Mixing
I got “BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK†attached to an email and I don't know what it is
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
14
down vote
favorite
Okay, I have no clue what this is, but I just received an email that has this in it.
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----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=o7zB
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
If this means something, could someone decode it for me? If not, then could someone just tell me what it is?
email pgp
edited 5 mins ago
Andy Lester
938413
asked 6 hours ago
user958945
743
New contributor
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
14
down vote
favorite
Okay, I have no clue what this is, but I just received an email that has this in it.
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----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=o7zB
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
If this means something, could someone decode it for me? If not, then could someone just tell me what it is?
email pgp
edited 5 mins ago
Andy Lester
938413
asked 6 hours ago
user958945
743
New contributor
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
What kind of attachment was that in?
– BruceWayne
5 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
14
down vote
favorite
up vote
14
down vote
favorite
Okay, I have no clue what this is, but I just received an email that has this in it.
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
mQENBFuo3pABCAC3i5oPA+wyTfWZF5VohQCX6Xqm6Cp9nRm2lG7xkc9c9vS1Mbig
EezO/s/UJii30kU3A5Tb/QvdAPZow4qzz4c+b9QLFj0zh8HGlD4TeTj7UD2qiymk
EfEDUrSPb2twW8SBsZ0oeWK/k4YMhi3K12Zk7/I5VafpLlmah0YmfQSHR1wS6aZL
Kj00Vpe+COPIo9EI82ScI1LxOBZ1Nok0qR+fbkS2u+TJQtGEA//QySLlVeSVVYK3
08rFn4HxyCyC5N0S98rAUDex4/Inv2mPwo6o5moukulOyYYBH9wwYpVEMEx/vTmV
lo6piB3ErPRKynXpz6RCtFOaKkhXWg6R2415ABEBAAG0IVNlYW4gUGxvd3MgPHNl
YW4ucGxvd3NAZ21haWwuY29tPokBTgQTAQoAOBYhBBZoO2NFz7Tg1ow6aBnIWgxa
y6CIBQJbqN6QAhsDBQsJCAcCBhUKCQgLAgQWAgMBAh4BAheAAAoJEBnIWgxay6CI
0uwH/3N1W+1Sa0mcVsR/Q9fwo32No/O/s0P8yKNxutwvN9BMwSVoTGnZP1AezuCK
wXasWju9Gs33ALY/uv7S3/WAz6hhLCzrKvRawBDbEcwp2G+0sBUd3z6Svteu/pDY
wADXVposcPuCJEI/lQhyj37v6AISVg1iTx8ogbec9sjrxxEFl4hi2Brl6bB+v9U0
GNsDrhwcm2swFJciMVk6SRPNhMKlS3evKGCnSMOQROld3muAvNY7Zvn/7tSappim
K/QpjmUGPXEM4bvrv5x+E94iTxxvOI+QnGQlPnt5z8xJ1QVLe88pqVX/IMdfvnCF
rUIIqJrqYSGfLhfiNXgsbSjc0L+5AQ0EW6jekAEIANmq0B9oybeULp+Bejqyt8bl
L7xwn33bdraqPnz4575Ir68JsTeh+M9fhMMoyJCwcBGgsianFi1nd2GfeFl638bA
HXSdyi3NhS2W65wMAwc6ZzA+9C0SnOl+5FVwB9gYR+fdyHyRLq8KvIAgmMPZFhYV
BtNvOP4qgdY3wD7qRgnc9TuCyAmUzPwPfQaZH3bDdRa586/WR4GWJm8Akt+ZcWO8
s0amZrCbcMSHDRIhxfWcV4zJvYeuqKC/cnHbvEkjEZwXgyg7L7mvkfckecpgSyhk
CukS2unzHU3SAjG55RDOJ9zTH5YS0xEwlGHCkFtSKGd4yx2ZEm1OtzYONy+mgMcA
EQEAAYkBNgQYAQoAIBYhBBZoO2NFz7Tg1ow6aBnIWgxay6CIBQJbqN6QAhsMAAoJ
EBnIWgxay6CIINIH/jgy/fbpOvlMH/N5Vihiifzd4K+5NRyDAYyIJH3vdJ+L2y+z
nUzI8RBMA8RUVez2EPvcSOU0ffty+Tnho3tQ0swr1muBCh0SEq3rg36TjC8bqoy+
/wtrs2GWZbBZU6DVCsaqB7d4KsA5BZLXvs7aS8oRJyFxdXa9+dXUkLBQpqd9Jq9E
MoXmkYnDZbj1XeSjJ/e2TXOLp4kSte3gr2zXnOOjEpz0f1gehs78S/9xBRLM2RAy
QpXREAeiwTc6ALBoBp4pkNX7oG/UN6cOQhO3+kk3UbZaBGET/emrcSHCe1Zl+lTb
1V5RdZvs8gJOuzFIl0iuHBpRq7cmJRN4el3KzAM=
=o7zB
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
If this means something, could someone decode it for me? If not, then could someone just tell me what it is?
email pgp
edited 5 mins ago
Andy Lester
938413
asked 6 hours ago
user958945
743
New contributor
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Okay, I have no clue what this is, but I just received an email that has this in it.
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----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=o7zB
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
If this means something, could someone decode it for me? If not, then could someone just tell me what it is?
email pgp
email pgp
edited 5 mins ago
Andy Lester
938413
asked 6 hours ago
user958945
743
New contributor
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 5 mins ago
Andy Lester
938413
asked 6 hours ago
user958945
743
New contributor
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 5 mins ago
Andy Lester
938413
edited 5 mins ago
Andy Lester
938413
edited 5 mins ago
Andy Lester
938413
938413
asked 6 hours ago
user958945
743
New contributor
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 6 hours ago
user958945
743
asked 6 hours ago
user958945
743
743
New contributor
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
user958945 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
What kind of attachment was that in?
– BruceWayne
5 hours ago
add a comment |Â
What kind of attachment was that in?
– BruceWayne
5 hours ago
What kind of attachment was that in?
– BruceWayne
5 hours ago
What kind of attachment was that in?
– BruceWayne
5 hours ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
25
down vote
This is the PGP public key belonging to (presumably) the email's author. Its primary uses are:
to encrypt messages that you're sending to the key's owner (i.e. email privacy);
to verify digital signatures made by the key's owner (proof of authorship).
The PGP standard is used by such software as GnuPG (Gpg4win), Enigmail, OpenKeychain, Symantec Desktop Email Encryption (aka PGP.com), and so on.
As for why it was sent to you: you'll have to ask the person you got it from. Note that some mail apps begin automatically attaching the sender's PGP key to all messages as soon as the feature is set up, even if the sender didn't exactly ask for it.
If the sender didn't specifically request usage of PGP encryption or signing, and if you don't intend to use it either, then the attachment can be ignored.
answered 5 hours ago
grawity
224k33459523
18
Obligatory xkcd
– grawity
5 hours ago
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- xdxdxd314159265thisisnotfake979323helpimtrappedinauniversefactory999999randomdigits4 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
– Mateen Ulhaq
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
It's harmless, and possibly useful. Users of PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) (and other similar apps) send a 'public key', such as you saw in the message, so folks who have the key for that user can verify the message really came from the named sender. The 'public key' can also be used to encrypt a message which anyone w/ a PGP-like app can send to that user which only that user can decrypt with his private key.
answered 5 hours ago
K7AAY
2,80121434
1
Almost, but this makes a very important mistake: the private key is held only by the the sender -- hence why it's called private. The public key can be used by anyone to verify that the message came from the person who holds the private key.
– josh3736
4 hours ago
Excellent! TY, josh3736! Amended.
– K7AAY
4 hours ago
@josh3736 - (I admit I'm pretty new to this) - Now that OP posted the Public Key, can't I impersonate the sender now? If only the sender ("John Doe") has the private key, how would the recipient know that the sender is John Doe and not Jane Doe?
– BruceWayne
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne You can use the public key on any message, but that would just encrypt it in a way that only the holder of the private key could read the message. If you were the person with the private key, you wouldn't be able to "encrypt" your message but you would be able to "sign" it so that anyone with the public key (which is, the whole world) could verify.
– snetch
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne No, you'd need the private key in order to impersonate the sender. The public key allows you to encrypt a message TO the sender, so in the future you can send them private messages (well, as private as the encryption used by PGP, of course!).
– Brian
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
25
down vote
This is the PGP public key belonging to (presumably) the email's author. Its primary uses are:
to encrypt messages that you're sending to the key's owner (i.e. email privacy);
to verify digital signatures made by the key's owner (proof of authorship).
The PGP standard is used by such software as GnuPG (Gpg4win), Enigmail, OpenKeychain, Symantec Desktop Email Encryption (aka PGP.com), and so on.
As for why it was sent to you: you'll have to ask the person you got it from. Note that some mail apps begin automatically attaching the sender's PGP key to all messages as soon as the feature is set up, even if the sender didn't exactly ask for it.
If the sender didn't specifically request usage of PGP encryption or signing, and if you don't intend to use it either, then the attachment can be ignored.
answered 5 hours ago
grawity
224k33459523
18
Obligatory xkcd
– grawity
5 hours ago
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- xdxdxd314159265thisisnotfake979323helpimtrappedinauniversefactory999999randomdigits4 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
– Mateen Ulhaq
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
25
down vote
This is the PGP public key belonging to (presumably) the email's author. Its primary uses are:
to encrypt messages that you're sending to the key's owner (i.e. email privacy);
to verify digital signatures made by the key's owner (proof of authorship).
The PGP standard is used by such software as GnuPG (Gpg4win), Enigmail, OpenKeychain, Symantec Desktop Email Encryption (aka PGP.com), and so on.
As for why it was sent to you: you'll have to ask the person you got it from. Note that some mail apps begin automatically attaching the sender's PGP key to all messages as soon as the feature is set up, even if the sender didn't exactly ask for it.
If the sender didn't specifically request usage of PGP encryption or signing, and if you don't intend to use it either, then the attachment can be ignored.
answered 5 hours ago
grawity
224k33459523
18
Obligatory xkcd
– grawity
5 hours ago
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- xdxdxd314159265thisisnotfake979323helpimtrappedinauniversefactory999999randomdigits4 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
– Mateen Ulhaq
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
25
down vote
up vote
25
down vote
This is the PGP public key belonging to (presumably) the email's author. Its primary uses are:
to encrypt messages that you're sending to the key's owner (i.e. email privacy);
to verify digital signatures made by the key's owner (proof of authorship).
The PGP standard is used by such software as GnuPG (Gpg4win), Enigmail, OpenKeychain, Symantec Desktop Email Encryption (aka PGP.com), and so on.
As for why it was sent to you: you'll have to ask the person you got it from. Note that some mail apps begin automatically attaching the sender's PGP key to all messages as soon as the feature is set up, even if the sender didn't exactly ask for it.
If the sender didn't specifically request usage of PGP encryption or signing, and if you don't intend to use it either, then the attachment can be ignored.
answered 5 hours ago
grawity
224k33459523
This is the PGP public key belonging to (presumably) the email's author. Its primary uses are:
to encrypt messages that you're sending to the key's owner (i.e. email privacy);
to verify digital signatures made by the key's owner (proof of authorship).
The PGP standard is used by such software as GnuPG (Gpg4win), Enigmail, OpenKeychain, Symantec Desktop Email Encryption (aka PGP.com), and so on.
As for why it was sent to you: you'll have to ask the person you got it from. Note that some mail apps begin automatically attaching the sender's PGP key to all messages as soon as the feature is set up, even if the sender didn't exactly ask for it.
If the sender didn't specifically request usage of PGP encryption or signing, and if you don't intend to use it either, then the attachment can be ignored.
answered 5 hours ago
grawity
224k33459523
edited 5 hours ago
answered 5 hours ago
grawity
224k33459523
answered 5 hours ago
grawity
224k33459523
answered 5 hours ago
grawity
224k33459523
224k33459523
18
Obligatory xkcd
– grawity
5 hours ago
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- xdxdxd314159265thisisnotfake979323helpimtrappedinauniversefactory999999randomdigits4 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
– Mateen Ulhaq
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
18
Obligatory xkcd
– grawity
5 hours ago
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- xdxdxd314159265thisisnotfake979323helpimtrappedinauniversefactory999999randomdigits4 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
– Mateen Ulhaq
1 hour ago
18
18
Obligatory xkcd
– grawity
5 hours ago
Obligatory xkcd
– grawity
5 hours ago
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- xdxdxd314159265thisisnotfake979323helpimtrappedinauniversefactory999999randomdigits4 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----– Mateen Ulhaq
1 hour ago
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- xdxdxd314159265thisisnotfake979323helpimtrappedinauniversefactory999999randomdigits4 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----– Mateen Ulhaq
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
It's harmless, and possibly useful. Users of PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) (and other similar apps) send a 'public key', such as you saw in the message, so folks who have the key for that user can verify the message really came from the named sender. The 'public key' can also be used to encrypt a message which anyone w/ a PGP-like app can send to that user which only that user can decrypt with his private key.
answered 5 hours ago
K7AAY
2,80121434
1
Almost, but this makes a very important mistake: the private key is held only by the the sender -- hence why it's called private. The public key can be used by anyone to verify that the message came from the person who holds the private key.
– josh3736
4 hours ago
Excellent! TY, josh3736! Amended.
– K7AAY
4 hours ago
@josh3736 - (I admit I'm pretty new to this) - Now that OP posted the Public Key, can't I impersonate the sender now? If only the sender ("John Doe") has the private key, how would the recipient know that the sender is John Doe and not Jane Doe?
– BruceWayne
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne You can use the public key on any message, but that would just encrypt it in a way that only the holder of the private key could read the message. If you were the person with the private key, you wouldn't be able to "encrypt" your message but you would be able to "sign" it so that anyone with the public key (which is, the whole world) could verify.
– snetch
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne No, you'd need the private key in order to impersonate the sender. The public key allows you to encrypt a message TO the sender, so in the future you can send them private messages (well, as private as the encryption used by PGP, of course!).
– Brian
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
It's harmless, and possibly useful. Users of PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) (and other similar apps) send a 'public key', such as you saw in the message, so folks who have the key for that user can verify the message really came from the named sender. The 'public key' can also be used to encrypt a message which anyone w/ a PGP-like app can send to that user which only that user can decrypt with his private key.
answered 5 hours ago
K7AAY
2,80121434
1
Almost, but this makes a very important mistake: the private key is held only by the the sender -- hence why it's called private. The public key can be used by anyone to verify that the message came from the person who holds the private key.
– josh3736
4 hours ago
Excellent! TY, josh3736! Amended.
– K7AAY
4 hours ago
@josh3736 - (I admit I'm pretty new to this) - Now that OP posted the Public Key, can't I impersonate the sender now? If only the sender ("John Doe") has the private key, how would the recipient know that the sender is John Doe and not Jane Doe?
– BruceWayne
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne You can use the public key on any message, but that would just encrypt it in a way that only the holder of the private key could read the message. If you were the person with the private key, you wouldn't be able to "encrypt" your message but you would be able to "sign" it so that anyone with the public key (which is, the whole world) could verify.
– snetch
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne No, you'd need the private key in order to impersonate the sender. The public key allows you to encrypt a message TO the sender, so in the future you can send them private messages (well, as private as the encryption used by PGP, of course!).
– Brian
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
up vote
9
down vote
It's harmless, and possibly useful. Users of PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) (and other similar apps) send a 'public key', such as you saw in the message, so folks who have the key for that user can verify the message really came from the named sender. The 'public key' can also be used to encrypt a message which anyone w/ a PGP-like app can send to that user which only that user can decrypt with his private key.
answered 5 hours ago
K7AAY
2,80121434
It's harmless, and possibly useful. Users of PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) (and other similar apps) send a 'public key', such as you saw in the message, so folks who have the key for that user can verify the message really came from the named sender. The 'public key' can also be used to encrypt a message which anyone w/ a PGP-like app can send to that user which only that user can decrypt with his private key.
answered 5 hours ago
K7AAY
2,80121434
edited 4 hours ago
answered 5 hours ago
K7AAY
2,80121434
answered 5 hours ago
K7AAY
2,80121434
answered 5 hours ago
K7AAY
2,80121434
2,80121434
1
Almost, but this makes a very important mistake: the private key is held only by the the sender -- hence why it's called private. The public key can be used by anyone to verify that the message came from the person who holds the private key.
– josh3736
4 hours ago
Excellent! TY, josh3736! Amended.
– K7AAY
4 hours ago
@josh3736 - (I admit I'm pretty new to this) - Now that OP posted the Public Key, can't I impersonate the sender now? If only the sender ("John Doe") has the private key, how would the recipient know that the sender is John Doe and not Jane Doe?
– BruceWayne
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne You can use the public key on any message, but that would just encrypt it in a way that only the holder of the private key could read the message. If you were the person with the private key, you wouldn't be able to "encrypt" your message but you would be able to "sign" it so that anyone with the public key (which is, the whole world) could verify.
– snetch
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne No, you'd need the private key in order to impersonate the sender. The public key allows you to encrypt a message TO the sender, so in the future you can send them private messages (well, as private as the encryption used by PGP, of course!).
– Brian
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
1
Almost, but this makes a very important mistake: the private key is held only by the the sender -- hence why it's called private. The public key can be used by anyone to verify that the message came from the person who holds the private key.
– josh3736
4 hours ago
Excellent! TY, josh3736! Amended.
– K7AAY
4 hours ago
@josh3736 - (I admit I'm pretty new to this) - Now that OP posted the Public Key, can't I impersonate the sender now? If only the sender ("John Doe") has the private key, how would the recipient know that the sender is John Doe and not Jane Doe?
– BruceWayne
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne You can use the public key on any message, but that would just encrypt it in a way that only the holder of the private key could read the message. If you were the person with the private key, you wouldn't be able to "encrypt" your message but you would be able to "sign" it so that anyone with the public key (which is, the whole world) could verify.
– snetch
1 hour ago
1
@BruceWayne No, you'd need the private key in order to impersonate the sender. The public key allows you to encrypt a message TO the sender, so in the future you can send them private messages (well, as private as the encryption used by PGP, of course!).
– Brian
1 hour ago
1
1
Almost, but this makes a very important mistake: the private key is held only by the the sender -- hence why it's called private. The public key can be used by anyone to verify that the message came from the person who holds the private key.
– josh3736
4 hours ago
Almost, but this makes a very important mistake: the private key is held only by the the sender -- hence why it's called private. The public key can be used by anyone to verify that the message came from the person who holds the private key.
– josh3736
4 hours ago
Excellent! TY, josh3736! Amended.
– K7AAY
4 hours ago
Excellent! TY, josh3736! Amended.
– K7AAY
4 hours ago
@josh3736 - (I admit I'm pretty new to this) - Now that OP posted the Public Key, can't I impersonate the sender now? If only the sender ("John Doe") has the private key, how would the recipient know that the sender is John Doe and not Jane Doe?
– BruceWayne
1 hour ago
@josh3736 - (I admit I'm pretty new to this) - Now that OP posted the Public Key, can't I impersonate the sender now? If only the sender ("John Doe") has the private key, how would the recipient know that the sender is John Doe and not Jane Doe?
– BruceWayne
1 hour ago
1
1
@BruceWayne You can use the public key on any message, but that would just encrypt it in a way that only the holder of the private key could read the message. If you were the person with the private key, you wouldn't be able to "encrypt" your message but you would be able to "sign" it so that anyone with the public key (which is, the whole world) could verify.
– snetch
1 hour ago
@BruceWayne You can use the public key on any message, but that would just encrypt it in a way that only the holder of the private key could read the message. If you were the person with the private key, you wouldn't be able to "encrypt" your message but you would be able to "sign" it so that anyone with the public key (which is, the whole world) could verify.
– snetch
1 hour ago
1
1
@BruceWayne No, you'd need the private key in order to impersonate the sender. The public key allows you to encrypt a message TO the sender, so in the future you can send them private messages (well, as private as the encryption used by PGP, of course!).
– Brian
1 hour ago
@BruceWayne No, you'd need the private key in order to impersonate the sender. The public key allows you to encrypt a message TO the sender, so in the future you can send them private messages (well, as private as the encryption used by PGP, of course!).
– Brian
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
user958945 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user958945 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user958945 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user958945 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fsuperuser.com%2fquestions%2f1371313%2fi-got-begin-pgp-public-key-block-attached-to-an-email-and-i-dont-know-what-it%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
What kind of attachment was that in?
– BruceWayne
5 hours ago