Public-key cryptography

Public-key cryptography or asymmetric cryptography is form of cryptography published in 1976 by Martin Hellman and Whitfield Diffie which has a public and private key. A public key is one half of a software asymmetric cryptographic system that secures messages for transmission over an open or non-secure network between two parties. The public key can be viewed or used by anyone, but the private key is kept secret by the creator. The private key must be used to decrypt the data encrypted by the public key. By using different keys, the encrypted data stays even more secure.

The sender uses the recipient's public key to encrypt the message, sends the message, and then recipient decrypts the message with their private key. The recipient's public key must be known, and this is done using a central available to all participants.

CRL, Cryptography, Diffie-Hellman, Encryption, Prime number, RSA, Security terms