Difference Between Public Key and Private Key - Testbook.com (2024)

Overview

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The terms public key and private key are frequently used in the field of encryption and decryption. They play a significant role in securing sensitive information and critical data.

Cryptography, the art of writing and storing confidential data, is divided into several categories, namely hashing, symmetric, and asymmetric cryptography. A clear distinction exists between a public key and a private key, which we will explore in this article. But first, let's delve a little deeper into the concepts.

Defining a Private Key

A private key is a tool that allows a user to both encrypt and decrypt data. Shared between the sender and receiver of encrypted information, this key is also known as a symmetric key because it is common to both parties. In other words, the same encryption key is copied or shared by the other party to decrypt the ciphertext.

Furthermore, the mechanism of a private key is significantly faster than public-key cryptography. In the case of a private key, the same key is utilized for both encryption and decryption.

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Understanding a Public Key

A public key, on the other hand, is used to encrypt data, while the private key is used for decryption. Simply put, a user can encrypt data using a single (public) key, and then the receiver uses a private key to decrypt the ciphertext and read the message. This is also referred to as asymmetric cryptography.

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Contrasting Private Key and Public Key

Below is a comparison of the Private Key and Public Key.

ParametersPrivate KeyPublic Key
Algorithm ImplementedA private key is used for both encryption and decryption of data, hence it is shared between the sender and receiver.A public key is solely used to encrypt data, and a shared private key is required for its decryption.
EfficiencyThe mechanism here is considerably faster.The mechanism here is comparatively slower.
Key TypeThe process is symmetric as a single key is shared between the sender and receiver.It is asymmetric because two different keys are needed for encryption and decryption.
ConfidentialityThe private key is kept secret from users, and only the sender and receiver have access to it.The public key is freely accessible and usable by the public. However, only the sender and receiver possess the private key needed for decryption.
SharingA private key needs to be shared between the sender and receiver.The public key can be used by anyone, but a private key is required for decryption.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Private Key?

A private key is a type of key that allows a user to encrypt and decrypt the available data. It is shared between the receiver and the sender of the encrypted information and is also known as symmetric cryptography.

What is a Public Key?

A public key is a type of key that helps a user encrypt data while the private key decrypts it. It is also known as asymmetric cryptography.

What are the main differences between a Private Key and a Public Key?

Private Keys are used for both encryption and decryption of data and are shared between sender and receiver. They offer faster performance and are part of symmetric cryptography. Public Keys, on the other hand, are used only for encrypting data, with a shared private key needed for decryption. They are part of asymmetric cryptography and offer slower performance.

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    Difference Between Public Key and Private Key - Testbook.com (2024)

    FAQs

    Difference Between Public Key and Private Key - Testbook.com? ›

    The private key is kept secret from users, and only the sender and receiver have access to it. The public key is freely accessible and usable by the public. However, only the sender and receiver possess the private key needed for decryption.

    What is the difference between a private key and a public key? ›

    The public key is used to encrypt the data, while the private key, which is securely stored on the recipient's device, is used to decrypt the data. This asymmetric encryption ensures that only the intended recipient can access and read the encrypted information, even if the data passes through unsecured networks.

    What is an example of a public key? ›

    Example: Public keys of every user are present in the Public key Register. If B wants to send a confidential message to C, then B encrypt the message using C Public key. When C receives the message from B then C can decrypt it using its own Private key.

    What is private & public key how they authenticate? ›

    The public key authentication protocol uses two keys per node, a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. Everybody has access to the public key of a node, while the private key is secret. During authentication, random numbers are generated and exchanged, similar to the shared secret key protocol.

    What is a public key used for? ›

    Definitions: The public part of an asymmetric key pair that is typically used to verify signatures or encrypt data. A cryptographic key that is used with an asymmetric (public key) cryptographic algorithm and is associated with a private key.

    What is the difference between public key and private key in TLS? ›

    The TLS client uses the public key from the server's certificate to encrypt the generated symmetric key. The TLS client sends the encrypted symmetric key to the TLS server. The TLS server uses its own private key to decrypt the received encrypted symmetric key.

    What is an example of a private key? ›

    Private key encryption is often used to encrypt data stored or transmitted between two parties. For example, when you log in to a website using a username and password, the password is often encrypted using a private key before it is transmitted to the web server.

    Should I hide public key? ›

    We clarified that the public key can be shared freely while the private key must be kept secret. This means that anybody that knows a person's public key can use it to encrypt a message, but only the key's owner can decrypt it with their private key.

    What are public and private keys for dummies? ›

    Public key cryptography is a method of encrypting or signing data with two different keys and making one of the keys, the public key, available for anyone to use. The other key is known as the private key. Data encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted with the private key.

    What is the most common public key? ›

    The most commonly used public-key cryptosystem is RSA, which is named after its three developers Ron Rivest (b. 1947), Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman (b. 1945). At the time of the algorithm's development (1977), the three were researchers at the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science.

    Is a public key a password? ›

    Public key authentication also allows automated, passwordless login that is a key enabler for the countless secure automation processes that execute within enterprise networks globally.

    Who generates public key and private key? ›

    The sender generates a pair of public and private keys using the different forms of encryption algorithms such as RSA, DSA, and ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography). People keep the private key secret while they share the public key with the intended recipient.

    What is the purpose of the private key? ›

    A private key is a cryptographic variable that is used in conjunction with an algorithm to encrypt and decrypt data. Private keys should be shared only with the key's generator or parties authorized to decrypt the data. They are crucial in symmetric cryptography, asymmetric cryptography and cryptocurrencies.

    Who generates private keys? ›

    The private key is a separate file that's used in the encryption/decryption of data sent between your server and the connecting clients. A private key is created by you — the certificate owner — when you request your certificate with a Certificate Signing Request (CSR).

    How to decode a public key? ›

    Anything encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted by the corresponding private key. Once the secret key is decrypted, both the server and the client have a shared secret key. This key is then used for symmetric encryption of the data sent between them during that session.

    What is the difference between a public key and a private key? ›

    One of the keys is used for encryption, and the other is used for decryption. One key (public key) is used to encrypt plain text to convert it to ciphertext, and the receiver uses another key (private key) to decrypt the ciphertext to read the message.

    How do you generate a public key? ›

    the key.
    1. Generating public/private rsa key pair. Enter file in which to save the key (/Users/[user_dir]/. ...
    2. Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): [passphrase] Enter same passphrase again: [passphrase]
    3. Generating public/private rsa key pair. Your identification has been saved in /Users/[user_dir]/.ssh/id_rsa.
    Apr 16, 2024

    How to verify private key and public key? ›

    To verify that an RSA private key matches the RSA public key in a certificate you need to i) verify the consistency of the private key and ii) compare the modulus of the public key in the certificate against the modulus of the private key. If it doesn't say 'RSA key ok', it isn't OK!"

    What does a private key file look like? ›

    It looks like a block of encoded data, starting and ending with headers, such as —–BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY—– and —–END RSA PRIVATE KEY—–.

    What are the roles of public and private key? ›

    To conclude, private keys can be used for both encryption and decryption, while Public keys are used only for the purpose of encrypting the sensitive data. Private keys are shared between the sender and the receiver, whereas public keys can be freely circulated among multiple users.

    What is a public and private key for dummies? ›

    Public key cryptography is a method of encrypting or signing data with two different keys and making one of the keys, the public key, available for anyone to use. The other key is known as the private key. Data encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted with the private key.

    Does everyone have a private key? ›

    No, because of how key generation works. A private key is either generated alongside a public key or the public key is derived from the private key using a trapdoor function (this depends on the cryptographic primitive being used).

    What is the difference between a private key and a secret key? ›

    A private key is a secret key that is shared between two parties in symmetric cryptography and is only kept by one party in asymmetric cryptography. A private key can be used to decrypt information encrypted with the corresponding public key as well as used to create the digital signature of a file or certificate.

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