Public key cryptography is a branch of cryptography that encompasses a pair of keys, consisting of a private key and a public key, used to encrypt and decrypt data. It serves as a secure and efficient communication mechanism in electronic systems, ensuring confidentiality, authenticity, and integrity of data transmission.
The public key is accessible to anyone and can be shared openly. It is used to encrypt data before it is transmitted to the intended recipient. The private key, on the other hand, is kept secret and is used by the recipient to decrypt the data. The private key is primarily used for decryption, but can also be used for digital signatures, which provide authentication and protection against tampering.
Public key cryptography relies on the mathematical relationship between the private key and public key. Data encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted with the corresponding private key, making it computationally infeasible for anyone to derive the private key based on the public key. This ensures the confidentiality of the data being transmitted.
Public key cryptography also enables digital signatures, which enable the recipient to verify the authenticity and integrity of the data. By encrypting a digest of the data with the private key, the recipient can verify that the message has not been tampered with during transmission.
Overall, public key cryptography provides a secure and reliable method for communication, ensuring confidentiality, authenticity, and integrity of data transmission over electronic systems.
