Question about MDC Packets

Len Sassaman <rabbi@quickie.net> Mon, 22 July 2002 19:22 UTC

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Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 12:10:10 -0700
From: Len Sassaman <rabbi@quickie.net>
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To: ietf-openpgp@imc.org
Subject: Question about MDC Packets
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In RFC 2440-bis5:5.13, it says:

   There is a corresponding feature in the features signature subpacket
   that denotes that an implementation can properly use this packet
   type. An implementation SHOULD NOT use this packet when encrypting
   to a recipient that does not state it can use this packet, and
   SHOULD prefer this to older Symmetrically Encrypted Data Packet when
   possible.

This doesn't, however, give any indication of what to do when using pure
symmetric encryption. What is the preferred behavior when symmetrically
encrypting a file using AES? Should an OpenPGP implementation use the MDC
by default?


--Len.