Asymmetric Encryption

Updated 24 Jul 2026

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def
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  encryption that uses two different, mathematically related keys — a Public Key and a Private Key — instead of one shared key
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mechanism
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  built on the Diffie-Hellman Exchange concept: extremely large, mathematically related values (based on large prime numbers), such that one key encrypts data that only its paired key can decrypt — neither key can be derived from the other
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how it's typically used
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  used to establish a secure channel between two parties, primarily in order to exchange a symmetric key; communication then switches over to symmetric encryption, which is much less computationally intense
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drawback
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  computationally intense — the keys involved are extremely large numbers, which places a heavy load on system performance
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related

Linked references 9