Use of privacy-enhanced mail for software distribution

There is currently only limited assurance that software electronically downloaded from a central source is a faithful copy of the original software. Current Internet standards for privacy enhancement of electronic mail can also be employed to protect electronic distribution of software. The standards offer disclosure protection, source (sender) authentication, and message integrity services. However, electronic mail is a relatively inefficient means for distributing software. Proposed modifications to the mail privacy-enhancement standards will permit files to be afforded integrity and source authentication protection in a manner compatible with current file transfer conventions.<>