Public key cryptography is a method of securing communications by using two mathematically related keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is used to encrypt information, while the private key is used to decrypt it. This means that anyone can use the public key to encrypt a message, but only the intended recipient with the corresponding private key can decrypt and read it. This ensures both authenticity and confidentiality in a public key system.

Public keys are designed to be shared openly and are often used for verifying digital signatures and encrypting sensitive information during communication. They are considered safe to distribute because even if intercepted, they cannot be used to derive the corresponding private key. The private key, on the other hand, must be kept secret and should only be known to the owner. It is essentially the key to decrypting the messages encrypted with the corresponding public key.

In summary, public key cryptography relies on the use of two keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. The public key can be openly shared, while the private key must be kept secret. This ensures the security and privacy of the encrypted information. Now let’s dive deeper into the details of public key cryptography. I’ll explain it thoroughly!