[strictnein]

I mean, sure, but if you're sending him a PGP encrypted message, and his public key was messed with, the end result would just be his inability to open the message.

I think his actual point was to try and discredit the messenger.

[tlrobinson]

The attacker would then be able to read your encrypted messsage (and possibly re-encrypt it with the original key before forwarding it)

Also, PGP keys may also be used to sign software or other public messages (not a typical use-case for journalists, though)

[strictnein]

You're kind of out in the weeds now.

Also, you don't sign software or whatever with a public key, so I'm not 100% sure you understand how this works.