> On 1/18/07, Daniel N <has.sox / gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 1/18/07, Jan Svitok <jan.svitok / gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > I have answered similar questions in:
>> > http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/211073
>> and
>> > http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/219842
>> > Especially notice the link to Handbook of Applied Cryptography
>> >
>> > The library you are interested in is OpenSSL
>> >
>> > This might be helpful as well:
>> > http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/228214
>> >
>> > Maybe instead of using PGP to encrypt, you may want to use stardard
>> > PKI (X.509 certificates etc.) - just choose which one is more
>> > convenient to you and/or your users (although I assume OpenSSL
>> > supports the X.509 better)
>> >
>> >
>> Great Thanx for your input.  I'll have a read of these thread asap.
>>
>
> I did find these threads prior to posting.  I'm still no clearer on
> how to implement.  :(
>
> I did look at OpenSSL and there does not seem to be any documentation
> to speak of.  Also there does not seem to be any useable tutorial that
> I could identify on the net for this library.
>
> I do need to read up on PKI X.509 certificates though.

I generally look for documentation for the underlying library when the
docs about the bindings aren't so good. OpenSSL is based on SSL as far
as I know, and that ought to be pretty well documented!

If you're on a unix like machine, you should be able to play about with
SSL and SSH (secure shell, it runs over a secure socket) and get a feel
for how they work (I've got a keys files in the folder: ~/.ssh). My
advice would be to put Ruby to one side and understand the layer below
it.

Sorry if I'm advising on how to suck eggs [best boiled, in my opinion] :)

Cheers,
  Benjohn