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RFC 4880

"OpenPGP Message Format", November 2007

Canonical URL:
http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4880.txt
This document is also available in this non-normative format: TXT.PDF.
Status:
PROPOSED STANDARD
Obsoletes:
RFC 1991, RFC 2440
Updated by:
RFC 5581
Authors:
J. Callas
L. Donnerhacke
H. Finney
D. Shaw
R. Thayer
Stream:
IETF
Source:
openpgp (sec)

Please refer here for any errata for this document. To submit a new errata report, go to the main errata page.


Abstract

This document is maintained in order to publish all necessary information needed to develop interoperable applications based on the OpenPGP format. It is not a step-by-step cookbook for writing an application. It describes only the format and methods needed to read, check, generate, and write conforming packets crossing any network. It does not deal with storage and implementation questions. It does, however, discuss implementation issues necessary to avoid security flaws.

OpenPGP software uses a combination of strong public-key and symmetric cryptography to provide security services for electronic communications and data storage. These services include confidentiality, key management, authentication, and digital signatures. This document specifies the message formats used in OpenPGP. [STANDARDS-TRACK]


For the definition of Status, see RFC 2026.

For the definition of Stream, see RFC 4844.


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