There are a number of programs out there that implement "encrypted
message" and "digital signature" protocols, but I've been reading
here and there about all these other protocols:
Digital Cash
Secure Marketplace
Secure Auction
Fair Cointoss
Oblivious Transfer
Secret Sharing
Secret splitting
Proof of Membership
etc....
And I've seen implementations of only two of them:
Digital cash has been done by a few companies, but so far
none that I'd call cryptographically secure *and* transferable
between end-users. Moreover, none of these companies backs
their currency with anything having intrinsic value -- which
is something you just have to do unless you're a country, I
think, or what you have is not a currency at all. (in fact,
there's a few *countries* whose currencies I wouldn't trust
right now...)
and the fair coin toss was implemented for some online gaming
junk as a special case of a fair die roll.
Isn't there any piece of software that knows how to do a bunch
of these protocols?
Also, I think the key-management utilities that most crypto
software provides are not up to par. when you pop up a key
you ought to be able to read notes about what that key has
been used for so far, such as...
KEY: [cipher name/implementation] [blah, blah, blah - actual key value]
Date Key was first seen 1998-Sep-07
Date most recently seen 2000-Jul-01
Identity unknown.
You have assigned the identity "Anonymous Neutopian" in your address book.
Has authored 11 signed messages to you.
3 of these are in the mail folder "archive". [1],[2],[3].
Has authored two encrypted messages to you.
You have written 12 signed messages to him or her.
2 of these are in the mail folder "sent messages". [1],[2].
...
and more software generated one-liners for if the key has been
used for anything besides messages.
Is there any piece of software that keeps track of keys
like this?
Ray
