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Public key Cryptography

Public Key Cryptography, or Asymmetric Cryptography, utilizes a pair of keys (public for encryption and private for decryption) to enable secure communication without the need for sharing secret keys. Key algorithms include RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and ECC, which provide advantages such as secure key distribution and authentication, but are slower and more complex than symmetric methods. This cryptographic technique is widely used in applications like SSL/TLS, email encryption, and digital signatures.

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6 views7 pages

Public key Cryptography

Public Key Cryptography, or Asymmetric Cryptography, utilizes a pair of keys (public for encryption and private for decryption) to enable secure communication without the need for sharing secret keys. Key algorithms include RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and ECC, which provide advantages such as secure key distribution and authentication, but are slower and more complex than symmetric methods. This cryptographic technique is widely used in applications like SSL/TLS, email encryption, and digital signatures.

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nishiijardar6
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Notes Of Basics of

Information Security
(4360702)
Unit - 3 Public Key Cryptography
1

Public Key Cryptography (Asymmetric


Cryptography)
Introduction
Public Key Cryptography, also known as Asymmetric
Cryptography, is an encryption technique that uses two
mathematically related keys:
1.​ Public Key – Used for encryption and can be shared with
anyone.
2.​Private Key – Used for decryption and must be kept
secret.
This method eliminates the need for secure key distribution,
unlike Symmetric Cryptography, which requires both parties
to share a single secret key.

How Public Key Cryptography Works


1.​ The sender encrypts the message using the recipient’s
public key.
2.​The recipient decrypts the message using their private
key.
3.​Since only the recipient has the private key, no one else
can decrypt the message.
✅ Example:
●​ Alice wants to send a secure message to Bob.
●​ Bob shares his public key with Alice.
2

●​ Alice encrypts the message using Bob’s public key and


sends it.
●​ Bob decrypts the message using his private key.

Key Features of Public Key Cryptography


✔ Two-Key System – A public and private key pair is used.​
✔ No Key Distribution Problem – The public key is freely
shared.​
✔ Provides Confidentiality & Authentication – Messages
remain private, and digital signatures verify identity.

Popular Public Key Algorithms


1. RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman)

●​ One of the most widely used asymmetric encryption


algorithms.
●​ Based on the difficulty of factoring large prime
numbers.
●​ Used in SSL/TLS, digital signatures, and secure email.
2. Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange

●​ Allows two parties to establish a shared secret key over


an insecure channel.
●​ Often used in combination with symmetric encryption.
3. Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)

●​ Uses elliptic curves for encryption, providing the same


security as RSA but with smaller key sizes.
3

●​ Faster and more efficient than RSA.


4. Digital Signature Algorithms (DSA, ECDSA, EdDSA)

●​ Used for authentication and verifying data integrity.


●​ Ensures messages are not tampered with and proves the
sender’s identity.

Advantages of Public Key Cryptography


✅ Secure Communication – Eliminates the need for

✅
pre-shared secret keys.​
Authentication – Verifies sender identity using digital

✅
signatures.​
Scalability – Works well for large networks, as each user
only needs one public-private key pair.

Disadvantages of Public Key Cryptography


❌ Slower than Symmetric Cryptography – More

❌
computationally intensive.​
Key Management Complexity – Requires a robust Public

❌
Key Infrastructure (PKI) to manage keys securely.​
Not Ideal for Encrypting Large Data – Often used to
securely exchange symmetric encryption keys instead.

Comparison: Public Key vs. Symmetric Key Cryptography


4

Feature Public Key Cryptography Symmetric


(Asymmetric) Cryptography

Keys Two (Public & Private) One (Shared Secret


Used Key)

Speed Slower Faster

Security More secure Less secure (due to


key distribution
issues)

Key No need to share the Secret key must be


Distributi private key shared securely
on

Use Secure key exchange, Fast encryption of


Cases authentication, digital large data
signatures

Applications of Public Key Cryptography


🔹 SSL/TLS (Secure Web Browsing) – Ensures secure

🔹
HTTPS connections.​
Email Encryption (PGP, S/MIME) – Protects email

🔹
confidentiality.​
Digital Signatures – Used in electronic documents,
contracts, and software signing.​
5

🔹 Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.) – Uses

🔹
public-private key pairs for secure transactions.​
VPN & Secure Network Communications – Helps establish
encrypted tunnels for safe data transfer.

Exam Preparation Notes


Main Points to Remember

1.​ Public Key Cryptography = Asymmetric Encryption.


2.​Uses Two Keys: Public Key (Encryption) & Private Key
(Decryption).
3.​Popular Algorithms: RSA, ECC, Diffie-Hellman, DSA.
4.​Advantages: Secure key distribution, authentication,
scalability.
5.​Disadvantages: Slower, computationally expensive, key
management issues.
6.​Use Cases: Digital signatures, SSL/TLS, email security,
cryptocurrency.
Short Notes for Quick Revision

●​ Public Key Cryptography – Uses two keys (public &


private).
●​ RSA – Most widely used asymmetric algorithm.
●​ Diffie-Hellman – Key exchange method.
●​ ECC – More efficient than RSA.
●​ Digital Signatures – Ensure authentication & integrity.
●​ Used in: HTTPS, VPN, cryptocurrency, email security.

Conclusion
6

Public Key Cryptography is the backbone of secure


communication over the internet. While it is slower than
symmetric encryption, its ability to provide authentication,
digital signatures, and secure key exchange makes it
essential for modern cybersecurity.

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