RNP proudly supports LibrePGP
on
22 Jul 2024
At RNP, we are excited to announce our support for LibrePGP, a new specification of the OpenPGP encryption standard that builds on the lessons learned from the 20 years of experience with OpenPGP, allowing secure messages in the past to remain secure in the future.
What is LibrePGP?
LibrePGP is a new specification of the OpenPGP secure email standard that is designed to ensure the long-term stability, compatibility and security of protection communication.
LibrePGP is conceived and backed by g10 Code, Ribose, and Intevation, and is maintained by a study group consisting of the founding group with other interested implementers.
What is the vision of LibrePGP?
"Libre" is derived from the Latin word for "free". It emphasizes freedom, openness, and unrestricted use.
"PGP" stands for Pretty Good Privacy, the original encryption program developed by Phil Zimmermann in 1991 that became the basis for the OpenPGP standard.
LibrePGP represents the next step for the future of OpenPGP:
- Free and open
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LibrePGP aims to keep encryption technology accessible to all, free from proprietary restrictions or government interference.
- Stable and compatible
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It builds on 20+ years of OpenPGP experience, ensuring long-term stability and compatibility with existing systems.
- Security-focused
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LibrePGP prioritizes real-world security concerns over purely academic interests, making it suitable for deployments in critical sectors.
- Forward-looking
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LibrePGP represents a future for encrypted communication that supports rapid evolution, incorporating new algorithms like OCB when beneficial.
- Trusted
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With its commitment to open-source and collaboration among respected developers, LibrePGP aims to be a globally trusted standard for secure communication.
The vision for LibrePGP is to ensure that strong, reliable encryption remains freely available to defend privacy and secure communication worldwide. It seeks to balance innovation with stability, ensuring that the technology evolves to meet new challenges while maintaining the interoperability and reliability that have made PGP a cornerstone of digital security for decades.
Why is RNP Supporting LibrePGP?
We believe that LibrePGP is an essential step forward in preserving the core principles of openness and compatibility in secure communication.
We share the concerns that sparked the LibrePGP initiative: changes made to the OpenPGP specification by a subgroup within the IETF OpenPGP working group were perceived as potentially disrupting existing implementations, raising concerns about interoperability and security.
As a developer of OpenPGP tools, we believe that LibrePGP is a vital effort to ensure the long-term stability and compatibility of secure communication protocols. Our involvement in LibrePGP reflects our commitment to preserving the security, reliability, and flexibility of the OpenPGP standard.
GnuPG (GNU Privacy Guard) has been the de-facto reference implementation of OpenPGP for over two decades. Its widespread adoption and use have provided valuable insights into the needs and requirements of secure communication protocols. LibrePGP builds on these lessons learned, providing a robust and flexible specification that is designed to meet the evolving needs of secure communication.
LibrePGP is not just a specification. It is a movement — a collaborative effort to protect digital rights, support freedom of speech, and provide a robust foundation for secure communication in an increasingly digital world.
LibrePGP is our bulwark against attempts to weaken encryption standards, ensuring that individuals, journalists, activists, and organizations always have access to strong, trustworthy encryption tools.
This is exactly why we are proud to support LibrePGP and contribute to its contributions to its development and adoption.
Long-term collaboration with g10 Code and Intevation
As the developer of RNP, Ribose works closely with g10 Code, the developer of GnuPG, and Intevation, the developer of Gpg4win, the most prevalent OpenPGP implementation available on Windows. Our teams perform a significant amount of interoperability testing to ensure that our implementations are compatible and secure.
Together, we defend internet mail and sensitive information internationally in a trusted manner, all through a commitment to open-source. Our shared goal is to ensure that secure communication is accessible to everyone, regardless of platform or system.
In fact, RNP and GnuPG were the first two implementations that supported OCB (Offset Codebook) encryption, a high-performance and secure encryption algorithm designed by Prof. Phillip Rogaway.
We successfully interoperated with OCB encryption since 2018, demonstrating our commitment to implementing and testing new encryption algorithms. OCB encryption is now a mandatory part of the LibrePGP specification, and we are proud to have played a key role in its adoption.
What does this mean for RNP users?
What’s next?
We will continue to work closely with the LibrePGP community to ensure that the RNP implementation meets the evolving needs of secure communication.
About RNP
RNP is a set of openly-licensed LibrePGP / OpenPGP tools that work on all major platforms. RNP provides end-to-end encryption for secure communication, including email and file encryption.
Learn more about our projects and how we are committed to preserving the security and compatibility of OpenPGP standards.
About LibrePGP
LibrePGP is a new specification of the OpenPGP encryption standard that builds on the lessons learned from global deployment of OpenPGP technology backed with over 20 years of experience.
It is designed to ensure the long-term stability and compatibility of secure communication protocols. Visit the LibrePGP website to learn more about the initiative.