The legality of PGP

[Perry E. Metzger]

>From: S.E. Brown <shawnb at ecst.csuchico.edu>

>Well,

>I've been reading a lot of speculation and outright disinformation about
>the legality of PGP.  Does anyone have any informed information about the
>actual legal status us sing and disseminating the program?

PGP is based on RSA cryptography, which is patented. The patent is
controlled by Public Key Partners, which has not granted a license for
people to use PGP. Therefore, using PGP is possibly a patent
violation, although thus far no action seems to have been taken by PKP
in this respect.

Perry