At the time our secret keys were assigned, an extra copy was entrusted to the care of the government. The Clipper debate rages. On one side, the government warns that, without Clipper, nuclear terrorists, drug dealers, and pedophiles will roam freely in cyberspace. On the other, respected academics, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and grass roots Cypherpunks demand electronic privacy as a basic right and warn of Big Brother. Zimmermann's attack on Clipper, through PGP, is more subtle than most being mounted.
Intelligence agencies have access to good cryptographic technology.
So do the big arms and drug traffickers. So do defense contractors, oil companies, and other corporate giants. The world of modern cryptography is one that extends beyond the narrow confines of technology to touch upon fundamental issues of privacy, government control, and personal freedom. Pretty Good Privacy is more than simply a Nutshell Handbook for the use of the program. We think you'll find its technical exposition informative and its background stories thought-provoking.