diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e8fa8f8..fab35d3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ chmod +x sshencdec.sh
 ./sshencdec.sh -p ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub < plain-text-file.txt > encrypted.txt
 ```
 
+### encrypt a file using multiple recipients (broadcast encryption)
+```
+./sshencdec.sh -p ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub -p id_rsa-alice.pub -p id_rsa-bob.pub < plain-text-file.txt > encrypted.txt
+```
+
 ### encrypt a file using the public key of a github user
 ```
 ./sshencdec.sh -p <(curl -sf "https://github.com/S2-.keys" | head -n1) < plain-text-file.txt
diff --git a/sshencdec.sh b/sshencdec.sh
index 797f1d6..18ce979 100755
--- a/sshencdec.sh
+++ b/sshencdec.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# A POSIX variable
 OPTIND=1 # reset in case getopts has been used previously in the shell.
 
-public_key= #"~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub"
-private_key= #"~/.ssh/id_rsa"
-
 me=`basename "$0"`
 
 show_help() {
@@ -14,68 +10,100 @@ usage: $me [-p <public ssh key> | -s <private ssh key>] [-h]
 
 examples:
     - encrypt a file
-        $me -p ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub < plain-text-file.txt > encrypted.txt
+    $me -p ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub < plain-text-file.txt > encrypted.txt
 
     - decrypt a file
-        $me -s ~/.ssh/id_rsa < encrypted.txt
+    $me -s ~/.ssh/id_rsa < encrypted.txt
 
 $me home page: https://git.e.tern.al/s2/sshencdec
 EOF
 }
 
 cleanup() {
-    rm -f "$temp_file"
-    rm -f "$temp_file_key"
-    rm -f "$temp_file_key.enc"
-    rm -f "$temp_file_ppkey"
+    rm -rf "$temp_dir"
 }
 
 while getopts "h?p:s:" opt; do
     case "$opt" in
     h|\?)
-        show_help
-        exit 0
-        ;;
-    p)  public_key=$OPTARG
-        ;;
+    show_help
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+    p)  public_key+=("$OPTARG")
+    ;;
     s)  private_key=$OPTARG
-        ;;
+    ;;
     esac
 done
 
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
+shift $((OPTIND -1))
 
 [ "$1" = "--" ] && shift
 
-temp_file="$(mktemp -p . -t "$(basename "$0").XXXXXX.enc")"
-temp_file_key="$(mktemp -p . -t "$(basename "$0").XXXXXX.key")"
-temp_file_ppkey="$(mktemp -p . -t "$(basename "$0").XXXXXX.ppkey")"
+temp_dir="$(mktemp -d -t "$me.XXXXXX")"
+temp_file_key="$(mktemp -p $temp_dir -t "$(basename "$0").XXXXXX.key")"
+temp_file="$(mktemp -p $temp_dir -t "$(basename "$0").XXXXXX.cypher")"
 trap cleanup EXIT
 
 #encrypt
-if [[ -e "$public_key" ]]; then
-    ssh-keygen -f "$public_key" -e -m PKCS8 > $temp_file_ppkey
+if [[ "${#public_key[@]}" > 0 ]]; then
     openssl rand 32 > $temp_file_key
 
-    if openssl rsautl -encrypt -pubin -inkey "$temp_file_ppkey" -in "$temp_file_key" -out "$temp_file_key.enc"; then
-        if openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -salt -pass file:"$temp_file_key" > "$temp_file"; then
-            echo "-- encrypted with https://git.e.tern.al/s2/sshencdec"
+    echo "-- encrypted with https://git.e.tern.al/s2/sshencdec"
+    echo "-- keys"
+    for pubkey in "${public_key[@]}"
+    do
+        if [[ -e "$pubkey" ]]; then
             echo "-- key"
-            echo "$(openssl base64 -in "$temp_file_key.enc")"
+            convertedpubkey=$temp_dir/$(basename "$pubkey").pem
+            ssh-keygen -f "$pubkey" -e -m PKCS8 > $convertedpubkey
+            #encrypt key with oublic keys
+            openssl rsautl -encrypt -pubin -inkey "$convertedpubkey" -in "$temp_file_key" -out $temp_dir/$(basename "$pubkey").key.enc
+            openssl base64 -in $temp_dir/$(basename "$pubkey").key.enc
             echo "-- /key"
-            openssl base64 < "$temp_file"
         fi
+    done
+    echo "-- /keys"
+
+    if openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -salt -pass file:"$temp_file_key" > "$temp_file"; then
+        openssl base64 < "$temp_file"
     fi
 
 #decrypt
 elif [[ -e "$private_key" ]]; then
     stdin=`cat`
-    key_enc=$(echo "$stdin" | awk '/-- key/{f=1;next} /-- \/key/{f=0} f')
-    cypher=$(echo "$stdin" | sed -e '1,/-- \/key/d')
-    echo "$key_enc" | openssl base64 -d | openssl rsautl -decrypt -ssl -inkey "$private_key" > "$temp_file"
-    echo "$cypher" | openssl base64 -d | openssl aes-256-cbc -d -pass file:"$temp_file"
+    keys_enc=$(echo "$stdin" | awk '/-- keys/{f=1;next} /-- \/keys/{f=0} f')
+    cypher=$(echo "$stdin" | sed -e '1,/-- \/keys/d')
 
+    i=0
+    while read line ; do \
+        if [ "$line" == "-- key" ]; then
+            i=$(($i + 1))
+        elif [ "$line" == "-- /key" ]; then
+            :
+        else
+            keys[i]="${keys[$i]}$line"
+        fi
+    done <<< "$keys_enc"
+
+    decrypted=false
+    for key in "${keys[@]}"
+    do
+        if ((echo "$key" | openssl base64 -d | openssl rsautl -decrypt -ssl -inkey "$private_key" > "$temp_file") > /dev/null 2>&1); then
+            if echo "$cypher" | openssl base64 -d | openssl aes-256-cbc -d -pass file:"$temp_file"; then
+                decrypted=true
+            fi;
+        fi;
+    done
+
+    if [ $decrypted = false ]; then
+        >&2 echo "no valid decription key supplied"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+#help
 else
     show_help
     exit 1
 fi
+