In encryption, public and private keys are used to secure data and ensure that it can only be accessed by intended recipients. This process is part of a cryptographic system known as public key cryptography or asymmetric encryption. Here\’s a simple explanation:
- Public Key: This key is shared openly and can be distributed to anyone. It\’s used to encrypt data, meaning it turns readable information into a coded form that can\’t be easily understood by unauthorized parties.
- Private Key: This key is kept secret by the owner and is used to decrypt data that was encrypted with the corresponding public key. Only the person with the private key can transform the encrypted data back into its original readable form.
Here\’s how they work together:
- When you want to send a secure message to someone, you use their public key to encrypt the message.
- Once encrypted, the message can only be decrypted by the recipient using their private key.
- This ensures that even if the encrypted message is intercepted, it cannot be read without the private key.
Public and private keys are fundamental in securing online communications, protecting sensitive information, and verifying identities in various digital transactions.
