The idea behind encryption is to make the difficulty of retrieving your private messages higher than the value the attacker perceives in retreating those private messages. In theory, the more content you protect with a set of keys, the more worthwhile an attempt to try to break the cryptography (or whack the key owner upside the head with a wrench) . Because of this, it is a good idea to make new keys every few years.
I have done just that. I’ve created two files, each containing text explaining that I’ve created new keys. The first copy is signed by my old key, 284005FE. The second copy is signed by my new key, E5C4E3B1. If you already trust my old key, then you can verify these signatures to prove that you can trust my new key. If not, feel free to arrange a key signing party with me. Bring beer or coffee.
Tags: security, Technology