PGP Cryptography at ROUGOL, Mon 19th June 2017

This month’s meeting of the RISC OS User Group Of London is:

PGP Cryptography and Security
– presented by Dr Nat Queen of Birmingham University

Monday 19th June 2017, 7:45pm

The Blue-Eyed Maid (upstairs in the restaurant)
173 Borough High Street
London, SE1 1HR

http://rougol.jellybaby.net/meetings/index.html

With many recent high profile computer hacks and leaks, computer security is a current hot topic. To help guide us through this minefield we are delighted to have Dr Nat Queen from Birmingham University as our guest speaker this month.

Nat will start with general background information on how modern encryption works, in particular to explain the difference between symmetric (conventional) cryptography and public-key cryptography as used in PGP.

He will then talk about security software available for RISC OS including some programs of his own. Depending on attendee’s interests/time, there may also be an opportunity to look at how to use PGP within your email program to sign and/or encrypt messages.

As Nat is travelling down from Birmingham to talk to us, please support him by coming along and joining in the discussions. ROUGOL’s venue is easy to reach by public transport from in and around London and the south east, and serves a good range of Indian and English food and drink.

More venue details on the website – http://rougol.jellybaby.net/bem.html

Nat will start with general background information on how modern encryption works,

…and why Theresa May et al are idiots if they think it is possible to have “good encryption but with a convenient back door for security agencies”…

…because it is cryptographically not possible, no amount of legislation can alter how mathematics works.
…and even if it was, in some alternate reality, can we trust the government to keep secret stuff secret? Try asking the NHS how well the NSA managed to keep their little toys a secret.

Try asking the NHS how well the NSA managed to keep their little toys a secret.

FoI request yesterday “How many of your systems are patched and how many were affected by the malware…”

Response: “We pro-actively patch all systems and no systems suffered a malware infection”

There was another portion of the question delivery. We’d be insane to answer in any way that didn’t politely tell them Foxtrot Oscar.

Reminder that the meeting is this Monday! Do come along for what promises to be a fascinating and informative talk.