Homework #2


You must submit your work to your instructor before midnight on due date. Failure to do so will result in late penalties, see the syllabus for grading detail.


The purpose of this homework is to give you a chance to get familiar with using public-key cryptography and encrypt/decript files.

Here is what you have to do:

  • Download and install GnuPG, free software, from www.gnupg.org
  • Run the executable (gpg) and generate a pair of public/private keys that will be stored under a directory called .gnupg in your home directory:
    • make sure you select a key type that allows you to encrypt and sign
    • the key size must be at least 2048 bits
    • the email address you use should be your official IIT student email
    • choose a passphrase
  • Once you're done generating your keys, do the following:
    • add your instructor's public key (see below) to your keyring
    • export your public key in ASCII format

NOTE: You can find documentation GnuPG documentation at http://www.gnupg.org/documentation/

Part (i), 10 points: Create a file that has two parts:

  • your favorite poem (could be Shakespeare or Haiku, it is ok with me either way)
  • your (ASCII) public key.

Encrypt the file and send it by email to your instructor.

NOTE: Normally you'd make your public key publicly available such as by posting it to a key server, or on your own web page, etc.

Part (ii), 10 points: Create a file that includes an explanation of what you found hard about getting this assignment done. Encrypt and sign the file and send it by email to your instructor. You should complete this part within 24 hours from completing part (i).


-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux)
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=ihFR
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

Last update: November 25, 2007 Virgil Bistriceanu cs458 Computer Science

$Id: hw2.html,v 1.3 2007/11/27 23:11:04 virgil Exp $