PGP & GPG

158 Chapter 11

your passphrase shorter just for convenience; the whole reason

you’re using it is to protect that vital passphrase!

Although we concentrated on passphrase theft, the file

containing your private key is just as important as the pass-

phrase itself. If someone has physical access to your machine,

the person can always break open the case and steal or copy

your hard drive to get your private key file. For this reason,

many people keep all their public and private keys on a USB

flash drive: It’s more difficult for someone to steal your crypto-

graphic keys if they’re kept with your car keys or in your watch.

Software Compromise

If your operating system is insecure, Mallory can violate your

privacy from almost anywhere in the world. Worms, ...