On Apr 23, 2014, at 6:13 PM, [email protected] wrote: > Greetings, > > This is a tiny bit philosophical. Perhaps a little off-topic. I think this is > probably the best list to ask never-the-less. > > So I've been working on this pgp base web based mail service. > https://github.com/timprepscius/mv > > Here is the problem I hope eventually to be confronted with: > > 1. User registers name "[email protected]," user auto-magically generates > a pgp pub/priv key. The pub key is registered on the pgp key servers. > 2. User goes away. Account is closed. > 3. User still has "[email protected]" registered on the pgp key servers. > 4. Another person wants to use "[email protected]." He would generate a > brand new pgp key with a later creation date, but still that old one seems > like a liability. > > What should I do? > > A few options I can see: > 1. email addresses are used only once. > 2. email addresses are used more than once, but with a warning, "there > already exists an unrevoked pgp key for this address." > 3. user gives me a revocation certification when he generates his pgp key, I > can revoke accounts which close. > 4. user generates pgp keys which expire after a year > 5. ?
I haven't looked extensively at your design, so this isn't a suggestion as to what you should do, but just to mention a possibility you may have missed: 5. User appoints you (or a designated key) as their designated revoker. This allows your key to issue a revocation on their key. Pro: no need to store revocation certificates for all of your users, which could leak. Con: the revocation only works if the person checking has both your key and their key. It's similar in many ways to 3. David _______________________________________________ Gnupg-users mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnupg.org/mailman/listinfo/gnupg-users
