Subject: Encrypted Data Packet Contents

From: "Mr. Morden" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999 19:07:09 GMT

From the RFC so dear...
......................
5.7. Symmetrically Encrypted Data Packet (Tag 9)

   The Symmetrically Encrypted Data packet contains data encrypted with
   a symmetric-key algorithm. When it has been decrypted, it will
   typically contain other packets (often literal data packets or
   compressed data packets).
............................

What gives with *typically*? It should *always* contain other packets 
(Signed, Compressed, Literal, whathaveyou...)

Or, can arbitrary data be placed in this packet?
Does any implementation allow this?

-ted

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---

From: Werner Koch <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 07:43:49 +0200

>    compressed data packets).

From the RFC (10.2):
|   [...]
|   In addition, decrypting a Symmetrically Encrypted Data packet and
|   decompressing a Compressed Data packet must yield a valid OpenPGP
|   Message.

And typically you will either have a signed message, a compressed
packet or a literal packet; however you may cosse to put another
encrypted packet in it.

-- 
Werner Koch at guug.de           www.gnupg.org           keyid 621CC013