Asymmetric encryption

Asymmetric encryptionAsymmetric encryption or encryption using a public key is based on the use of a pair of keys -- a private and a public -- instead of one key only.The transmitted information can be encrypted both using a private and a public key; but only the private key is able to decrypt information. This means that a message encrypted with the public key can be decrypted only with a private one and vice versa.The private key is known only to the owner, and the public key - known to all correspondents. In addition to information confidentiality, this encryption technique also solves the authentication tasks.However, the asymmetric encryption algorithm is very much inferior to the symmetric encryption in terms of encryption time and message decryption. That's why both encryption techniques are often used in combination.The asymmetric algorithm is used to transfer a symmetric key that is used directly to encrypt the information transmitted. Another asymmetric encryption application is a digital signature.For example, someone received your message encrypted with your private key. In this event, an addressee can be sure that it is really you who sent the message. Actually, the digital or electronic signature is the method of authentication confirming that the message content was not changed. By the way, you can put a digital signature both in an open and in an encrypted message.