Re: mpi too large (42434 bits)

[Kyle Wheeler <kyle-mutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tuesday, October 25 at 10:17 AM, quoth jhelfman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
> Hi.
>
> When I send encrypted files to recipients through mutt, they are 
> receiving
> this error when trying to decrypt.
>
> mpi too large (42434 bits)
>
> If I send with another MUA, there are no issues.
>
> Do you have any ideas what this could point to?

Hmm, well, an MPI is a multi-precision-integer. They're explained here: 
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/gpg/wkoch_rfc2440.html

An MPI consists of two pieces: a number saying how many bits there are, 
and a string consisting of the bits. Strictly literally speaking, it has 
a ceiling on the number of bits. The representation itself, according to 
that RFC, can handle about 65535 bits... but 2^42434 is an INCREDIBLY 
HUGE number. That's about 5.2k of memory for a *single* number (remember 
back when computers only had 8k of memory for everything they did?). So, 
either your gpg has a different self-imposed ceiling on MPI values, or 
it detected a different problem: it somehow detected that the MPI had a 
larger string of bits than it was supposed to (note: this could be 
pretty hard to detect in an efficient system).

In either case, it sounds like a bug in GPG. What version do you have 
installed? I've got 1.4.2 installed and I haven't had a problem with it 
(certainly not a problem like that). Also, how big of a thing are you 
trying to encrypt?

~Kyle

P.S. Just because large numbers are cool... 2^42434 is:
8069302665049837285185927484586516887901749316273798113666703517310686974
6971265855054275911087866892580947690440324144618698660828943413917898767
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Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
                                                 -- George Bernard Shaw

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