PGP: pgp -ke

so, like, what's to stop me from writing a program (based on pgp source
   code) which can delete user IDs from my own keys after other folks have
   signed them?  in fact, how *can* i change the user ID on a key after it
   has been signed?

   the pgp docs are unclear on how this works.  can someone help me to
   understand what it means exactly when a key is signed?  what parts of
   the key are certified by the signature?

Hi.

A signature on a key is a cryptographic signature of the key and
userid.  Therefore, you cannot remove your userid from the key and
hope to keep the signatures valid.

The other problem is that once other people have your userid on your
key, which is neccessary for them to sign it, then you need to have
them remove it, too, etc.

Basically, signatures and userids currently act like viruses...  Once
they escape, its nearly impossible to contain them again....

-derek

  Derek Atkins, MIT '93, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
     Secretary, MIT Student Information Processing Board (SIPB)
           MIT Media Laboratory, Speech Research Group
           warlord@MIT.EDU       PP-ASEL        N1NWH