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?
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...
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.
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.
This does raise an interesting question. What _would_ be the best way to
store data that is secure, yet destroyable?
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??
>> 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.
It is in most jurisdictions illegal to destroy evidence.
>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??
No. they are not magnetic. And besides a big magnet will not even destroy
a hard drive or floppy disk. It needs to be a very verystrong alternating
magnetic field. But fire is far more effective.
"Anonymous" <Use-Author-Supplied-Address@[127.1]> wrote in message
news:MZP4EEDG39146.7347800926@anonymous.poster...
>
> 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?
>
>
>
I think the previous serious replies are all good, but something here does
not sound right.
Seems to me you are looking for something like 'flash paper' used by the
numbers racket over the years. Written with a bar code printer, read with a
grocery scanner.
Quickly dosposed of, as far as I can tell, only has implications in
international espionage or crime rings.
In the end, it will be obvious that you have taken steps to conceal
something, and you get suspicion (guilt) by association.
........ ?
Who cares if the key is destroyed. Just tell the cops that somehow the key
was destroyed. The evidence is the encrypted file, not the key. You never
destroyed any evidence.
"Stuart Miller" <stuart_miller@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:ckrHh.1260252$R63.180171@pd7urf1no...
>
> "Anonymous" <Use-Author-Supplied-Address@[127.1]> wrote in message
> news:MZP4EEDG39146.7347800926@anonymous.poster...
>>
>> 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?
>>
>>
>>
> I think the previous serious replies are all good, but something here does
> not sound right.
>
> Seems to me you are looking for something like 'flash paper' used by the
> numbers racket over the years. Written with a bar code printer, read with
> a grocery scanner.
> Quickly dosposed of, as far as I can tell, only has implications in
> international espionage or crime rings.
>
> In the end, it will be obvious that you have taken steps to conceal
> something, and you get suspicion (guilt) by association.
> ....... ?
>
> Stuart
>
>
>
>> 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.
How small are your pockets! :-)
>> 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.
Have you considered using the hidden container feature within TrueCrypt?
It would give you a level of 'plausible deniability' that it appears you
are seeking. If nothing else, how about storing the keys in a hidden
container?
> I don't know. Another thought is maybe a big magnet in the office, would that wipe out a thumb drive??
I doubt a big magnet would have an effect on a flash memory stick.
It would be possible to create a high voltage USB socket fitted with a
large panic button. You could hold the usb memory device in that and if
the panic button is depressed, the memory chip can be destroyed. You
would have to mess about with getting the voltages right and probably
write off a few keys in the process. It is possible tha memory devices
are protected by buffer circuitry to prevent damage in such an event, as
I said, experimentation would be required.
In article <iNHHh.44937$3a3.13118@newsfe6-win.ntli.net>, Bogwitch@reply.to.group.fake says...
>
> I doubt a big magnet would have an effect on a flash memory stick.
>
> It would be possible to create a high voltage USB socket fitted with a
> large panic button. You could hold the usb memory device in that and if
> the panic button is depressed, the memory chip can be destroyed. You
> would have to mess about with getting the voltages right and probably
> write off a few keys in the process. It is possible tha memory devices
> are protected by buffer circuitry to prevent damage in such an event, as
> I said, experimentation would be required.
>
And unfortunately the circuits around the memory cells would burn out
long before current hit them leaving the memory possibly damaged
but maybe readable to any agency capable of moleculare diagnosis. (i.e.
Any government or large corporation)
Magnets - even large powerful ones are no use against any media - even
floppy disks. You'd be amazed at how resiliant magnetic domains an be.
Grinding such devices into very fine dust is probably the safest bet.
I cant think of a single way to quickly ensure they are safely wiped from
really determined or well funded recovery.
On 5 Mar 2007 23:38:05 -0000, Anonymous
<Use-Author-Supplied-Address@[127.1]> 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?
Microwaving cd's and dvd's is always fun. Watch out for noxious
vapors on some media chemistry. Think ziplock bag ;)
Don't forget a glass of water to save your microwave.
Easy to destroy media?? 
Linear Mode
