MIT PGP Public Key Server

Using the email interface

OpenPGP Public Email Keyservers
-------------------------------

There are OpenPGP public email key servers which allow one to exchange
public keys running using the Internet.  Those capable of accessing
the WWW might prefer to use the WWW interface available via http://pgp.mit.edu/

This service exists only to help transfer keys between PGP users. 
It does NOT attempt to guarantee that a key is a valid key; 
use the signatures on a key for that kind of security.

Valid commands are:

Command                Result
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------
INDEX userid           List all PGP keys containing the words in userid
VERBOSE INDEX userid   Verbose list of all keys containing userid
GET userid             Get the key(s) matching userid
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Each keyserver processes requests in the form of mail messages.
The commands for the server are entered on the Subject: line.
---------------------------------------------- ======== -----
Note that they should NOT be included in the body of the message.
--------------------- === ---------------------------------------

For example, to list the keys for the user foo@example.com, send the
following mail:

        To: pgp-public-keys@pgp.mit.edu
        From: johndoe@some.site.edu
        Subject: index foo@example.com



LIMITATIONS:

Most keyservers have a limit on the number of keys they return in 
queries, in order not to swamp you with too many keys in case you 
made a typo (the full database at the keyservers exceeds 3GB).

If you *REALLY* need the whole index file or key ring, *PLEASE* 
contact the administrator of a keyserver and ask them for a dump.

NOTE: PGP is extremely slow when operating on large keyrings. Adding
      the full ring of the keyserver to your own ring will take several
      *MONTHS* to complete.