As its name implies, only you have access to your private key, but in order to correspond with other PGP users you need a copy of their public keys and they need a copy of yours. You use your private key to sign the email messages and file attachments you send to others and to decrypt the messages and files they send to you. Conversely, you use the public keys of others to send them encrypted email and to verify their digital signatures. Each of the products can be installed and uninstalled in any combination to automatically combine the functionality. Smart Card Support PGP now provides full support for smart cards.
Smart cards allow private key storage on secured hardware.
Decryption and signing operations using private keys stored on smart cards occur on the smart card itself. Keys can also be generated on the card, and the cards do not allow the private keys to be read off the card. The smart card features have been integrated into PGP's core functionality and thus are available in all of the PGP products whenever key pairs are used. For best results, we recommend using these cards. PGP's smart card implementation is fully compatible with certificates placed on cards by Windows 2000 or Netscape Communicator.