PGPMail is simply the Formmail script, except that it encrypts the e-mail via PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) before it is sent to the client. The e-mails that your receive from your form will be encrypted so that only you can decrypt them and read them. If you are transmitting sensitive information via e-mail, such as credit card numbers, this is a feature that will protect you from snoopers and hackers who might try to intercept the information. Even if they figure out how to intercept it, they can't read it without your private key.

How does PGP encryption work? PGP software is used to generate 2 types of keys: a public key and a private key. The private key is yours and yours alone and when you create it, it is automatically embedded into your e-mail application program. Your public key is the one that you will give out to other people who want to send you encrypted messages. They will use the public key to encrypt the message and only you, with your private key, will be able to decrypt it. A helpful analogy might be that of a puzzle. Each key is like a puzzle piece and unless they fit together, your message will not readable.

Sound like a good idea? Here's what you'll need to do in order to set it up:

(These instructions assume that you are using a PC and Outlook Express as your e-mail application program)

1) Download your own copy of PGP. There are many places on the web where you can do this. If you go to a search engine, and search under "PGP download" you'll find numerous sources.

PGP Freeware is distributed without cost for personal, non-commercial use. Here is where you can download it for free if this is how you plan to use it:

http://web.mit.edu/network/pgp.html

If you are going to use PGP for commercial purposes, you will need to purchase a copy of it. Here is a link to where you can download an evaluation copy of it for commercial use, with the option to purchase after 30 days:

http://pgp.com/

2) Generate your public and private keys:

Choose PGP Tools as shown above.

Click on the key icon on the left end of the tool bar.

Click on the Key Icon (hi-lighted area), the "Key Generation Wizard" will lead you through the process.

The text that you enter into the "Full Name" field will be associated with your key. You do not actually need to use your name. Whatever you name you choose, do not put any spaces in it. For "Key Type", choose Diffie-Hellman/DSS. When you are prompted for a passphrase, be sure to make a note of it, because you will need it later when you decrypt your messages.

3) Export your public key from PGP:

In the PGPkeys dialogue box, choose the public key that you want to use. Then click on the disk icon on the right end of the tool bar and browse for the location where you want to export your key file to.



4) Install your public key into the PGP section of your control panel:

Open up a text editor, such as Notepad, and from within the application, open up your key file that you just exported. You'll see garbled looking text that looks something like this:

-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: PGPfreeware 6.5.8 for non-commercial use <http://www.pgp.com>
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237c7eI6KHlTVVg=
=wxsj
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

Select all of the text and copy it. Now you're going to paste it into the PGP area of your control panel. From your control panel, click on the PGP icon. Paste your key into the text area designated for your PGPMail public key. Then click on the Submit button.

5) Test your PGP key:

After you submit your new key, click on the link for test sending a PGPMail. Choose the key you'd like to test, then enter the subject, e-mail address, text for the message, and hit the Send button.

Now open up Outlook Express and check to see it you have received the message. When you receive it, double click on it, and you will see it open up in a new window. Click on the "Decrypt PGP Message" button at the top of the window. You'll be prompted for the passphrase that you chose when you generated your key. Enter the key, and you should miraculously see your message appear!

6) Set up a form that sends you encrypted PGP messages:

Just set up a form as you normally would, but instead of using formmail, you'll use pgpmail. Your action line will be:

<FORM ACTION = "/cgi-sys/pgpmail.pl" METHOD = "POST">

For a full set of directions on how to use other form fields with the pgpmail script, click on the PGPMail button on your control panel. A full set of instructions for using this script can be accessed from this button.

Your keyname is actually the e-mail address that you entered when you generated your key. You can also see the keyname from your list of keys that you'll find when you click on the PGP button on your control panel. A list of your keys will appear at the top of the page. The key name will be to the right of the name that you associated with the key. For example, if the key is listed as

AlphaKey < alpha@domain.com >

then your keyname is alpha@domain.com.

Your form will send encrypted messages to the e-mail address that you specify within your form.

SPECIAL NOTE!! If you find that the e-mails sent from your form include only your username and not the encrypted message, please contact us via our support form at http://oneworldhosting.com/support.html

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