Public Key
- •
def
- •
in an Asymmetric Encryption key pair, the key that is freely shared with anyone
- •
- •
how it's used
- •
data encrypted with a recipient's public key can only be decrypted using that recipient's matching Private Key — this is how confidentiality is achieved, since only the intended recipient can read it
- •
data encrypted with a sender's private key can be decrypted by anyone using that sender's public key — this doesn't protect confidentiality, but it proves the message came from that sender (see Digital Signature, Code Signing)
- •
- •
note
- •
there's nothing technically distinct between a "public" and a "private" key — the only difference is whether the key is shared or kept secret
- •
- •