How to Pull a Public Key From a Digital Signature
- 1). Look at the name and email address from which the message was sent. When a user creates an encryption key using the PGP system, he uploads his public key to a network of key servers. This allows people to download his public key. With this, they can confirm his digital signatures, and encrypt documents so only he, with his private key, can open them.
- 2). Open your Internet browser and log on to a public key server (see "Resources").
- 3). Click on the key server's "Search" link, or click in a search box on the key server's front page. Search for the name and email address that sent you the digital signature by typing them into the search bar and clicking the "Search" button.
- 4). Click on the "fingerprint," or the string of letters and numbers next to the creation date of the public key of the person you are looking for. This will display that person's public key.
