PGP

When, concerned by the proliferation of cryptography, the FBI renewed its effort to gain access to plaintext messages of US citizens, Phil Zimmerman in response released his first version of Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), which is a freeware product that uses the IDEA algorithm. PGP is a free program providing military-grade algorithms to the internet community and since its publication in 1991 has evolved into a cryptographic standard because of such widespread use.

The initial versions of PGP were geared towards the more computer literate individual, but to the individual nonetheless. Phil Zimmerman could be compared to Henry Ford in his efforts to provide PGP to every home by making it free, and therefore, affordable. Today, PGP's updated version is offered free to the public and available via the Internet.

"PGP empowers people to take their privacy into their own hands. This is a Civil Rights Issue, and its truth is hold to be self evident." (Phil R. Zimmermann)

http://www.pgpI.org


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Source: http://world-information.org/wio/program/objects/1039188131