In article <9l2Hh.29499$mn2.122@newsfe7-win.ntli.net>, Bogwitch <Bogwitch@reply.to.group.fake> wrote:

> Anonymous wrote:
> > I have some sensitive files encrypted with GPG. I want to have the option
> > of quickly destroying the PGP keys for those files in case the files into
> > the wrong hands.
> >
> > Thumb drives look like they would be too hard to destroy. Printing the keys
> > on paper would be easy to destroy but OCR is too unreliable.
> >
> > Is there some other portable media which can easily be destroyed by burning
> > or shredding?
>
> The more 'easily destroyable' your key is, the more likely it will
> accidentally be destroyed...

True, I'm dealing with that.


> Floppy disks may be the the answer. The innards can be accessed in a
> fairly short time and burning would render them unreadable. Shredding
> would render them unreadable to all but the most well-resourced attacker.

That's a good idea, I was hoping for something pocket sized though.

> Why not encrypt file with a standard single file encryption/ partition
> encryption and use a strong password/passphrase? That way you will not
> need to destry GPG keys, you just don't give the password.

I want to be able to testify truthfully as to what the password is and have that be useless because no keys can be found.

I also want to eliminate _any_ chance of the password being cracked by keeping the keys off of the computer which holds the files.

> This does raise an interesting question. What _would_ be the best way to
> store data that is secure, yet destroyable?


I don't know. Another thought is maybe a big magnet in the office, would that wipe out a thumb drive??


Thanks for your reply