Book details of 'Pgp: Pretty Good Privacy'

Title	Pgp: Pretty Good Privacy
Author(s)	Simson Garfinkel
ISBN	1565920988
Language	English
Published	December 1994
Publisher	O'Reilly & Associates

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Reviewer amazon.com wrote:
If you're concerned about the security of personal information on your computer--or in your e-mail--get PGP using this book. Garfinkel's guide to PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption software is a comprehensive guide to secure encryption for everyone and anyone. So much so that even Phil Zimmerman, who created PGP, said he learned new things from this book. But more than that, it takes you behind the scenes into the fascinating history and workings of the great intellectual adventure story of cryptography. This book is a fascinating read as well as a top-notch guide, and is needed now more than ever.
Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Part one of this guide to Phil Zimmermann's "Pretty Good Privacy" (universally known by its initials, PGP) contains two rather disjointed chapters introducing PGP, itself, and cryptography basics. After that rocky start, however, part two is both readable and rivetting. Chapters on the history of cryptography, the history and development of PGP, privacy, and patents gather both the technical and social aspects of PGP together in one place. The conceptual background for public key cryptography is presented both soundly and in a manner accessible for non-experts. The many controversies over PGP are presented in a very detailed manner. Part three, "Using PGP", has chapters on file encryption, key creation, key management, email encryption, digital signatures (authentication), key distribution and certification, and Internet key servers. The style of the nutshell books give a very "technical" look to the material, and in some cases the content is very terse in comparison to Stallings' "Protecting Your Privacy" (see reviews). In others (such as key management), though, the text here is paradoxically clearer. In any case, the examples are straightforward and easily followed. (Readers may, however, be excused for failing to follow the explanation of Diffie-Hellman on page 356.) The appendices cover obtaining and installing PGP for MS-DOS, UNIX and Macintosh. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995
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Book description:

Pretty Good Privacy, or PGP, is a freely available encryption program that allows individuals the kind of digital security previously available only to the military. This book thoroughly covers the use of PGP as well as general encryption issues.The strength of the book lies in its coverage of the intricacies of using the program. Encrypting, digital signatures, managing and certifying keys, and revoking keys are all covered. There is also a look into the muddy waters of privacy and public policy, info on the federal investigation of Phil Zimmerman, author of PGP, and an explanation of current export restrictions on cryptology technology. This book is ideal for those interested in using PGP, as well as those wishing to study cryptology issues as they relate to this software, which has proven to be an important and controversial step in the history of encryption.With a quickstart section, and a basic exploration of the background and history of encryption, this is also a good place for beginners to get started.