We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Public-Key Cryptography

Public-key cryptography is an encryption method that uses a pair of cryptographic keys, a public key and a private key, to encrypt and decrypt data. The public key is available to everyone, while the private key is kept secret by the owner. When you encrypt data using the public key, only the holder of the corresponding private key can decrypt it.

Read more

Public-key cryptography is an encryption method that uses a pair of cryptographic keys, a public key and a private key, to encrypt and decrypt data. The public key is available to everyone, while the private key is kept secret by the owner. When you encrypt data using the public key, only the holder of the corresponding private key can decrypt it.

How does Public-Key Cryptography work?

Public-key cryptography relies on the fact that some mathematical problems are difficult to solve but easy to verify. These problems are used to create a one-way function that can be used to encrypt and decrypt data. The public key is used to encrypt the data, and the private key is used to decrypt it. This means that only the owner of the private key can decrypt the data that has been encrypted using the public key.

What are the benefits of Public-Key Cryptography?

Public-key cryptography has several benefits over symmetric-key cryptography. First, it is much more secure. With symmetric-key cryptography, the same key is used to encrypt and decrypt data, which means that if an attacker can get hold of the key, they can decrypt all of the data that has been encrypted using that key. With public-key cryptography, however, the public key is available to everyone, while the private key is kept secret. This means that even if an attacker can get hold of the public key, they cannot decrypt the data that has been encrypted using the private key.

Second, public-key cryptography is much more convenient than symmetric-key cryptography. With symmetric-key cryptography, you need to share the key with everyone you want to communicate with. This can be difficult to manage, especially if you are communicating with a large number of people. With public-key cryptography, you only need to share your public key with others. They can then use their own private key to decrypt the data that you have encrypted using your public key.

What are the uses of Public-Key Cryptography?

Public-key cryptography is used in a wide variety of applications, including:

  • Secure communication: Public-key cryptography can be used to secure communication between two parties over an insecure network. This is done by encrypting the data using the recipient's public key. Only the recipient can decrypt the data using their private key.
  • Digital signatures: Public-key cryptography can be used to create digital signatures. A digital signature is a mathematical way of proving that a message came from a specific sender. This is done by encrypting the message using the sender's private key. The recipient can then verify the signature using the sender's public key.
  • Key distribution: Public-key cryptography can be used to distribute keys securely. This is done by creating a public-key infrastructure (PKI). A PKI is a system that allows users to obtain and manage public keys. This makes it easy to exchange keys securely between different parties.

Online courses for learning Public-Key Cryptography

If you are interested in learning more about public-key cryptography, there are a number of online courses that you can take. These courses will teach you the basics of public-key cryptography, as well as how to use it in practice. Here are a few of the most popular online courses for learning public-key cryptography:

  • Cryptography I
  • Cifrado con Python: Cifrar Datos con Pares de Claves

These courses will teach you the basics of public-key cryptography, as well as how to use it to secure your communications and data. They are a great way to learn more about this important topic.

Conclusion

Public-key cryptography is a powerful tool that can be used to secure your communications and data. It is a complex topic, but there are a number of online courses that can help you learn the basics. If you are interested in learning more about public-key cryptography, I encourage you to take one of these courses.

Path to Public-Key Cryptography

Share

Help others find this page about Public-Key Cryptography: by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Reading list

We've selected 13 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Public-Key Cryptography.
This massive handbook provides a comprehensive overview of public-key cryptography as well as most other major cryptographic topics. It is an essential reference for anyone working in the field of cryptography.
This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to computational number theory and its applications to cryptography. It includes a detailed discussion of the mathematical foundations of public-key cryptography.
This textbook provides a comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of public-key cryptography. It is an excellent choice for students and researchers who want to learn about the latest developments in this field.
This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to number theory and its applications to cryptography. It includes a detailed discussion of the mathematical foundations of public-key cryptography.
This textbook provides an introduction to number theory with a focus on the work of Srinivasa Ramanujan. It includes a discussion of the mathematical foundations of public-key cryptography.
This classic book provides a comprehensive introduction to the distribution of prime numbers. It includes a discussion of the mathematical foundations of public-key cryptography.
This German-language textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to cryptography. It includes a detailed discussion of public-key cryptography and its applications.
This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to cryptography and network security. It includes a detailed discussion of public-key cryptography and its applications.
This popular science book provides an introduction to the mathematics of cryptography. It includes a discussion of public-key cryptography and its applications.
This non-technical book provides a clear and concise introduction to public-key cryptography. It good choice for readers who want to learn about the basics of cryptography without getting bogged down in the technical details.
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2024 OpenCourser