PGP
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Cybersecurity
| Stands for | Pretty Good Privacy |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
PGP stands for Pretty Good Privacy, a cybersecurity abbreviation.
An encryption program and standard for signing and encrypting email and files with public-key cryptography, built around a decentralized "web of trust" rather than certificate authorities. Journalists, activists and software projects use it to verify messages and releases.
Example: The security team publishes its PGP key so researchers can report vulnerabilities confidentially.
Usage notes
Written by Phil Zimmermann and released in 1991; US authorities investigated him over the export of strong encryption until dropping the case in 1996. The open standard is OpenPGP (RFC 4880, updated by RFC 9580 in 2024). Usability problems, documented in the 1999 paper "Why Johnny Can't Encrypt", kept it from mainstream adoption.
Related abbreviations
More cybersecurity abbreviations
- OSINT – Open-source intelligence
- OTP – One-time password
- OWASP – Open Worldwide Application Security Project
- PAM – Privileged access management
- PCI DSS – Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
- PFS – Perfect forward secrecy
- PII – Personally identifiable information
- PKI – Public key infrastructure
- PUP – Potentially unwanted program
- RaaS – Ransomware as a service
- RADIUS – Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service
- RAT – Remote access trojan