken in 8 months! A 384-bit RSA key is | therefore not secure! | | -derek | The 129 digit key was broken in 8 calendar months and not 8 CPU months, correct? If so then for most purposes a 129 digit key is more than adequate. If you are faxing a contract to someone then if the deal isn't signed in 8 months the odds are that information about it will leak from a different source than your fax. If I had information that I wanted to be secure for several years than I would consider using many more digits than 129. As to Windows for Workgroups 3.11, I don't know anything about the security features that are included. Mike. ===================================================== Mike Markley <mmarkley@microsoft.com> I'm not a Microsoft spokesperson. All opinions expressed here are mine. =====================================================